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Pittsburgh visits Washington in a clash of teams that are on unexpected playoff tracks
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The odds were against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders making the playoffs before the season started, for various reasons on either side.
They meet up just past the midway point in a showdown of first-place teams that have exceeded expectations and even added at the trade deadline to improve their odds. The Steelers (6-2) acquired receiver Mike Williams and edge rusher Preston Smith to fill areas of need, the Commanders (7-2) got cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and their game Sunday at Washington is a chance to see how they stack up against each other.
“It’s a tough matchup and another good test for us,” Commanders receiver Noah Brown said. “We’re excited about it.”
While Lattimore’s status is murky because of a hamstring injury, Williams and Smith could play — and the Steelers are plenty excited about what they bring to a group that has already set a high standard for what a successful season looks like.
“We know we have to win playoff games,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said. “That was our goal coming into this year, so any time the front office can add pieces to that, if they can help us win, obviously it’s cool. But we knew from the start we were all in to go win this thing this year.”
Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016 but has reached the postseason in two of the past three years and 11 times under coach Mike Tomlin. Washington has just one appearance since 2016 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2005.
This looked like a rebuilding season around rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Instead, Daniels has been one of the NFL’s best players to leap into the MVP conversation, general manager Adam Peters’ roster overhaul has paid immediate dividends, and this is Washington’s best nine-game start since 1996. Six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, one of a bevy of new additions in free agency, isn’t sure if playing the Steelers is a measuring stick but can’t wait to get on the field and find out.
“I think it’s more fun,” said Wagner, who played with Pittsburgh QB Russell Wilson for a decade with Seattle. “The Steelers is a really respected organization, and so being able to play against somebody like that and being able to play against a coach like Mike Tomlin and things of that nature, it’s more so like, ‘OK, this game’s going to be fun.’”
The Commanders are 3-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook.
No ordinary rookie
The Steelers have dominated rookie quarterbacks through the years, including a 25-6 mark under Tomlin. That list includes an easy victory over Robert Griffin III and Washington in 2012, as well as a win against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos in Week 2.
Enter the electric Daniels, who has Tomlin’s full attention.
The NFL’s longest-tenured coach doesn’t think Daniels is a typical first-year player, pointing to Daniels’ ability to extend plays and make productive decisions at the end of them.
“He’s been able to extract the good from those moments while minimizing the bad,” Tomlin said. “I just think that speaks to his savvy and experience. … This guy has been a franchise quarterback at two different universities.”
Respect for Russ
Daniels is several games into his pro career — nine, officially, but he missed the vast majority of one with a rib injury. Wilson is in his 13th season, now with his third team, and Daniels admires the almost-36-year-old vet’s playmaking abilities.
“I’ve been seeing Russ pretty much his whole career,” said Daniels, who continues practicing and playing through sore ribs but hasn’t slowed down. “He throws a really good deep ball, very accurate. Overall, just his leadership and how he treats his people on and off the field, that’s something that stands out.”
Commanders rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton, who grew up a Seahawks fan rooting for Wilson, called him smart and savvy.
“He has a feel of everything,” Newton said.
Running on empty
Pittsburgh’s vaunted run defense took a hit against the New York Giants during a 28-16 victory on Oct. 28, allowing a season-high 157 yards on the ground in a performance that left veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward fuming.
The Steelers, coming off their bye, need to make sure the shaky play at the line of scrimmage was an anomaly with their second-half schedule filled with teams that like to run the ball, including Washington, Baltimore (twice) and Philadelphia.
Tomlin seems less concerned about the opponents than he does his defense returning to the form it showed earlier in the season.
“We don’t care about the Joneses, man,” Tomlin said. “Our story is our story. We got an agenda and we’re trying to live it, and when we don’t meet it, we’re thumb-pointers. We’re the guys that look in the mirror.”
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AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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Allegheny Co. Executive Innamorato continues push for council to pass proposed budget
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Paul Skenes finishes third in NL Cy Young Award voting
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting on Wednesday.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale won the award, while Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler finished second.
The Pirates’ pitcher is the fifth rookie to finish in the top 3 in Cy Young voting, and his third-place finish is the highest by a rookie since Jose Fernandez’s third-place mark in 2013. Skenes received one second-place vote and 13 third-place votes. The award was voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
For Skenes, Wednesday’s Cy Young third-place finish was the cap on a phenomenal rookie season. From May 11, when he made his Major League Baseball Debut, Skenes was a sensation on the mound. He finished the season with an 11-3 record and a 1.96 ERA in 133 innings over 23 starts. He added 170 strikeouts and only walked 32 batters.
The 22-year-old pitcher, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft out of LSU, had such a strong season that he was named the starting pitcher for the National League in the 2024 All-Star Game.
Though Skenes came up short in the NL Cy Young voting, the pitcher was named the 2024 NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year winner on Monday.
The pitcher also was named Baseball Digest’s National League Rookie of the Year earlier this month and Baseball America’s 2024 Rookie of the Year in October.
Pittsburg, PA
Steelers Reacts Survey: Will Pittsburgh have a winning record in the AFC North?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pittsburgh Steelers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Welcome to Week 12 of Steelers Reacts. The Steelers finally played their first AFC North game of the season on Sunday, an 18-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens. They have less than a week to prepare for their second, a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Pittsburgh is off to a good start, but with so many rivalry games crammed into a small window, the second half of the season won’t be easy. Just how well will Pittsburgh perform in the AFC North in 2024?
Beyond that, the Steelers have a number of tough teams remaining on their schedule. Even the struggling Bengals and Browns are far from sure victories. There are some very good teams with winning records as well. Which one presents the toughest matchup for the Steelers?
Vote now & check back later in the week as we break down the thoughts of your fellow Steelers fans!
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