Game Summary
In a wild back-and-forth affair at Pitt Stadium, the Washington Redskins overcame a 21–9 second-half deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 33–27. The victory marked Otto Graham’s first win as Redskins head coach, improving Washington’s record to 1–2.
The game began as a defensive battle, with Washington taking a 9–0 lead in the first quarter solely on the leg of rookie kicker Charlie Gogolak, who connected on field goals of 41, 47, and 29 yards. However, the Steelers’ offense exploded in the second quarter. Quarterback Ron Smith found Gary Ballman for a 49-yard touchdown, and moments later, Jim Bradshaw returned an interception 27 yards for a score, giving Pittsburgh a 14–9 halftime lead.
The Steelers extended their lead to 21–9 early in the third quarter when Smith connected with Ballman again, this time for a 79-yard touchdown. Facing a desperate situation, Sonny Jurgensen rallied the Redskins. He engineered a scoring drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Charley Taylor. Although Pittsburgh added a field goal to make it 24–16, Washington’s offense was unstoppable down the stretch.
Jurgensen hit Bobby Mitchell for a 35-yard touchdown to pull within one point. Shortly after, Charley Taylor punched in a 2-yard run to give Washington a 30–24 lead they would not relinquish. Both teams traded late field goals, but the Redskins held on for the 33–27 victory.
The game is below:
Scoring Summary
| Quarter | Team | Play | Score (WAS-PIT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAS | Charlie Gogolak 41 yd FG | 3–0 |
| 1 | WAS | Charlie Gogolak 47 yd FG | 6–0 |
| 1 | WAS | Charlie Gogolak 29 yd FG | 9–0 |
| 2 | PIT | Gary Ballman 49 yd pass from Ron Smith (Mike Clark kick) | 9–7 |
| 2 | PIT | Jim Bradshaw 27 yd interception return (Mike Clark kick) | 9–14 |
| 3 | PIT | Gary Ballman 79 yd pass from Ron Smith (Mike Clark kick) | 9–21 |
| 3 | WAS | Charley Taylor 4 yd pass from Sonny Jurgensen (Gogolak kick) | 16–21 |
| 3 | PIT | Mike Clark 47 yd FG | 16–24 |
| 3 | WAS | Bobby Mitchell 35 yd pass from Sonny Jurgensen (Gogolak kick) | 23–24 |
| 3 | WAS | Charley Taylor 2 yd run (Gogolak kick) | 30–24 |
| 4 | WAS | Charlie Gogolak 15 yd FG | 33–24 |
| 4 | PIT | Mike Clark 42 yd FG | 33–27 |
Key Statistics
Washington Redskins
- Passing: Sonny Jurgensen: 20/33, 235 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
- Receiving: Bobby Mitchell: 4 rec, 87 yds, 1 TD; Charley Taylor: 5 rec, 52 yds, 1 TD
- Rushing: Charley Taylor: 16 att, 62 yds, 1 TD
- Kicking: Charlie Gogolak: 4/4 FG
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Passing: Ron Smith: 12/24, 276 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
- Receiving: Gary Ballman: 2 rec, 128 yds, 2 TD
- Defense: Jim Bradshaw: 1 INT, 1 TD
