LANDOVER, Md. — Russell Wilson bounced back from his first interception in nearly a year, connecting with newly acquired Mike Williams for a pivotal 32-yard touchdown in the closing minutes of the game. This final score marked Wilson’s third touchdown throw of the game, ultimately propelling the Pittsburgh Steelers to a thrilling 28-27 comeback against the Washington Commanders.
After enjoying a bye week, the Steelers, currently leading the AFC North with a record of 7-2, secured their fourth consecutive victory, including three wins since Wilson took over the starting quarterback position from Justin Fields. Although his performance was not flawless—completing 14 of 28 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception—Wilson effectively guided his team to victory.
In the first quarter, George Pickens made an impressive catch in the end zone on a 16-yard pass, and tight end Pat Freiermuth added another touchdown with a 3-yard reception in the second quarter, much to the excitement of the dedicated Steelers fans present.
Despite holding a 24-14 lead, the Commanders (7-3) were unable to maintain their advantage as they sought to achieve an 8-2 record overall for the first time since 1986, and a perfect 5-0 at home since 1991, when they secured the Super Bowl under coach Joe Gibbs.
Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall draft pick making waves for first-year coach Dan Quinn, completed 17 of 34 passes for 202 yards without any touchdowns or interceptions, in addition to making three rushing attempts for just 5 yards—his lowest performance as a professional athlete. Following the touchdown connection between Wilson and Williams—who was brought in from the New York Jets just last week—Daniels managed to advance Washington to midfield. However, on a crucial fourth-and-9 play with less than 1.5 minutes remaining, Daniels targeted Zach Ertz, who was ruled just short of a first down, finishing a previously perfect streak of 11 conversions on fourth down for the Commanders.
In a nail-biting final sequence, the Steelers found themselves facing a fourth-and-1 situation at the Washington 49 with just over a minute left on the clock. As they pretended to go for it, rookie defensive lineman Johnny Newton jumped offside, which gifted the Steelers a critical penalty, allowing them to retain possession and run down the remaining time.
Chinn made a significant play by intercepting Wilson late in the third quarter and later recovered a fumble by Jaylen Warren at the 1-yard line during the fourth quarter. On the ground, Austin Ekeler contributed two short touchdown runs for Washington, who had entered the game on a three-game winning streak, showing marked improvement from last season’s disappointing 4-13 record under coach Ron Rivera.
**Injuries:**
For the Steelers, cornerback Donte Jackson suffered a hamstring injury and exited during the second half. The Commanders saw center Tyler Biadasz briefly leave the game with an ankle issue before returning. Right tackle Andrew Wylie was a late scratch due to a shoulder concern, while newly acquired cornerback Marshon Lattimore and running back Brian Robinson Jr. were held out as anticipated due to hamstring issues.
**Next Up:**
The Steelers will host division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, next Sunday, while the Commanders are set to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night.
