BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco held up well in his first regular-season game in 10 months.

Flacco was sacked four times by the Buffalo Bills and was hit a total of nine times in Sunday's 13-7 win. Each time, Flacco bounced up from the ground right away.

"Joe is as tough as a $2 steak," coach John Harbaugh said. "My brother didn’t come up with that, either. It’s from an old western, just for the record. We saw that when we were kids … What’s a $2 steak (cost) nowadays?”

Joe Flacco absorbed four sacks against the Bills but said he felt good after taking some hits. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is technically on record as using that phrase before his older brother. Last season, Harbaugh described quarterback Jake Rudock as being as tough as a cheap piece of meat.

John Harbaugh used the expression after Flacco played in his first game since tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee last November. Flacco only suited up for one preseason game, and he didn't think he got hit in 23 snaps.

On Sunday, Flacco showed some rust and hesitation at times. But he moved around well to complete 23-of 34-passes for 258 yards and one touchdown.

“It feels good," Flacco said of his left knee. "It felt great coming in, and it has felt great. I had some hits around my legs and some hits up top, I was really happy with how it felt.”

The Ravens' offensive line, which started two rookies (Ronnie Stanley and Alex Lewis) on the left side, struggled to make it a safe pocket. This was unusual for Flacco, who had only been sacked four or more times once in his previous 17 games.

"We sure want to protect our quarterback better than that," Harbaugh said. "When you’re going against this defense, that’s always the No. 1 task. It’s always a challenge. I’m sure there’s plenty of things we could have done better."