Steelers soar to easy win
Pittsburgh defense notches seven sacks in 23-6 victory
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 10:08 AM PST
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| Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes (10) leaps for a touchdown against Washington Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers (22) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Monday in Landover, Md. |
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Byron Leftwich led two touchdown drives after Ben Roethlisberger reinjured his throwing shoulder and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Washington Redskins 23-6 on Monday night.
The Steelers’ top-rated defense had seven sacks, allowed only 221 yards and became the first team this season to intercept Jason Campbell.
Leftwich went 7-of-10 for 129 yards and a touchdown to lead the Steelers (6-2).
Roethlisberger was 5-of-17 for 50 yards and an interception before leaving the game at halftime, again hindered by the slightly separated shoulder.
Roethlisberger said he hurt the shoulder on the 1-yard sneak that gave the Steelers a 10-6 lead near the end of the first half.
‘‘I have no update on Ben at this point,’’ coach Mike Tomlin said. ‘‘Potentially, he was capable of going back in the game, but we went down the field with Leftwich in there to start the second half. We’ll just see how he is.’’
Roethlisberger spoke briefly in the locker room.
Asked if the injury was serious, he said: ‘‘I hope not. We’ll find out.’’
Leftwich’s 50-yard completion to Nate Washington set up a 1-yard TD run by Willie Parker, who was back from a four-week layoff with a knee injury. He also had a 5-yard scoring pass to Santonio Holmes.
Roethlisberger celebrated that touchdown on the sideline by high-fiving his teammates — with his left hand.
The Steelers held Clinton Portis to 51 yards rushing, ending his streak of five straight games with at least 120 yards.
Washington (6-3) came close to scoring a touchdown only once — when Campbell threw incomplete to eligible lineman Lorenzo Alexander on fourth-and-goal at the 1 in the fourth quarter.
Campbell, who finished 24-of-43 for 206 yards.
