The Reds' 2025 title hopes are back on track after ending their six-year win drought against the Blues in Brisbane.
Queensland flyhalf Tom Lynagh pulled the strings in a 35-21 victory over the reigning champions with two tries and a perfect evening off the kicking tee.
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Here's what we learned:
The fair-haired son of a gun was already in the Lions conversation but Friday night's performance just put Lynagh front and centre.
The man they call 'Turbo' was unflappable across his 72 minutes with two well-taken tries inside the opening seven minutes and ice-cold goal kicking ensuring the Blues could never peg back their margin.
But Lynagh isn't just ticking over the scoreboard and Joe Schdmit wouldn't have missed his seven tackles (100% success rate) in the Reds' front line and a towering boot that peeled off 466m in general play.
The 22-year-old was an easy Sellars Dixon Medal pick for best on ground and, on current form, should be donning Wallaby gold against Fiji in Newcastle.
Ben Donaldson and Noah Lolesio firm as key rivals while the likes of James O'Connor could spice up the Test flyhalf race up but there's no denying Lynagh's claims if he keep cooking up a storm.
Queensland fans should be ecstatic with their side's defensive efforts, particularly during a brutal first half.
The Reds held up their Blues rivals three times before the break with Kurt Eklund, Angus Ta'avao and Hoskins Sotutu falling foul of their hosts' desperate scramble.
While pushing their luck with referee Jordan Way, Queensland were masterful in absorbing contact on the try line with five try-saving tackles.
Special mention goes to a four-minute passage that saw Tim Ryan managed to somehow hold Sotutu up solo before Tate McDermott and Tom Lynagh teamed up to turtle Eklund over the chalk.
Away from their try line, the Reds were equally impressive in defence with Dre Pakeho (13 tackles, two turnovers) and Josh Canham (nine tackles, two turnovers) among their best.
While Reds fans can breathe easy after an important win, Blues fans will be pulling their hair out after a game in which nothing went their way.
Mark Tele'a's 30th minute tip tackle on Tim Ryan was always going to be carded - just a matter of colour - but that wasn't the only call that hurt the reigning champions in Brisbane.
The Blues were denied two tries that could've ultimately levelled the scores; Kurt Eklund's 12th minute maul effort that was called back for obstruction against Patrick Tuipulotu; then Angus Ta'avao's 44th minute try that was scrubbed for an earlier Sotutu knock-on.
Beauden Barrett's super sub role could have also come earlier with the All Blacks veteran immediately sparking life into the Blues across a 25-minute cameo.
Regardless, the reigning champions now have a mountain to climb from ninth - upcoming game against the Force, Drua and Moana are must-wins for the Blues to launch a title defence come finals.
Injured Waratah Jake Gordon may hold incumbency under Joe Schmidt but Tate McDermott's case for the gold number nine just became that little bit more compelling.
The Queensland skipper was in vintage touch against the Blues with his 52nd minute try textbook McDermott rugby - identifying two tight forwards near the ruck and splitting them to score untouched.
While McDermott's core kick and pass skills have come under past scrutiny, but eight tackle breaks on Friday night highlight just how dangerous a running halfback can be, especially against a big, heavy pack like the Blues.
The Lions are set to welcome a mammoth forwards unit and McDermott's heads-up sniping game could be the key to unlock that red wall.
Gordon's return will be welcome in the selectors' eyes while Nic White and Ryan Lonergan continue to build their case for selection with solid performances - who's got their nose in front so far?
It's no overstatement to say Queensland desperately needed this win.
Staring down the barrel of a three-game losing streak and heading into three weeks on the road, the Reds' title hopes could've been skewered had the Blues found a few more blades of Brisbane turf.
Instead, Les Kiss' men find themselves entrenched in fourth with five games remaining.
May presents a triple banana skin - Lautoka, Sydney and Canberra in successive weeks - before the Reds round out their campaign at home against the Hurricanes and Drua.
If Queensland are to realistically crack the top three and host a qualifying final, they'll need to win at least four of those games - and that means two on the road.
