2008 AFC Championship: Polamalu Delivers for the Steelers | Ravens vs. Steelers | NFL Full Game
In honor of Free Game Friday the NFL presents the 2008 AFC Championship between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
00:00 - Start
10:28 H. Ngata Sacks Big Ben
12:26 Flacco Picked Off by D. Townsend
29:54 W. Parker Stripped by Ray Lewis, Ravens Recover
32:59 Troy Polamalu Leaps Over Line to Stop Flacco on Fourth Down
36:19 Big Ben 65-yard TD Pass to S. Holmes
48:23 Flacco Sacked on Third Down in Steeler Territory
58:00 J. Leonard 45-yard Punt Return
1:02:21 W. McGahee 3-yard TD Run
1:20:47 Polamalu Takes Down Flacco for Big Loss
1:49:38 W. McGahee 1-yard TD Run
1:59:26 Polamalu Pick Six
2:08:16 T. Carter Picks Off Flacco to seal game
Two bitter rivals, great defenses, and a trip to the Super Bowl was on the line in this AFC Championship Game. Ultimately, the Steelers managed to hold off a comeback attempt by Joe Flacco and the Ravens thanks to a Troy Polamalu pick six with under five minutes to play.
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Man I miss Polamalu
Did he retire? I havent seen him play football last year.
Elijah Rudolph I think he retired 2 or 3 years ago
Jag Galeai same i miss Troy Polamalu to
I am happy for him in that he doesn't have to play such a dangerous sport and can hopefully enjoy some of his money. Yeah, he was an amazing football player and from what I hear a good man as well. I prefer good people...
Me too man!
I just remember that whenever I was watching the Steelers Defense play, I was ALWAYS looking for Polamalu! Man he was the most exciting player to watch. Miss em
Nikola Testya now that defense is unwatchable
The linebackers and secondary are much better and improving but the defensive line is injured and also has problems with stopping the run though they too have shown improvement over the year.
Beware the Hair
The students were my favorite team since I was born and I can't believe they won
The Steelers were my favorite team since I was born
13 years later, Troy Polamalu’s INT still gives me GOOSEBUMPS! What a PLAY!
I remember watching it when it happened and I screamed at my tv like “YEEEAHHHH TROY!!!”
Damnnn Troy why you gotta do Ray and Ed like that lmfao
Announcer definitely let his Ravens bias shine through on that play lmao
As a Ravens fan, this was actually a really enjoyable game to watch even though we lost. Games like these are what makes football such a great sport.
100% man, no doubt. Steelers--Ravens = Best rivalry in all of sports. I "hate" the Ravens, but I have immense respect for them, and I'm glad they're in our division. Cheers man.
In 2022, I still feel like that. Steelers are my team. I don't get upset if they lose to the Ravens. They always gives us fans a heck of a game.
I hate the ravens and and the ravens hate us………Thank you baltimore.
It's like playing the Capitals in hockey. Hate with benefits and respect.
I always appreciate the rivalry games. It's really easy to get into the morality play between the "evil" Ravens and the "good" Steelers. I don't hold it against anyone who is a Ravens fan, it's just a game at the end of the day, but it's fun to really be invested in rivalries like these.
Greatest rivalry of the 2000s hands down. Both teams were stacked with hall of famers
Colts v patriots is a good candidate
I agree...both teams played straight up football. Nothing pretty just straight up football
Ian Malcolm yo add 2012. Ravens won the super bowl that year
Both teams played like it was life and death as well. I'll never forget being younger and being in awe of the intensity both teams played with. We wont ever see games like that again
Michael Kirschner Ravens vs patriots was better. We lost to the patriots way too much for it to even be considered a rivalry. We just hated them. Lol
Troy Polamaul oh my goodness, one of the greatest safeties of all time
Could you imagine the 2008 Steelers defense with their current offense? It'd be the 70s all over again.
Josh Ochs I can only imagine
Josh Ochs It'd be better honestly. In the 70s the game was low scoring by design, but if you take a team like that into the mix nowadays that's a route every game.
Josh Ochs Id love it, but you cant have a team like that. This steelers was about defense. Thats what most of their time went to defense and rightfully so because of the stars they had. Todays steelers sre based on offense, and rightfully so with the weapons they have. They have a fairly young, hungry, strong team. Only question is what happens when ben retires in a year or so? From a die hard pittsburgh steelers fan
Richard Ramos In all honesty I feel like a moron saying that because the Steelers have the #2 defense in the league right now, but the offense is playing terrible when you look at the talent that it has. It is just not right at all. Really embarrassing considering when there's teams like the Patriots that can lose players like Edelman and Gronk and still pretty much do the same things that they've been doing offensively. As for Ben retiring, obviously their only option would be free agency. I'm interested to see what happens with Andrew Luck.
