Steelers visit Washington looking to extend their best start since 2020

Updated Nov. 8, 2024 5:42 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Pittsburgh (6-2) at Washington (7-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL Odds: Commanders by 3.

Series record: Washington leads 43-33-3.

Against the spread: Steelers 6-2; Commanders 7-2.

Last meeting: Washington beat the Steelers 23-17 on Dec. 7, 2020 at Pittsburgh.

Last week: Steelers had bye, before that beat the Giants 26-18 on Oct. 28; Commanders beat the Giants 27-22.

Steelers offense: overall (19), rush (8), pass (26), scoring (13).

Steelers defense: overall (9), rush (4) pass (21), scoring (2).

Commanders offense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (11), scoring (3).

Commanders defense: overall (14), rush (29) pass (6), scoring (5).

Turnover differential: Steelers plus-10; Commanders plus-5.

Steelers player to watch

LB T.J. Watt. The three-time NFL sack champion has gotten to the quarterback just 6 1/2 times through his first eight games, a modest pace for the perennial All-Pro. Yet with Alex Highsmith fully healthy after missing three games with a groin injury, backup Nick Herbig potentially available after a hamstring issue and veteran Preston Smith arriving in a trade with Green Bay, Watt in theory could get a little more rest on early downs, freeing him for more pass-specific situations.

Commanders player to watch

WR Terry McLaurin. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels connected with McLaurin just twice at New York, but each time was a touchdown. Daniels has done a nice job mixing and matching the other receivers among Noah Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus, but McLaurin gets the ball when the stakes are high. McLaurin had five catches for 125 yards two games ago against Chicago, so Daniels is not afraid to go to him often when the defense allows.

Key injuries

Steelers: OLB Nick Herbig (hamstring) and S Terrell Edmunds (hamstring) are out. ... LB Tyler Matakevich (hamstring) and WR Ben Skowronek (shoulder), two special teams contributors, are questionable. Rookie C Zach Frazier is expected to start after missing two games with an ankle injury. ... RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson is also expected back. Patterson hasn’t played since a loss to Indianapolis on Sept. 29. ... QB Justin Fields (hamstring) is expected to serve as the backup after being the emergency QB two weeks ago against the New York Giants.

Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. will miss a second consecutive game because of a hamstring injury. ... CB Marshon Lattimore, acquired at the trade deadline, is also out with a hamstring injury. ... K Austin Seibert (right hip) is questionable, and Zane Gonzalez could be elevated to the active roster after getting signed to the practice squad in case Seibert is unavailable. ... LT Cornelius Lucas is out again with a left ankle injury.

Series notes

Pittsburgh is playing at Washington for the first time since 2016. ... The Steelers have won the past six meetings with fans in the stands. ... This is the teams' 80th game in a series that dates to 1933 when Pittsburgh was known as the Pirates. ... The Steelers and Commanders are two of the five teams with more runs than passes this season.

Stats and stuff

The Steelers are off to their best start since winning their first 11 games in 2020, a streak that ended with a home loss to Washington. ... Pittsburgh has dominated rookie quarterbacks through the years, going 50-15 against first-year starters since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, including 23-11 mark on the road. ... The Steelers have won their past seven games following their bye week and are 23-12 all time following the scheduled week off. ... Pittsburgh WR Mike Williams, acquired in a trade with the New York Jets on Tuesday, could make his debut. The Steelers are searching for another impact player at the position behind George Pickens. Pickens has a team-high 35 receptions. Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller have 30. ... Special teams units are thriving under coordinator Danny Smith, who previously held the same position in Washington. Pittsburgh's three blocked kicks are the most in the NFL, and Austin returned a punt for a touchdown in a win over the New York Giants two weeks ago. K Chris Boswell leads the NFL in field goal rate (95.8%), making 23 of 24 this season. ... Pittsburgh's second-ranked scoring defense has yet to give up a point in the third quarter this season. ... Steelers RB Najee Harris has topped 100 yards rushing in each of his past three games. He's the first Pittsburgh running back to reach 100 yards rushing in three in a row since James Conner did it in four consecutive games in 2018. Harris has 3,861 yards rushing since the start of 2021 to rank fourth in the NFL over that span. ... Washington is off to its best nine-game start since 1996. The team is looking for its first 8-2 start since 1986. Washington hasn't opened 5-0 at home since 1991, which is also the organization's most recent Super Bowl season. ... The Commanders are 11 for 11 on fourth down this season. Buffalo (9 for 9) is the only other team that has yet to fail to convert in those situations. ... Daniels has completed 71.5% of his passes to rank third in the league. He could become just the fourth rookie quarterback since 1950 to win his first five home starts. ... Zach Ertz is one catch away from breaking a tie with Greg Olsen for sixth among tight ends. ... The offensive line did not allow the Giants a sack after entering the game with a league-most 35. ... LB Bobby Wagner is one of three active players with five-plus tackles in 20 or more consecutive games. He's looking to extend his streak to 22. ... LB Dante Fowler has five sacks over the past five games, including two of Daniel Jones last week. ... S Jeremy Chinn led the team with a season-high 12 tackles against the Giants. He made 14 in his only career game against Pittsburgh, two seasons ago while playing for Carolina.

Fantasy tip

With Robinson out again, it's unclear how offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will employ the other three running backs. Chris Rodriguez Jr. (52), Austin Ekeler (42) and Jeremy McNichols (20) combined for 114 yards rushing at New York in Robinson’s absence last week. Rodriguez and Ekeler each got 11 carries and McNichols eight.

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