The Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry has developed a lore all its own, so players who may be largely forgotten in the broader NFL landscape are prominent figures in this feud.
One of those players is former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, who spent most of his 14-year career as a backup. However, he remains a folk hero in Pittsburgh due to one singular moment.
On Dec. 2, 2012, Batch made his final NFL start against the Ravens in Baltimore, and guided the Steelers to a 23-20 upset victory. He completed 25 of 36 passes for 276 yards, one touchdown and one interception, not the craziest stat line in the world, but enough to get the job done.
During an appearance on the "Ryan Ripken Show," Batch reflected on that final start and how fans in Pittsburgh still revere him over 12 years later.
"When you come over to Pittsburgh, it's like you don't make your moment until you make a play in the Baltimore game," Batch said. "You make that play, people remember you for it and they talk about it for years. In my case … having the opportunity to go down there, they were 9-2. … We went in there and beat them in their house. It was cool to be able to do it and people remember it all these years later."
While it was a hallmark moment for Batch, the Ravens ended up getting the last laugh. They ended up winning Super Bowl XLVII just two months later, completing one of the greatest playoff runs the league has ever seen. Meanwhile, the Steelers lost three-straight games after that win, finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs entirely.
Then again, one could argue that moments like this are what makes the rivalry great, anything can happen at any time.
