Anyone who questioned Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s decision to switch from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson might now be reconsidering that choice. Wilson is starting to look like the quarterback who was a star earlier in his career, especially with the deep passes he’s been connecting on lately.
Wilson shook off his first interception in 11 months and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to new teammate Mike Williams with less than 2 1/2 minutes left in the game, leading the Steelers to a 28-27 comeback win over the Washington Commanders.
“I’ve seen it a few times on highlights,” Tomlin said of Wilson’s ability to make big plays, which helped him win one Super Bowl and reach another with the Seattle Seahawks. “It’s a little better in person. Believe me.”
Coming off their bye week, the Steelers (7-2), who are leading the AFC North, won their fourth consecutive game, all three since Wilson took over as starting quarterback. Wilson’s stats weren’t perfect on Sunday, but he did what was needed: 14 completions on 28 attempts for 195 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
“It was a big-time catch by Mike. I just tried to give him a chance, let him do his thing,” Wilson said about Williams, who had just been acquired from the New York Jets the week before. “You visualize those moments and what could happen and just trusting guys. That was all Big Mike there.”
George Pickens made an acrobatic 16-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, and tight end Pat Freiermuth scored on a 3-yard pass in the second quarter, thrilling the thousands of Steelers fans waving Terrible Towels in the stands.
Washington (7-3) led 24-14 but couldn’t hold on, missing the chance to reach an 8-2 record for the first time since 1986 and to go 5-0 at home for the first time since 1991, when they won the Super Bowl under coach Joe Gibbs.
“Too many small mistakes,” said Washington defensive end Clelin Ferrell.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall draft pick, was 17-for-34 for 202 yards, without any touchdowns or interceptions. He also ran the ball three times for 5 yards, his lowest total as a pro, while still dealing with a rib injury he said was “still there, but it’s nothing that’s holding me back.”
Daniels watched Wilson’s performance and said, “He made plays when the plays needed to be made.”
The biggest play came when Wilson threw a perfect over-the-shoulder pass to Williams for a 32-yard touchdown, Williams’ only catch of the game. That score turned a six-point deficit into a one-point lead for the Steelers.
Pickens, who also caught a touchdown pass earlier, praised Wilson’s trust in his receivers: “That’s one of his biggest components of his game: trusting his receivers.”
After that touchdown, Daniels quickly moved Washington to midfield. On fourth-and-9 with less than 1 1/2 minutes remaining, Daniels threw to Zach Ertz, but the catch was ruled just short of a first down. Washington had been 11-for-11 on fourth downs this season before that play.
With less than a minute to go, the Steelers faced a fourth-and-1 at Washington’s 49-yard line and lined up as if they would go for it. Wilson’s hard count caused rookie defensive lineman Johnny Newton to jump offsides, giving Pittsburgh a free first down and allowing them to run out the clock.
The Steelers’ win wasn’t perfect, though.
Washington’s safety Jeremy Chinn intercepted Wilson late in the third quarter and also recovered a fumble by running back Jaylen Warren at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter.
The Steelers’ biggest mistake came early in the game with a fake punt deep in their own territory. The snap went to up-back Miles Killebrew, who threw to an open James Pierre, but Pierre dropped the ball.
This gave Washington possession at Pittsburgh’s 15-yard line, and three plays later, running back Austin Ekeler scored the first of his two short touchdown runs.
“That is me. I own that. I’ll do it again,” Tomlin said about the fake punt. “But we didn’t execute it, so it was a bad idea.”
