Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14), defended by Washington Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, catches a 16-yard pass for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Landover, Maryland. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

By Will Graves

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — On the surface, the call was risky, but only to those who weren’t paying attention to how the Pittsburgh Steelers go about their business these days.

Recovered in the first quarter against Washington on Sunday and preparing to punt, All-Pro Miles Killebrew, serving as a fullback, saw one of the Chiefs’ sharpshooters sneak down the line of scrimmage to help with a potential block, leaving the l on teammate. James Pierre alone outside.

So Killebrew, the captain of perhaps the best special teams in the NFL, did what longtime coordinator Danny Smith empowered him to do: gamble, taking the play and throwing a pass to an open Pierre on the left sideline. Pierre, perhaps showing why he’s a cornerback and not a wide receiver by trade, dropped it, giving the Chiefs flawless field position that they quickly turned into a touchdown.

In the end it didn’t matter. Not after the Steelers erased a 10-point second-half deficit to outscore Washington 28-27 and improve to 7-2 in a game that in many ways symbolized the shift in tectonic plates that had long ruled, perhaps , the NFL’s most stable franchise.

Zoom out, and Killebrew’s decision simply fits with the heightened sense of urgency that has permeated every level of the organization over the past 10 months.

Consider this: The game-winning touchdown was thrown by a quarterback (Russell Wilson) who wasn’t on the roster in February or in the lineup until October. He was surprised by a wide receiver (Mike Williams) who started last week as a member of the New York Jets.

Pittsburgh has spent the first two seasons of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era trying to do things the way it always has: methodically and pragmatically. Only Kenny Pickett didn’t manage. The offense continued to sputter under Matt Canada, and the NFL’s most expensive defense made enough plays to keep the Steelers competitive, but not enough to close the gap between Pittsburgh and the AFC powers.

That chasm suddenly seems a lot more navigable than it did a month ago, when Mike Tomlin thanked Justin Fields for his solid, if not always spectacular, play during a 4-2 start and turned the offense over to Wilson. Fields had done everything Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith asked of him. He took care of the ball. He used his legs to make plays. He did everything he could not to lose the matches.

The decision to go to Wilson, however, came with a message that not losing is no longer good enough. Matchups with Fields behind center looked like many of them over the past half-decade or so — the defense kept things tight and a play or two from the offense created a narrow path to victory.

Still, the NFL’s longest-tenured coach knew he hadn’t seen enough. If Pittsburgh wants to end a playoff win drought dating back to the 2016 AFC championship — the longest postseason win streak since the Immaculate Conception 52 years ago — Tomlin knew his offense would have to be more than useful for the Steelers to catch the Kansas Cities. and Buffaloes of the World.

So it was back to Wilson, who silenced his doubters one moon orb at a time. The latest evidence came on that lob into the end zone in the final minutes to Williams, something Tomlin had seen in highlight shows but developed a greater appreciation for as he watched it play out in real time right in front of him .

It’s a long way to go, of course. The last two months include six AFC North games, a trip to Philadelphia and a Christmas Day showdown with Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

If anything can be taken from Pittsburgh’s promising first half of the season, it’s that it’s no longer comfortable with the status quo. And Tomlin may have tipped his hand when he talked about a fourth-and-1 call in the final minute that led to Washington jumping offsides, allowing the Steelers to seal the game.

Asked if Wilson was really going to snap the ball if the quarterbacks didn’t jump, Tomlin smiled.

“We’ll never know, will we?” Tomlin said. “You all know I’m a degenerate.”

And I’m not satisfied with trusting the process anymore. Pittsburgh blew up the way it normally does in the offseason. Nine games in, the Steelers are reaping the benefits in a year where the cap seems to grow with each passing week.

what’s up

Spreading the ball around. Wilson targeted nine different players — even third-down tight end MyCole Pruitt saw — and says of Wilson’s “throw it to anyone, anytime” approach that his bomb to Williams marked the first time he looked in front of Williams all day .

Which needs help

Not much for a team that is one game away from being 9-0. If Williams’ arrival can create more opportunities for George Pickens, the Steelers could have one of the most potent offenses in the league, something they haven’t had since the height of the “Killer B’s” era in the late 2010s.

Supply

Nine months after the Denver Broncos paid nearly $40 million to let Wilson walk, the nine-time Pro Bowler looks rejuvenated in Pittsburgh.

Stock down

The defense is elite, but sometimes that aggressiveness can be a double-edged sword. Pittsburgh needs to avoid the type of penalties – face masks and pass interference, etc. – which piled up against Washington, allowing commanders to expand the roads.

injury

Pittsburgh will start the drive relatively healthy, though depth at outside linebacker could be a concern after Alex Highsmith sprained his left ankle chasing Jayden Daniels in the fourth quarter Sunday.

Key number

92.3 — The percentage of teams since 1990 that started the season 7-2 and made the playoffs.

Next steps

See if they can continue to be Lamar Jackson’s Kryptonite when the Baltimore Ravens visit Pittsburgh on Sunday. Jackson is just 2-4 against the Steelers in his career.