Steelers no longer unbeaten
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent three months f lirting with perfection and insisting they were far from f lawless.
They weren’t wrong. Pittsburgh’s unbeaten run is over. Washington’s bid for an unlikely division title may just be beginning.
Alex Smith threw for 296 yards and a touchdown, Dustin Hopkins kicked a tiebreaking 45- yard f ield goal with 2: 04 remaining, and Washington beat the Steelers 23- 17 on Monday.
Pittsburgh ( 11- 1) missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth and dropped into a tie with Kansas City for the top spot in the AFC with four games left. A day after the New York Giants upset Seattle, Washington ( 5- 7) kept pace by rallying from 14 down to win in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1991.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns but was picked off by Jon Bostic — a former Steeler — with 1: 59 left. Hopkins added another 45- yard field goal to help close it out.
Buffalo 34, San Francisco 24:
Josh Allen threw for 375 yards, tied a career high with four touchdown passes and the Bills stayed in sole possession of f irst place in the AFC East.
The 49ers lost their f irst game at their adopted home in Arizona, where they will be based for at least the next three weeks after Santa Clara County issued strict new coronavirus protocols.
Buffalo moved a step closer to winning its division for the f irst time since 1995 thanks to Allen’s fourth game of the season with at least 300 yards passing and three touchdowns, which set a franchise record. Jim Kelly ( 1991) and Drew Bledsoe ( 2002) did it three times.
Cole Beasley had a career- high 130 yards receiving.
Etc.
New York Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was f ired after he called for an all- out blitz against Las Vegas on Sunday with the Jets seconds away from their f irst victory. Derek Carr heaved a 46- yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III with f ive seconds left to lift the Raiders to a 31- 28 win. ... Eight Carolina players were placed on the COVID- 19 list, forcing the team to close its practice facility.