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The NFC East division may be a mess, but one of its better teams could present a trap game on Monday for the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers, as the Washington Football Team will take on the 11-0 Steelers in a Monday afternoon Week 13 contest.
With veteran quarterback Alex Smith under center since taking over for injured QB Kyle Allen, Washington has now gone 2-1 and seems more poised on the offensive side of the ball.
Smith is himself coming back from a horrible injury -- a broken leg in 2018 that developed an infection and nearly cost him his life -- and is considered a top contender for NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The 36-year-old former No. 1 NFL Draft pick has shown he still has plenty left in him.
The only team in the way for Washington in the NFC East is the New York Giants, who are currently without quarterback Daniel Jones, who is expected to miss Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks with a hamstring injury.
The Steelers are led by the other top candidate for NFL Comeback Player of the Year, 38-year-old quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The two-time Super Bowl champion missed almost all of last season with an elbow injury and has returned to put the Steelers on the brink of making history.
Only one team in NFL history has gone the entire season undefeated, and the Steelers are getting close. They got their 11th victory last week without a loss, winning 19-14 against a practice squad version of the Baltimore Ravens. Nonetheless, a win is a win in the eyes of Steelers' fans as they have yet to be stopped.
Because the Steelers-Ravens game was pushed back multiple times and finally played on Wednesday, the NFL moved Steelers-Washington ahead one day to give Pittsburgh a reasonable amount of time to rest and prepare.
It'll be a battle of the defenses, as the Steelers are ranked 3rd-best in the league, while Washington is ranked 4th-best. With a young Washington defensive line causing chaos throughout the league -- headlined by 2020's No. 2 NFL Draft pick Chase Young -- this could be the biggest test for Ben Roethlisberger.
As for Washington's offense, Smith will have to do much better and be poised within the pocket to overcome the Steelers defense, led by veteran lineback T.J. Watt. But the heavy usage of the run game should prove to do well. Washington RB Antonio Gibson ran for three touchdowns last week against the Dallas Cowboys.
Washington at Pittsburgh Steelers TV schedule
What time is the Washington at Steelers game on Monday?
5:00 p.m. EST
What channel is the Washington at Steelers game on Monday?
FOX
Washington at Pittsburgh Steelers coverage map
How to watch Washington at Pittsburgh Steelers
Live stream
Washington at Pittsburgh Steelers Prediction
Considering their performance against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, a rivalry that has been fierce for decades, Washington could hand the Steelers their first loss of the season.
After all, they had more days to prepare for this game. But it wouldn't be a shocker if the Steelers drop 30 points easily on Washington.
Prediction: Washington 24, Steelers 23
