BLOG: Best Moments From The Ravens-Steelers Rivalry

This Sunday will be one of the most anticipated games in the rivalry's history other than maybe the AFC Championship Game in 2008.  So one thing I wanted to do is count down the ten best moments from the rivalry.  So I know this is Baltimore so most of these moments will be pro Ravens, but its hard not to include a couple of pro Steelers moments for as much as they dominated in the early years.  So here are my top 10 Ravens-Steelers moments.

Number 10; November 4, 2001,  Ravens Won 13-10: This game might not stick out in a lot of people's minds mostly because it only stands out for one reason.  In the newly opened Heinz field this was the Steelers first loss there.  The Ravens have a knack for being the first team to beat someone for the first time in their new home.  So beating the Steelers in their new stadium should definitely be on the list.

Number 9; December 12, 1999, Ravens Won 31-24: This game was special for Ravens fans for two reasons.  First it was the teams first ever win in Pittsburgh.  The other and main reason is the outstanding day turned in by Qadry Ismail.  He had 6 catches for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns.  That day for Ismail also set a record for most receiving yards at Three Rivers, which is impressive considering all the great players who played on that field.

Number 8; December 1, 1996, Ravens Won 31-17: There was not a lot of good memories or good football those first couple seasons in Baltimore.  But the Ravens gave us a memory in the first season that we could latch on to.  I remember the conditions were awful with rain coming down, and also Jonathan Ogden caught his first touchdown pass in the Ravens first win over the Steelers.

Number 7; September 3, 2000, Ravens Won 16-0: The Ravens opened their 2000 season on the road at Pittsburgh.  We all know why the 2000 season was special and they started it the right way.  The 16-0 win not only set the tone for the season it was the first time the Ravens shutout the Steelers.  The Ravens have more shutouts in the series with two.

Number 6; September 19, 2004, Ravens Won 30-13: This game might be a head scratcher to some.  This was the game where the Ravens knocked Tommy Maddox out and Roethlisberger made his NFL debut.  Roethlisberger has been a thorn in the side of the Ravens since that game but you can't deny he makes the rivalry better.

Number 5; October 3, 2010, Ravens Won 17-14: It is fresh in all of our minds but that doesn't take away the importance of the win.  This might be looked back as Joe Flacco's defining moment, with under a minute left he drove the Ravens 40 yards to pull off the victory.  There was no Big Ben but a win over that defense should not be ignored.

Number 4; 2008 Season Series: The Steelers won both games during the regular season but both were extremely memorable.  In the first game the Ravens dominated for most of the game until the Steelers took a late lead.  But the rookie QB lead the Ravens down the field to force OT.  In the second game it was a battle of field goals and a controversial TD.  They were tough to watch for Ravens fans but few could argue that this might have been the most competitive season in the rivalry.

Number 3; December 28, 2003, Ravens Won 13-10: Another game that had special meaning for more than one reason.  With a win the Ravens won their first division title, and Jamal Lewis was looking for a record-breaking season.  Lewis came up short on the all time record for rushing yards but still finished with an incredible season of 2066 yards.

Number 2; 2008 AFC Championship Game, Steelers Won 23-14: I know this is a tough one for Ravens fans but its worth mentioning.  The Ravens came into the season with a rookie QB, a rookie head coach and no expectations.  Well the Ravens went 11-5 and all three Steelers games were instant classics.  The Ravens might have lost but made a huge statement in Flacco and Harbaugh's first season.

Number 1; 2006 Season Sweep of the Steelers: If you're looking at this from a Ravens point of view how can any memory be better than the only season sweep the Ravens own over Pittsburgh, and it wasnt even close.  The Ravens won 27-0 and 31-7 in the two games.  The most memorable part of the two games was the incredible hit Bart Scott had on Roethlisberger.  The season didn't end the way Ravens fans would've liked but sweeping the Steelers softened the blow.

Andy Snakovsky - 1057 The Fan staff writer