The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 7-2 with one of their most impressive wins of the season over the Washington Commanders, with Pittsburgh overcoming a fourth-quarter deficit and Russell Wilson connecting with trade deadline acquisition Mike Williams for a 32-yard touchdown for the game-winning touchdown.
The Steelers won the toss and chose to receive, but went three-and-out on their opening drive with RB Cordarrelle Patterson stopped short of the line to gain on a 3rd-and-2 run. P Corliss Waitman booted a 49-yard punt that WR Olamide Zaccheus muffed, and the Commanders would start their first drive on their own 15. They followed up with a three-and-out of their own.
Pittsburgh’s second drive began with a pass interference penalty against the Commanders and a 7-yard run by Najee Harris that got the Steelers into Washington territory. A 12-yard run by RB Jaylen Warren a few plays later moved Pittsburgh to the Washington 31, and a roughing the passer penalty against S Jeremy Chinn moved Pittsburgh into the red zone at the Washington 16. On 2nd-and-9, Wilson hit WR George Pickens for a 16-yard touchdown, and the Steelers took a 7-0 lead with 8:33 left in the first quarter after K Chris Boswell’s extra point.
After another three-and-out, the Steelers dialed up a fake punt that seemed to work to perfection, but Miles Killebrew’s pass to CB James Pierre was dropped, and Washington took over on the Pittsburgh 15. Three plays later, Washington was in the end zone after a 1-yard run by RB Austin Ekeler. Washington tied the score at 7-7 with 3:44 left in the first quarter.
Neither team could get much of anything going, but Zachheus muffed another punt with 13 minutes left in the half and the Steelers pounced on this one. That set up a scoring drive, with Pittsburgh taking over at the Washington 14 and ending the drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass from QB Russell Wilson to TE Pat Freiermuth, and Pittsburgh took a 14-7 lead with 10:28 left in the half following the extra point.
Washington was able to get on the board on their next drive, with QB Jayden Daniels hitting WR Noah Brown for an 11-yard gain and then went deep to Brown, who drew a defensive pass interference penalty against CB Joey Porter Jr. for a 23-yard gain. Washington would stall out from the Pittsburgh 30 and settle for a 48-yard field goal by K Zane Gonalez to cut the Pittsburgh lead to 14-10 with 8:11 left in the first half.
The Commanders would take a lead following another drive that ended in a punt for the Steelers, as Washington put together a 15-play, 94-yard drive in 5:23 to go up 17-14. Alex Highsmith’s sack of Daniels was wiped away by a penalty on the third play of the drive, and Washington capitalized from there, with their biggest play coming on a 23-yard strike to WR Luke McCaffrey for 23 yards on 3rd and 4 from the Pittsburgh 38, and RB Austin Ekeler plunged in from one yard following Joey Porter Jr.’s third penalty of the day, a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone.
Washington took the 17-14 lead into the half, and they got the ball to begin the second half. They had an explosive start to the second half, with Daniels finding WR Terry McLaurin for a 54-yard catch-and-run to move Washington into the red zone. McLaurin would move the Commanders to the one-yard line with a 16-yard completion on third down, and then RB Jeremy McNichols ran for a one-yard touchdown and Washington extended their lead to 24-14 with 12:55 left in the third quarter.
The Steelers offense was able to put a drive together with a 26-yard pass to RB Jaylen Warren and a 34-yard gain by WR George Pickens moving the Steelers to the Washington 12. RB Najee Harris got the Steelers down to the goal line and then punched it in on the next play, as Pittsburgh cut the Washington lead to 24-21 after Boswell’s extra point with 8:06 left in the third quarter.
Both teams traded punts, but Corliss Waitman’s punt wasn’t a good one, going just 34 yards to the Pittsburgh 42, where the Commanders would take over with 5:42 left in the third quarter. While Washington only picked up one first down on the drive, they were in field goal range thanks to their field position, and Zane Gonzalez hit a 41-yard try to extend the Washington lead to 27-21 with 2:51 left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing drive, Wilson threw his first interception of the season, going deep to WR George Pickens on 3rd and 14 from the Pittsburgh 20 but getting intercepted by S Jeremy Chinn, and the Commanders would take over at their own 26. On the first play of Washington’s drive, Daniels would connect deep with McLaurin for a 28-yard gain, but DL Cameron Heyward would sack Daniels two plays later and the Commanders would face a 3rd and 15 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Washington would punt, and the Steelers took over at their own 13. They put together a methodical drive, converting on 4th and 1 from their own 43, and would have a 2nd and 7 from the Washington 8, when Warren broke off a run but got stripped at the goal line, and Washington recovered and would take over at their own 1, leading 27-21 with 7:05 left.
The Steelers defense would do their job, and Washington was forced to punt from their end zone. The Steelers took over at the Washington 46 following Calvin Austin III’s punt return, and Russell Wilson and the offense would come out with another chance to take the lead late in the game.
The Steelers would do just that, as facing a 3rd and 9 from the Washington 32, Wilson went deep, going to the newest Steelers receiver in Mike Williams, who had come in for an injured Calvin Austin III, and Williams caught a 32-yard touchdown pass and the Steelers went up 28-27 after Boswell’s extra point.
The Commanders would take over with 2:16 left to play, but the 4th and 9 pass from QB Jayden Daniels to TE Zach Ertz from midfield was just short, and the Steelers would take over at their own 42 with 1:18 left.
The game wasn’t over as Washington had all three timeouts left, and with 1:08 to play, the Steelers faced a 3rd and 8. The run to Cordarrelle Patterson was just short of the sticks, and with 1:02 remaining, the Steelers would keep their offense on the field. and they got the Commanders to jump offsides, giving them a first down and the 28-27 win.
The Steelers moved to 7-2 with the win, while the Commanders dropped to 7-3. Pittsburgh will play their first divisional game in Week 11 when they host the Baltimore Ravens.
