When Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco entered the league in 2008, Troy Polamalu was 27 years old. That season the Steelers safety had seven interceptions, 17 passes defended, and was a Pro Bowler on a Super Bowl-winning defense. It was one of the most productive seasons in a 12-year-career that could ultimately land Polamalu in the Hall of Fame.

Flacco faced Polamalu 14 times -- including three playoff games -- and a January 2009 meeting in the AFC Championship Game was one of the quarterback's first memorable lessons in what it means to try to out-fox the fox. The Ravens trailed 16-14 late in the game, needed a first down, and Flacco wanted to target wide receiver Derrick Mason.

“I kept my eyes up the middle, like I was going to the other guy,” Flacco told TheMMQB.com's Peter King. “Troy was just hanging out. I think he knew what I was thinking. He knew where we wanted to go with it — we wanted to get the first down to extend the drive. I made a bad assumption, that the window would be a little bigger than it was. It wasn’t, because Troy was there.”

(Here's the play. And here's another angle from the Heinz Field stands.)

“I learned a lot about Troy on that play, honestly,” Flacco said. “In the run game, you’re always going to run away from Troy. But when we were throwing, I’d just always try to throw away from him. You can’t do it all the time, and you can’t let it ruin your game, but there were so many things he did that other safeties just couldn’t do. There were times in games — he was the only guy I faced who did this — where he’d turn his back to the play and just sprint to a spot on the field where his football instincts told him the ball was going. He’d turn around a couple seconds later when he got close to the spot. Of the guys I played against, Troy was unique. I was lucky, because I got to face Ed [Reed] every day in practice, and he was very good at baiting you too. But Troy was at the line more.”

Troy Polamalu and Joe Flacco faced off 14 times from '08-'14. (Getty Images)
Troy Polamalu and Joe Flacco faced off 14 times from 2008-2014. (Getty Images)

Despite the fact that Baltimore and Pittsburgh are sworn rivals, Flacco clearly respects Polamalu the player and the person.

“Now [that he retired], I’ve got to take a step back and appreciate the games we played against him and the Steelers. I am a man of few words, and so is Troy, but I do know I’ll tell my children and grandchildren I was lucky enough to play in these games, and lucky enough to play against Troy so many times. Troy’s an example of the right way to do things, on the field and off the field. Such a great competitor on every play, and he treats everyone the right way. That’s the right way to handle yourself. The image he had, the example he set … he just did it right.”

So does Flacco have any good memories of facing Polamalu?

“The only recollections I have of Troy are bad,” he said. “All bad. So no, I don’t have many good memories of making plays on him.”

Fair enough. Polamalu in his prime was known to cause nightmares.