Special feature |
 |
 | Video: Football from NBC Sports |
 Getty Images Fantasy Fix: Week 10 moves Nov. 10: With four weeks remaining in the regular season, Gregg Rosenthal and Tiffany Simons break down the best moves for the stretch run, highlighting Anquan Boldin as a potential pickup. |
NFL team pages |
 | Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 | Slide show |
 | Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos |
The game was the first hosted by Washington on the eve of a presidential election since 1984, and there was no mistaking the combination of football and election fever. One fan alternately waved a white towel with Barack Obama’s image in the left hand and an all-burgundy Redskins towel in the right hand. Sports-themed interviews with Obama and John McCain were broadcast by ESPN during halftime.
The Redskins also used the special occasion to wear burgundy jerseys and pants together for the first time in franchise history. A more noticeable color, however, was the yellow from the sea of Terrible Towels waved by Steelers fans who managed to secure tickets by the boatload for the lower bowl of the stadium. Visiting Pittsburgh players were waving to the fans all around to make noise during defensive stands.
“There was a lot of ’em,” Campbell said. “I was definitely surprised to see that many of them in our home stadium.”
The Redskins were on the board with two field goals in the first four minutes — without the benefit of a first down. They recovered the Steelers surprise onside kick that opened the game, and Cornelius Griffin intercepted a tipped pass. Washington didn’t convert a third down until late in the third quarter.
The Steelers didn’t cross midfield until Carlos Rogers grabbed Hines Ward on an obvious 43-yard pass interference penalty in the second quarter, setting up a field goal that cut Washington’s lead to 6-3.
The Steelers went ahead after Andre Frazier blocked Ryan Plackemeier’s punt. William Gay recovered at the 13, leading to Roethlisberger’s 1-yard score.
Leftwich’s big play was a 50-yard completion to Nate Washington before a 1-yard TD run by Willie Parker, who was back from a four-week layoff with a knee injury. Leftwich also had a 5-yard scoring pass to Santonio Holmes, who returned from a one-game benching over a charge for a marijuana-related offense.
“We didn’t think twice about him coming in and doing the job,” Washington said of Leftwich. “We never skipped a beat.”
Notes: Other injuries: Pittsburgh TE Heath Miller (ankle) and Redskins DT Anthony Montgomery (strained Achilles). ... Campbell’s interception also ended the Redskins’ NFL record of 379 regular-season attempts without one.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM NFL |
 NFL Section Front |
| Add NFL headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links