Election Eve was one rocking time in Landover.
It may have been the rowdiest game in FedEx Field’s 11-year history. Nearly one-fourth of the 90,512 seemed to be yellow Terrible Towel-waving Steelers fans. That’s 22,000-plus Pittsburgh supporters, outnumbering even Dallas Cryboys backers attending the annual rivalry. The Steelers must have thought they were at Heinz Field between the black jerseys and playing ketch-up most of the first half.
The first Steelers visit in 18 years energized a stadium already boosted by the Monday Night Football musical theme played every few minutes. Signs touting Clinton Portis, Jim Zorn and Chris Cooley for president saw little consensus among sign-waving boosters that never sat down and probably missed work today.
The Redskins even wore burgundy pants and jerseys for the first time in recent memory. That really scored a buzz around the stadium for some reason. Personally, who cares?
It was a smashmouth night as expected. The Redskins scored two quick field goals on a poor Steelers onside kick and interception, but the Steelers later used a blocked punt for a 10-6 lead shortly before halftime.
They scrapped in the sod. Blue-collar teams with black-and-blue attitudes. The Redskins will need their coming week off to recover before returning against Dallas on Nov. 16.
Steelers backup quarterback Byron Leftwich of H.D. Woodson High opened the second half with a touchdown drive built largely off a 50-yard completion. A 16-6 lead silenced the home crowd while emboldening the visitors. Washingtonians should have borrowed those yellow towels to signal a surrender.
Soon, the Redskins were inhaling the south end of a north-bound skunk. Jason Campbell’s team-record 271 consecutive throws without an interception ended when Portis tipped a pass to Pittsburgh cornerback DeShea Townsend.
Pittsburgh soon sealed the win with a Leftwich touchdown pass. The Redskins clocked out early for vacation. So did the crowd despite nearly 12 minutes remaining.
The Redskins will shrug off the loss. They were tired after 3 1/2 months nonstop. Washington certainly wilted late. Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defense was nearly a steel curtain.
The playoffs aren’t assured, especially if the offense has lost its downfield magic. The attack that worked so well during a four-game winning streak is suddenly sputtering.
Oh well, maybe it’s just in need of a vacation. We’ll soon know.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected]