Josh Ochs can you imagine the 2000 Ravens defense and the Ravens offense in 2012 together that would have been amazing
The AFC was stacked in the 2000's. Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, Colts, Tomlinson and the Chargers.
Ćhrîśtöphêr Śćött: Patriots, Steelers, than Colts in the early 2000's. The Patriots and Steelers won a combined 5 SuperBowls; 3 for the Patriots and 2 for the Steelers. The colts only won 1 SuperBowl, and got blown out the Saints in their 2nd SuperBowl.
Ćhrîśtöphêr Śćött titans that year were 13-3 too they were beasts for a few years
Mid 2000's is when the Bengals started being pests again too. The AFCN was a true battlefield. Patriots and Colts really never had anyone to consistently contend with them, and always easily led their divisions. AFCN title was a bloodbath for a good while there. Great football.
Chargers consistently destroyed the colts. Patriots consistently destroyed the bolts.
Pitt Burgh that was actually 2010 when the 7-9 Seahawks made the playoffs. But I agree with you either way. The fact that the Rex Grossman led Bears made the Super Bowl in ‘06 just shows how bad it was
I was there. Polamalu is the greatest player I've ever seen.
When you realize this was a DECADE ago... I feel old.
Hahahah yes sooo true
Time flies 😬
Are first decade we feel old them we only have about 2-3 more
when you realize this comment is now almost a decade year old!
This game is why Troy Polamalu is my favorite player of all time
I remember this like it was a year ago. This was the greatest rivalry in the 2000s
Rob #GoPackGo #GoLakers #GoDodgers What about Patriots and Colts
StickyMcStickyPants 2.Pats vs Colts 3.Giants vs Eagles 4.Packers vs Vikings 5.Chargers vs Broncos
Rob #GoPackGo #GoLakers #GoYankees Chargers dominated the rivalry in the 2000s. Sadly it's a different story in 2010s. 😭
Rocki - Football Games, Madden Highlights and More! Chargers dominated their division mostly in the mid late 2000s
Rob #GoPackGo #GoLakers #GoYankees Yup, especially the 2004-2010 era. The only time we didn't dominated the entire division, was when the Broncos went 13-3 I believe in 2005.
This 2008 Steelers defense is one of the best defenses ever.
The roar of the crowd when Troy picked off Flacco gives me goosebumps every time.
And Simms was sooooooo disappointed cuz he lost lost the money he bet on the Ravens.
Ravens vs Steelers has been the best NFL rivalry this century so far
one of the best games ive ever seen...POLAMALU at his best!
He was in his prime
JMJArkansas40 nature 111
NFL in better days.
DVJFan Wrong
DVJFan its because of roger goodell and ruining football with his bullshit rules
DVJFan The NFL is terrible now. Changes the rules back to 2008 rules. NFL ratings are down because the rules made the game less exciting.
@Patriots 5x Champions. now that the refs basically worship Brady
Based on what? it's flag football, this game was a throwback to the 70's when football was tackle football
This was a CLASSIC game. Much respect for the Ravens but man this is football! I watched this with headphones on and damn it was loud there. When Troy picked off Joe Flacco of course the crowd blew up, but when he got to the end zone it got even louder. Straight up deafening! Wish I was there!
One of my hubby's friends has season tickets for the
Steelers and when Troy made the interception the crowd screamed and yelled and it only got louder.
I was at that game, end zone where Troy ran it back....Guy with friends and family in front of us were ravens fans....beginning of that drive him and all his buddies were saying "were going to do to you what you did to us the last game" (steelers drove down and beat them in the final drive)... they were talking all kinds of smack the whole game. Then Troy picks off flacco...how sweet that was...those bird fans shut up real quick.... hung their heads and ran out of there...
If only the modern day steelers had this much passion and heart as this team. i mean TJ and cam do
Polamalu was one of those freakish talents that you wanted to watch play (regardless of the team's situation) because you might see him do something spectacular. He's one of only a handful of players I felt that way about along with Deion Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Randy Moss and Barry Sanders.
I miss watching Polamalu play, such a stud
Football was just different in the early 2000s. These dudes were going to war 💯
What an insane season. 3 primetime games against Baltimore. ALL of them great games. We won all 3 and took the division, then the conference, all on the way to trophy #6.
