COMON Network

By COMON Network Team

Final Score – Washington Football Team (5-7) 23 def. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost for the first time, falling to the Washington Football Team for the second loss in Heinz Field history after leading by 14 or more points at any point in the game.

The Steelers struck first, with 10:33 remaining in the second quarter on a three-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Diontae Johnson. Matthew Wright’s PAT made it 7-0. Wright connected on a PAT that made it 14-0 after James Washington scored on a 50-yard catch and run later in the quarter. After an “administrative stoppage,” Dustin Hopkins hit a field goal from 49 yards.

On Washington’s first drive of the third quarter, the Football Team drove down the field and punched it in with a Peyton Barber one-yard run. The first play of the fourth quarter saw Matthew Wright connect on his first field goal try in the NFL, as he made it 17-10 from 37 yards out. With 9:09 remaining in the fourth, Logan Thomas caught a 15-yard pass from Alex Smith to tie the game.

With just over 2:00 left, Dustin Hopkins hit from 45 and gave the Football Team the lead. Ben Roethlisberger’s first pass on the ensuing drive was tipped and intercepted. Hopkins hit again from 45 yards and that was all she wrote after a few Steelers’ plays.

Pittsburgh plays at Buffalo next week on Sunday Night Football.

COMON Network Team Commentary

DONNY CHEDRICK

• James Washington is my dude. We hear about Diontae Johnson, JuJu and Chase Claypool all the time. The one name we don’t hear often is James Washington. He doesn’t get many chances, but he makes the most of it. Last week he hauled in a catch to clinch the game. Today he had perhaps the play of the game with a 50-yard catch and run for the Steelers second score. A guy like him as your fourth wide receiver is a true luxury. 
• Run game is laughable at this point. Anthony McFarland broke off a nine yard run and I reacted like it was Willie Parker’s 75-yard Super Bowl run. That shouldn’t happen. And it’s not an overreaction on my part. The Steelers run game has been that bad. Before that McFarland run I referenced, which was in the third quarter by the way, the Steelers had 11 carries for 13 yards as a team. THIRTEEN yards. Are you kidding me? 
• Bound to happen. The way this team runs the football finally bit this team in the ass. If you still think the run game isn’t important just stop reading now, if you even got this far, because you are a f*cking idiot. If you fail to have the ability to close games out you will fail to win close games. The Steelers got along with it for 11 games, but not for 12. 

Player of the Game – Alex Smith (WFT)

KYLE DAWSON

• What an abysmal series at the goal line. The Steelers had what, six chances after the penalty? They got too cute. If you’re gonna run it, go at them. Don’t give me all this motion. Don’t use your one pass play to throw to the eligible lineman. It didn’t end up haunting them, and I’m cool with the decision to go for it on fourth. Tell me again why the Steelers don’t need to prove they can run the ball though.
• I don’t even want to waste my fingers on typing about this run game. It is atrocious. Benny Snell is no bell cow. Anthony McFarland didn’t look bad but they’ll never commit to running it enough for him to make an impact. Why didn’t Jaylen Samuels get any run? I’m old enough to remember him running it ridiculously well against New England and New Orleans in 2018. That’s it. I’m not wasting my or your time to complain about it anymore. They don’t care to do it.
• What the hell is it with these drops? I realize some of the drops are PBU’s or might be slightly on the QB, but some of these balls are hitting Steelers’ receivers in the hands. Catch the ball, man.
• Had to lose at some point, I guess. Still first in the AFC thanks to Washington being an NFC team. Back to the drawing board.

Player of the Game – Alex Smith (WFT)

JOE SMELTZER

• Nick Saban once said that his philosophy in tight situation was always to think about players, not plays. The Steelers went to Anthony McFarland on 4th and 1. Does it make sense why a portion of this city is as negative as it is about this offense 
• 99.9% of the talk in this city over the next few days will be about the Steelers, as it obviously should be. But how about Washington? The Football Team deserved its W today, and with a youthful roster and a veteran coach, plenty of W’s could be coming in the future. 
• The burden of going for 16-0 is now dead. Maybe that’s a good thing. Now, all we can worry about is a Super Bowl, which, make no mistake, is still realistic . 

Player of the Game – Montez Sweat (WFT)