The Washington Commanders got off to a rocky start at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then, it was lady luck shining down on them once again to tip the scales.
Pittsburgh had its way with Washington during the opening exchanges. They were flying around on defense and were moving the football well offensively. Georgie Pickens' sensational touchdown grab was an incredible moment that will rank among the league's best highlights. Things were not looking good.
The league - and the fine margins involved in games between two evenly matched teams such as this - comes down to moments. One such example turned the tide and centered on a fake punt that was masterfully designed yet poorly executed.
Despite having the lead and being backed up in their own red zone, the Steelers went for broke. The call was good and the Commanders were not expecting it whatsoever. Unfortunately for head coach Mike Tomlin, it blew up in his face.
Commanders take advantage of Steelers' fake punt mishap
With so much time, punter Corliss Waitman threw a pretty decent football in James Pierre's direction. The defensive back lost concentration for a split second, which was all he needed to drop the ball and a golden opportunity to firmly tighten the Steelers' grip early in the contest.
This was a gift from the football gods that the Commanders weren't going to waste. It's a different team these days - one that knows how to twist the knife with ruthless conviction. That proved to be the case once again in this instance.
The Commanders tied the game when veteran running back Austin Ekeler went into the end zone from close range. Debutant kicker Zane Gonzalez nailed the extra point to tie things up. This also got the home crowd back into the game after appearing slightly deflated beforehand.
ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN' 🎸
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 10, 2024
📺 #PITvsWAS CBS pic.twitter.com/yRC4y0hKVb
Pittsburgh deserves credit for being bold in an attempt to take the game by the scruff of the neck. But it's hard to deny that this moment didn't completely change the atmosphere on and off the field in the blink of an eye.
Nobody associated with the Commanders was complaining, that's for sure.