Still my favorite NFL game ever. The energy in the stadium that night was electric, and when Polamalu sealed it with the interception, you could feel the stadium moving, it was amazing.
One of the best games I've seen from start to finish. I hated seeing McGahee get hit at the end of the game though.
JustBombsProductions I love your vids!
MJP Ben was sacked in the week 17 game against the Browns. Ben's head struck the ground hard, causing a concussion.
Coming from a Steelers fan I don't like that either once there's one dirty hit it's just retaliation. Need to keep the bullshit clean legal and in between whistles
You know it's a viscous hit when neither player gets up. In 2020, those kind of hits are discouraged and get penalized now.
Same
Holmes was the best "follow ur block route running receiver" we've ever had.. we really missed havin him in the SB against Green Bay...
slikdarelic: He became a cancer in the locker room. Trading him was a good thing.
@@leviowen9410 he was a rookie then.. And we didn't have the offensive strategy we have now.. And the offensive line couldn't stay healthy.. That Mendenhall fumble kinda sealed our fate.. We were changin the momentum up to that point.
@@leviowen9410 sanders also got hurt
@@slikdarelic Steelers win that super bowl if Pouncey was healthy
Sadly beat Holmes to get to superbowl... he was on the jets that season which steelers beat to get to the ship
I still get chills when Troy picks off Flacco.
Troy Polamalu's Pick 6 is my second favorite moment in NFL history. My first? The Santonio Holmes catch.
Harrison pick 6 >>
One of my favorite game. I'm glad steelers still have Ben, Bell and Brown ( my faves players) . I miss so many former players such as : Polamalu, Miller, Ward, and many more 😊😊😊 Good luck Pittsburgh Steelers !
This didn’t age well
I'm totally fine with this, Steelers deserved to go to the super bowl
Ndudi Enwereuzor Thanks😊 #Respect
Ndudi Enwereuzor Wish rivals acted like that more often. And Ill be DAMNED if the ravens didnt deserve that ring against the 49ers. #Respect
Total respect and then you guys win the super bowl 4 years later
One of the most extraordinarily awesome interceptions made in the NFL! Congratulations Troy Polamalu on your Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection! 🏈🏈🏈🏈🏆🏆🏆🏆
Good lord, we were spoiled in Baltimore and Pittsburgh with these teams. We had some of the scariest teams back in these days, no team wanted to see either one of us. When you bring these two head on, you were in for a treat every. damn. time. Look forward to seeing you again Pittsburgh!
One was spider man...one was viper lol. Identical alter egos with the same powers.
Respect
I still get chills when Polamalu snags that errant Flacco pass and takes it in.
Here’s some cheese to go with your whine, Harbaugh.
People hate on Joe Flacco like this dude wasn’t ballin back in his early days. Dude was in the playoffs every year and got deep more than a few times. Justice for Flacco.
Flacco was Way better then Jackson.. the NFL isn’t a regular season league. Playoff success determines who elite QBs are and now that Jackson is done with his rookie contract whoever he plays for next year will be a great regular season team and get bounced first or second round.. That’s a fact !!!!
This is my favorite football game of all time (followed by the sb win against the cardinals). Look at this two defenses, damned. Full of talent and character, the recent seahawks and broncos will never be close to lewis, polamalu, reed, harrison, keisel, suggs.... I could continue and continue. Damn how i miss these times
I remember this game I was screaming at the TV when Sweed dropped that TD. And, screamed when Sweed delivered that huge hit. Love my Steelers. I so Heated Suggs. Lol
NFL, Number 43's Interception Was Perfect For Sending The Pittsburgh Steelers to Super Bowl XLIII And That's No Lie.
Steelers d was so good even their punter was a good tackler
When ur really good the punter wont need to be tested in the tackling category lol
@@jesseleblanc1199 So the patriots where bad?
Was anyone talking about the Patriots you may be at the wrong place
This was undoubtedly the best rivalry in football
2:02:26 for Ryan Clark hit on Willis McGahee
NFL in better days.
Such a beautiful hit. One of my favorites of all time along with the day he murdered Wes Welker earlier in the season.
When you hit somebody so hard you knock yourself out.
So many good memories from this season
Still one of my favorite games. Best rivalry ever. These are the types of games you want to watch. We hate the Ravens but they got our respect. They’re a great team.
1:15:00 if you wanna see a dead body also, these might be the best combined linebacker units to ever play against each other. all 8 are absolute monsters 2:02:30 for more dead bodies. i love these games so much
Polamalu was a heck of a player
bruh theres nothing quite like watching troy polamulu play football
What a great f'n day for Pittsburgh, the Steelers, and Steeler fans.
