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USATSI

John Harbaugh is as synonymous with the Steelers-Ravens rivalry as anyone since the two teams starting playing each other 26 years ago. He has been on both the winning and losing sides of many epic games between the teams since becoming Baltimore's coach in 2008. 

That's why Harbaugh's postgame comments regarding a key moment in Baltimore's 16-14 win over Pittsburgh were significant. He alluded to Baltimore's 14-play, 57-yard drive in the fourth quarter that ended with Justin Tucker's third field goal of the day to give the visitors a nine-point lead. 

"That drive in the fourth quarter will go down in history as one of the great drives in this rivalry," Harbaugh said. "It will in my mind, I'll promise you that."

The drive was significant for several reasons. Leading Baltimore's offense was Anthony Brown, an undrafted rookie quarterback who made his regular season debut on the Ravens' previous possession following an injury to Tyler Huntley. Brown's second completion on the drive, a seven-yard pass to Mark Andrews on a third-and-4 play, extended the drive while giving Baltimore possession on the other side of the 50-yard-line. 

"It was super impressive just the way he commanded the huddle, the way that he brought us all together and all that," Andrews said of his young teammate. "Acting like he had been there before, and [I] just have a lot of respect and love for the way he came in and handled it."

Nearly as impressive was the running of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. The duo combined to pick up 42 yards on eight carries that included two runs that led to first downs. Dobbins, who played Sunday for the first time in six weeks, accounted for 120 of Baltimore's 215 yards on the ground. 

"Still not me all the way yet," Dobbins said of his performance. "I'm going to continue to get better. And hopefully, those 100-yard games turn into 200-yard games. Just going to keep getting healthier."

Baltimore's final scoring drive was impressive, but their final drive was the one that put the final nail in Pittsburgh's coffin. The Steelers responded to the Ravens' score when Mitch Trubisky hit Pat Freiermuth in the end zone with 2:30 left. Pittsburgh then used its remaining two timeouts prior to a critical third-and-3 play with 2:12 left. 

With everyone expecting a run, the Ravens were still able to pick up the necessary yards and then some after Edwards gained six yards on a counter trap play. Baltimore then ended the game in victory formation after getting its first win in Pittsburgh since 2019. 

"Was really well blocked," Harbaugh said of Edwards' first down run, via Steel City Insider. "That is probably a heroic play as any, that series to get the first down and salt the game away."

Baltimore's late resolve on offense enabled Harbaugh's team to move to 9-4 while staying just ahead of Cincinnati for first place in the AFC North. Conversely, the loss all but ended the Steelers' hopes of extending their season beyond their regular season finale against Cleveland. The ramifications of the game, as well as the circumstances surrounding it, are likely the reasons behind Harbaugh's praise of his offense's fourth quarter drive. 

Speaking of praise, Harbaugh acknowledged the role Steelers fans played in Sunday's game living up to the type of contest that has come to define the rivalry. 

"Just a shoutout to a great environment, experience here in Pittsburgh and the amazing rivalry that this is. We appreciate it, and we appreciate victories like this in this environment against Pittsburgh, because we have respect for them and for the rivalry. Very proud of our guys."