NFL Week 10 Recap: Steelers’ Experience Shines Through

In a rare midseason game that lived up to its pregame hype, the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Washington Commanders 28-27. Our NFL Week 10 recap looks at the key factors in Pittsburgh’s win, why their experience was so important, and why, despite the loss, Washington should be taken seriously as a contender.

Pittsburgh is 7-2 and maintains its half-game lead in the AFC North over Baltimore.

Washington falls to 7-3, battling Philadelphia for supremacy in the NFC East.

Before the game, Washington was a 2.5-point favorite at home. The over/under was 45.5.

Washington covered the spread and the teams combined to score more than the projected total.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin: The Right Amount of Crazy

Anyone can call for a fake punt.

There are game situations when it is obvious that the risk/reward makes it a worthwhile gamble.

However, some head coaches do not adhere to conventional wisdom. Nor do they care to have a ready-made answer for the media in the postgame press conference. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is one such head coach.

Tomlin called for a fake punt leading 7-0 in the first quarter and deep in Steelers territory. Upback Miles Killebrew’s pass to James Pierre was short and incomplete. Pittsburgh turned the ball over on downs to Washington with a short field for Washington to score, which they quickly did to tie the game 7-7.

The negative result is secondary to Tomlin cementing his reputation as willing to try anything to win regardless of the circumstances. This is an example of him being secure enough in his job to exercise the right amount of crazy and give opponents pause before they say, “He couldn’t possibly do this.”

Because he could do that and probably will.

The Commanders and Youthful Mistakes

Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels was solid though unspectacular. He acquitted himself well with 17 completions in 34 attempts and no interceptions. The Commanders were positioned to win the game late if tight end Zach Ertz gained one more inch of a fourth-down pass play with 1:28 remaining.

They nearly got possession again near the end of regulation which would have given Daniels another chance to march his team into field goal range. But Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson coaxed Washington rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton offsides to get a critical first down, allowing the Steelers to kneel and end the game.

When asked if the Steelers were going for it on fourth down without the penalty, Tomlin replied:

Pittsburgh Finds Use and Value in Its Entire Roster

At the NFL Trade Deadline on Nov. 5, Pittsburgh made a seemingly innocuous move by acquiring veteran wide receiver Mike Williams from the Jets in exchange for a 2025 5th-round draft pick.

Williams was out of favor in New York and Aaron Rodgers rarely threw to him.

In his first game as a Steeler, he caught the game-winning touchdown on a 32-yard pass from Wilson with 2:22 remaining in regulation.

There are obvious Jets jokes to be made. But the simple matter is that the Steelers have been as good as they’ve been for as long as they’ve been for a reason. One is stability having had three head coaches since Richard Nixon was U.S. President. Another is having players on their roster and finding use for them all, even those discarded by other teams.

This is what Washington aspires to. Despite the loss, they are on their way to achieving it with the pieces they have in place and their impressive showing against one of the league’s best.

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