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A handful of critical National Football League games loom this weekend but none figure to have the impact of Monday’s Pittsburgh at Washington matchup thanks to the “Redskins Rule” of US politics.
For 17 consecutive US presidential ballots, the outcome of the Redskins’ last home game before Election Day has been an accurate predictor, some even fancifully claim the true decider, of who will win the White House.
If the Redskins win, the incumbent party in the White House wins the subsequent presidential election.
Should the Redskins lose, the party holding the US presidency loses.
With that in mind, Democratic hopeful Barack Obama figures to be supporting the visiting Steelers, 5-2, while Republican John McCain would be hoping for the Redskins, 6-2, to carry the night.
The rule has held true since even before the Redskins moved from Boston to the US capital in 1937. In 1936, the Boston Redskins won and incumbent Franklin Roosevelt won re-election.
Beyond the political ramifications, the game is one that both clubs need desperately in the ninth week of the 17-week campaign.
The Steelers are only one game ahead of Baltimore atop the AFC North while the Redskins trail the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants by half a game and lead Dallas by one game in the NFC East.
The Redskins will test Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defence with NFL rushing leader Clinton Portis, who has run for 944 yards and seven touchdowns on 187 carries this season.
Portis has five 100-yard games in a row but the Steelers have allowed no opposing rusher more than 63 yards a game this season.
Washington receiver Antwaan Randle El will be playing for the first time against his former Steelers teammates after leaving Pittsburgh three years ago.
“They have gotten better since I left, so it’s going to be a matter of going out and playing well,” Randle El said.
“There will be a little more (energy) but playing them is not as weird as I thought it would be.
“There probably won’t be too much trash talking. This is a ‘Let’s line up and do it’ game. I’m ready.”
The Giants travel to Dallas on Sunday in another key contest, with Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo still sidelined by a broken pinky finger, leaving 40-year-old Brad Johnson to direct a sputtering Dallas attack.
Undefeated Tennessee will try to reach 8-0 at home Sunday against Green Bay with Kerry Collins, the Titans’ 35-year-old quarterback, trying to match his 24-of-37 passing performance in a victory last week over Indianapolis.
No team in NFL history has squandered a four-game division lead but the Packers, who share the NFC North lead with Chicago at 4-3, have some firepower behind Aaron Rodgers, who replaced legend Brett Favre as the Packers’ passer.
The fight for the AFC East lead intensifies as well with Favre’s New York Jets, 4-3, at co-leader Buffalo, 5-2, while New England, 5-2, visits Indianapolis in a matchup of familiar playoff foes.
Other games Sunday find winless Detroit at Chicago, Jacksonville at winless Cincinnati, Houston at Minnesota, Arizona at St Louis, Baltimore at Cleveland, Tampa Bay at Kansas City, Miami at Denver, Atlanta at Oakland and Philadelphia at Seattle.
San Diego, San Francisco, Carolina and New Orleans have byes this week.
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