Number One

Here it is, the best game in the short but brutal Steeler/Raven rivalry. This one is not only important because of how it was won but because of the magnitude of the game. Our number one game takes us to the AFC Championship at the end of the 2008 season.

 

AFC Championship

Steelers 23 Ravens 14

There is something special about a rivalry game that takes place in such an important game. The Steeler/Raven games have been hard fought, old school style games, and this game proved to be much of the same.

The Steelers jumped out to an early lead off of two Jeff Reed field goals (34,42) in the first quarter. Early in the second quarter the Steelers extended their lead, 13-0 on a 65 yard touchdown pass from Big Ben to Santonio Holmes. The Ravens answered back at the end of the half with a Willis McGahee touchdown run. The Steelers went into the half up 13-7.

Jeff Reed added his third field goal of the game (46) with 3:38 left in the third quarter. The game got really good in the fourth quarter after Willis McGahee scored his second rushing touchdown, putting the Ravens down 16-14. The Ravens got the ball back, getting their chance to knock off the Steelers for a trip to the Super Bowl. With 4:24 left, Troy Polamalu picked off Joe Flacco and returned it 40 yards to the endzone. The Steelers went up for good 23-14, earning their seventh trip to the Super Bowl.

Beating the Ravens is good on any day, but in the AFC Championship, that's price less. Every Steeler fan will remember where they were and what they were doing when they watched this game play out.