These were my favorite days as a Steelers fan growing up. 2004-2011. And also the best of the Steelers/Ravens rivalry in my opinion.
Fourteen years ago and that Limas Sweed drop near the end of the first half still passes me off!😂😂
His lone NFL highlight came this game though when he blocked that dude into oblivion on that Heath Miller reception.
What great teams. Steelers just had the edge at QB, LB and S. Those advantages made the difference.
_you left out: Coach, GM, Owner, and Fans._ But nahh lol...these two produced some classics.
Nah ray and reed> polamalu and Harrison
@@jarvistraps nah. Polamalu all day
it was really the qb who made the difference. pit and baltimore matched up extremely well defensively in this era. all pros, defensive players of the year and hall of famers at just about every level of the defense. ben didnt give the ravens defense the same opportunities to shine that flacco did. cant blame him though, no defense has come close to the 13.9 ppg they had in 08, not to mention the strength of schedule they faced too that year. .544 combined win percentage of all their opponents
As a Steelers fan, words can’t describe how much I miss these days.
When you talk about great rivals, Baltimore and Pittsburgh are up there with the best of them. These were some hard fought games.
Im coming back to this video after 15 years. Seeing how different the team is now. No more Roethlisberger, smith, polamalu, harrison, Lewis, or Clark
I’n no expert but im pretty sure during late 2000’s early 2010’s, if you were an afc fan it was either the Steelers, ravens, colts, or patriots. Even if you weren’t a fan of either, these 4 teams were the most dominant teams in the entire AFC at the time.
man I remember this. and that hit on Willis omg...
Best game EVER PLAYED & hardest hitting!!!!!
That int by Troy I just knew we were gonna win it all
Love watching this game. Two great teams inflicting their will on the other. So many great players on each team. What a battle
What a wonderful game! Absolute juggernauts on both sides of the field! two great teams with unbelievable defenses. this is truly one of the greatest AFC championship games of all time! with more Talent than you can shake a stick at on both teams! all legends in their own right. I feel very privileged that I got to watch this game with my father especially about hearing all the stories about the seventies Steelers I wanted to see that type of greatness myself with him. Amazingly I got to do just that. it was one of my favorite memories growing up and I am very thankful for being able to witness this outstanding game! Go Steelers!
So many big plays in this game... Classic! with at least 4 hall of fame players on both teams... Incredible football
Troy is the best! Miss him playing so much.
I watched the whole thing without skipping
Respect from a ravens fan
Wow
who better to shield troy in for the TD than legend Aaron Smith
To this day this is still the most physical, hard hit game I have ever seen.
Colin Hawkins Go watched the 1975 AFC CHAMPIONSHIP Game between Pittsburgh and Oakland
Memorable AFC Championship game from the 00's...
These two brought the rivalry to entire new level. It is WW4 when they play each other, loud booings, many pushing and shovings, and fights from time to time.
So we are just skipping WW3 ? 😊
This was a great game but lord have mercy the amount of cte that was being handed out in this game was unreal! I mean the very first play a ravens player got knocked out. I tip my hat to these players man because they really put their mind body and soul into these games and gave us a something we will never see again.
Man I forgot about how much Phil Simms blows as a commentator 😬
Right. Phil Simmons must have bet on the Ravens. He was so disappointed when his team lost. Total loser. LOLOL
troy #43 lead the Steelers to Superbowl 43.
Santonio holmes may be the most known unknown steeler... He was clutch man
He hasn't been unknown since before the 09 super bowl.
Did you know that he took a contract from the Steelers so he could retire from Pittsburgh?
He was big bens Larry fits Gerald. When Ben needed a play number 14 was right there
A super bowl mvp is not an unknown Steelers buddy..
Troy Polamalu was Joe Flacco's worst nightmare he terrorized him in every game they played
R.I.P Dan Rooney
Outstanding hit by Ryan Clark in the 4th!!
Man I really miss Troy.
My grandpa recorded this game on VCR. I was 12 when this game happened. I can't remember what the deal was with recording it on VCR...I think we didn't have a cable connection at the time and my grandpa recorded it for us and gave it to us to watch because we were huge Steeler fans.
Just think, this is the last AFC Championship game with no AFC East team involved
Gameshowboy 92: Yup. It went Jets '09, Jets '10, than Patriots 2011 through 2015.
*2011-2017
They beat the Jets in the AFC title game that year so you are incorrect sir
WOW I did not know that till now.
Who will end the patriots reign of conference title game apperances will that quarterback in south Texas, that gunslinger in Kansas city or could it be that new stud quarterback in charm city we will find next January.
