Miami Dolphins had another sigh of relief

It was quite an unusual mid-afternoon Monday National Football League game. It was game one of a day-night doubleheader and it turned out to be good for the visiting Washington Football Team and bad for the previously undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there were very few fans in the stands, but on the filed it became an exciting finish in which 10-point underdog Washington’s comeback clamed a 23-17 victory that kept it in the hunt for the NFC East championship and brought an abrupt halt to Pittsburgh’s unblemished record, its first in 11 starts.

It also became another year that the 1972 Miami Dolphins’ Super Bowl winner remained as the only unbeaten team, which meant another collective “Whew, we survived again,” from the remaining members of that team.

But for the newly named team from D.C., that shrugged of a pre-season that brought numerous ideas for a new nickname required by the NFL, but the franchise decided, it said temporarily, to go with “Football Team.” And with that, it moved into a first-place with the red-hot New York Giants for the top spot in the division, although the Giants own the tiebreaker by defeating Washington both times.

And after 10-point underdog New York left Seattle Sunday with a surprise success, and this win Monday for the 13-point underdog Football Team on the road over stunned Pittsburgh, should, for now, remove “dismal division” as one of its negatives.

After a scoreless opening quarter, the Steelers scored a pair of touchdowns through the air as quarterback Ben Rothisberger first round Di Johnson with a short throw and then combined with Washington (the player) on a 50-yard pass play. Then, in the final seconds before halftime, the visitors got a 49-yard field goal from Hopkins.

After the intermission, the Football Team narrowed the gap to 14-10 on a 1-yard score from Barber. But its last tally came early in the fourth quarter when back-up kicker Wright booted a 37-yard field goal.

Then came the Washington surge over the final nine minutes. First, its quarterback Alex Smith found Thomas with a 15-yard pass into the end zone, and that tied the score at 17-all. Then, with 2:04 left, Hopkins turned in a field goal from 45 yards out, and with 17 seconds remaining, he kicked an identical 45-yarder for the final score.

Actually, the Steelers had their chance in the final minutes, but down by six points and on the Washington 37, Rothisberger lost the ball on a hard hit, and it was pounced on by the Football Team. That gave it the chance to celebrate as it took a knee that ended the tilt.

The statistics show how tight a contest it was. Washington led in first downs 18-17, Pittsburgh had more total net  yards, 326-318, rushing yards weren’t much as the Football Team had only 45 and the Steelers even worse with 21, in passing it was 305 to 273 in favor of Pitt, and in time of possession, Washington totaled 30.26 and the Steelers 29.34.

Pittsburgh still has a 2-game lead over the surprising Cleveland Browns in the AFC North, and Washington is now the only team in its division with more points scored, 264, to points allowed, 260.

Next up for the Football Team is Sunday at the San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh has a tough test the same night at the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills, who are 9-3. Then Washington is home to 8-4 Seattle, to the 10-2

Green Bay Packers, and at division foe Philadelphia Eagles in the regular-season finale. These four opponents

have won 26 and lost 21.

As for the Giants, 5-7 along with Washington, they play three o their last four games at home, with visits from the Arizona Cardinals (6-6), the Browns (9-3), then an away game at the Baltimore Ravens (6-5) followed by the home contest versus division opponent Dallas Cowboys, now 3-8. These four teams have won 24 and lost 22.

The Eagles (3-8-1) play host to the New Orleans Saints (10-2) Sunday, then are at Arizona, at Dallas, and home to Washington. These four teams have won 22 and lost the same number, with the Philly tie coming against the Cincinnati Bengals,

The Cowboys are scheduled against the Ravens on the road today, although the Baltimore team is still concerned about COPID-19, as several of its staff had tested positive. Dallas then heads for the 2-9-1 Bengals, is home to San Francisco (5-7), and stays home to face Philadelphia. These four teams have a combined record of 18-21-1

Cant forget the Monday night that followed the mid-afternoon match-up, as Buffalo made the trip to San Francisco and left with a 34-24 triumph. The Bills yielded a first-quarter touchdown and then added a field goal to a pair of TDs to go up 17-7 at the half. Not much changed in the second half, the visitors maintained their 10-point lead as both teams came up with 10 points in the third quarter and added a fourth-quarter touchdown.