PITTSBURGH — Antonio Brown started the scoring with a 71-yard punt return and ended it with a 63-yard reception as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 27-17 Sunday night in a showdown for the AFC North title.

While the Steelers (11-5) won their first division title since 2010 and secured a home playoff game Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens (10-6) in the AFC wild-card round, they could be without team Most Valuable Player Le’Veon Bell.

The second-year running back sustained a right knee injury in the third quarter when struck by the helmet of Bengals safety Reggie Nelson while being tackled. Bell finished the regular season with 1,361 rushing yards plus 83 receptions for 854 yards.

Josh Harris, an undrafted rookie free agent, finished the game at running back. Harris gained 7 yards on five carries, while Bell gained 20 yards on eight carries.

The Bengals (10-5-1) will visit the Indianapolis Colts (11-5) on Sunday in a wild-card game, marking the fourth consecutive season Cincinnati will participate in the playoffs. The Bengals missed a chance to win back-to-back division crowns for the first time in their 44-year history.

Brown had seven receptions for 128 yards and finished the regular season leading the NFL with 129 catches and 1,698 yards.

The wide receiver’s touchdown catch with 2:50 remaining sealed the victory as it put the Steelers up by 10 points. It was also his 13th receiving TD of the season, breaking the franchise record.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed 24 of 38 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns.

Down 20-17, the Bengals were driving in the final minutes when wide receiver A.J. Green lost a fumble as he was hit by cornerback Antwon Blake following a 17-yard reception. Blake recovered at the Cincinnati 31 with 3:54 remaining.

Three plays later, Roethlisberger and Brown connected for a touchdown.

Bengals rookie running back Jeremy Hill rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries, and Green, playing with a bruised left forearm, caught eight passes for 82 yards. Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton finished 27-for-38 for 244 yards and two touchdowns but was also intercepted twice.

Cincinnati cut the deficit to 20-17 with 11:14 left when tight end Jermaine Gresham caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Dalton.

The Steelers scored the final 13 points of the second quarter to take a 20-10 halftime lead.

Kicker Shaun Suisham tied the score with a 29-yard field goal with 7:36 left then put the Steelers ahead by 10 points when he connected from 25 yards with 44 seconds remaining.

In between field goals, wide receiver Martavis Bryant put Pittsburgh on top 17-10 when he turned a screen pass from Roethlisberger into a 21-yard touchdown with 5:52 remaining. The score was set up by cornerback Brice McCann’s interception.

The Bengals had moved in front 10-7 when running back Giovanni Bernard caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dalton with 2:43 left in the first quarter and kicker Mike Nugent converted a 39-year field goal with 12:32 to go in the second quarter.

Brown started the scoring in exciting fashion 4:10 into the game. He fielded Kevin Huber’s 54-yard punt and cut right, where he found no running room, before reversing field and going down the left sideline for the score that included a somersault just as he reached the end zone.

NOTES: Pittsburgh S Troy Polamalu (knee) and CB Ike Taylor (shoulder) were inactive. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was optimistic earlier in the week that Polamalu would be able to play but he instead missed his second straight game and sat out for the fifth time in the last eight games. Taylor missed his third straight game. … Cincinnati CB Terrence Newman (ankle) was inactive, sitting out for the second time in the last three games. … Bengals RB Cedric Peerman left the game in the first quarter with a concussion and did not return. … Steelers WR Antonio Brown had the third punt return touchdown of his five-year career in the first quarter, covering 71 yards. That leaves him one shy of the franchise record held by Antwaan Randle-El.