One of the best games in NFL history. Just pure old school football
I hope they do a 30 for 30 on this game. Ray Lewis, Reed, Suggs, Ngata, Harrison, Polamalu, Faneca, Big Ben, Tomlin…eventually Ward and possibly Harbaugh all in Canton. Ozzie Newsome is already in or he would be a HOF GM, Steelers GM Colbert will be in Canton. An epic game for the ages. The difference in 2008..Big Ben over the rookie Flacco plus the Steelers D was better.
"...but this team....doesnt care....what anybody thinks" DAMN STRAIGHT!! GO STILLERS 2020
10:28 H. Ngata Sacks Big Ben 12:26 Flacco Picked Off by D. Townsend 29:54 W. Parker Stripped by Ray Lewis, Ravens Recover 32:59 Troy Polamalu Leaps Over Line to Stop Flacco on Fourth Down 36:19 Big Ben 65-yard TD Pass to S. Holmes 48:23 Flacco Sacked on Third Down in Steeler Territory 58:00 J. Leonard 45-yard Punt Return 1:02:21 W. McGahee 3-yard TD Run 1:20:47 Polamalu Takes Down Flacco for Big Loss 1:49:38 W. McGahee 1-yard TD Run 1:59:26 Polamalu Pick Six 2:08:16 T. Carter Picks Off Flacco to seal game
NFL L
Thanks NFL
NFL Can you guys please do super bowl 40 next??
NFL YES WE WON
NFL
I miss troy he was the G.O.A.T
Donovan Quinn chill fam the goat is playing for the other team. Although they’re basically different positions... I’d take ed reed over Troy all day
Donovan Quinn Ed Reed was the goat show some respect
First Name Last Name you didn’t watch football if you believe that
@@jordan12118 Different positions, both great!
I concur!!! For those who don't what concur means, it means I agree🙂
This was one of the hardest hitting championship games that i can remember. I believe that there were 3 or 4 people that were actually knocked unconscious throughout, it started on the kick-off, a Ravens player was out cold. Ryan Clark/McGahee............ferocious, now those would all be illegal hits and flags thrown.
its not the 70s - the rules are basically the same now as they were for this game
Brandon, your memory doesn't go back far does it?
Best championship game if not best rivalry championship game ever played. This was vicious, physical, and downright brutal. The hit on McGahee sums up the game.
2020 3 am in the morning and I’m loving every bit of this game
2021. 2:30am XD
NFL please post the 2009 regular season meeting between the packers and Steelers, that was an instant classic
That hit was so hard the nfl refuses to show the replay and changed rules because of it... Thats how brutal Ryan Clark was
Ryan Clark with the best game-sealing hit ever
It's crazy to see the first Santonio Holmes TD called back. In today's rules, that's a touchdown everytime.
It only took them another 15 years to change the rule.
Super Bowl 43 Pittsburgh might be bound for that thanks to number 43
As a Steelers fan rewatching this game never gets old 🙂
Poor Limas Sweed. He could get open from the day he arrived. Just couldn't catch.
If last year's (2017) Steelers had this defense they win easily. They were special.
their game from regular season in Baltimore was epic. Steelers scored last minute TD on disputed goal line call.
eagleshade11 I was there mate
Crazy watching this in 2022 and wow most these guys are going to the hall of fame or are in the hall already just spectacular these two teams always had barn burners
2:01:18 Steelers/Ravens football. Nuff said.
1:20:47 Jim Nantz going wild with Polamalu's pick six
Polamalu and ward they where great players
Was great to re-watch this game of rivalries. Also to see Pittsburgh lay the smack down on the Ravens. Always love this matchup.
Sadly to say this but as A backup Sweed sure did sum up his career with all is drops. He had so much potential. He just has drifting eyes. He has issues on keeping his eyes on the ball until the ball is in your arms. Quarterback gave him so many opportunities to prove himself with so many throws down the field. He just cant follow through. That's side because he sure does have the moves and the speed to be a good receiver just gotta catch the ball. Your Cutt!!😥😥
Since 2000, the AFC representative in the Super Bowl has been only 6 teams: the Ravens, Patriots, Raiders, Steelers, Colts, and Broncos. The NFC has had 12 teams: Giants, Rams, Buccaneers, Panthers, Eagles, Seahawks, Bears, Cardinals, Saints, Packers, 49ers, Falcons
Keith Clark and going back further pats Broncos twice then Titans
raiders are only team with a lone appearance from the afc.
I love the steelers
Me to steelers are the best