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This was the drive that Joe Flacco had yet to lead and the game that he had yet to win.
With the Ravens trailing the Steelers by four at Heinz Field, Flacco got the ball with a minute and six seconds left.
The quarterback, who was 0-3 in his career in Pittsburgh and only 1-4 against the Steelers overall coming into the day, moved the Ravens down the field on four plays, going a perfect 4-of-4 through the air, and connected on an 18-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to give Baltimore a 17-14 win over their top rivals.
He had finally beaten the Steelers on the road, and had engineered the dramatic game-winning drive that Ravens fans have been looking for throughout Flacco's three-year career.
"There's not too many better ways to win a game," Flacco told reporters after the game.
That's for sure. On the road, against the NFL's top defense in terms of points allowed, and with the prospect of falling two games behind the Steelers staring him in the face, Flacco delivered.
We haven't heard Flacco called "Joe Cool" in a little while, but that calm, fearless persona was back on the game-winning drive, as the Ravens' quarterback surveyed the field, found the holes in the Pittsburgh secondary, and delivered his passes right on the money.
He began the drive with a nine-yard completion to Anquan Boldin, and hit Boldin again for three yards to move the chains and stop the clock as the receiver got out of bounds.
Flacco then found Houshmandzadeh along the sideline for 10 more yards, setting up the touchdown strike. As Houshmandzadeh faked like he was running an out-route, Flacco delivered a pump fake, which made the cornerback bite, then threaded a perfect ball to the back of the end zone where Houshmandzadeh could bring it in.
It was the drive that fans have been waiting for, and the game-winning performance that Flacco himself has been searching for as well.
"We've played good games here, we just haven't won any," Flacco said. "So, to finally come out and win one in another tight game like they all have been, it feels really good."
