Steelers transformed the way they do business in the offseason. The results have been dramatic

On surface, call was risky, but only to those who haven't been paying attention to how Pittsburgh Steelers go about ir business se days.

Backed up in first quarter against Washington on Sunday and getting rey to punt, All-Pro Miles Killebrew, serving as upback, saw one of Commanders' gunners creep down line of scrimm to help out on a potential block, leaving teammate James Pierre all by himself on outside.

So Killebrew, captain of perhaps best special teams unit in NFL, did what longtime coordinator Danny Smith has empowered him to do: He gambled, taking snap and flipping a pass to an open Pierre down left sideline. Pierre, perhaps showing why he's a cornerback and t a wide receiver by tre, dropped it , giving Commanders pristine field position that y quickly turned into a touchdown.

Ultimately it didn't matter. t after Steelers erased a 10-point second-half deficit to edge Washington 28-27 and improve to 7-2 following a game that in many ways symbolized shift in tectonic plates that long have governed arguably NFL's most stable franchise.

Zoom out and Killebrew's decision simply falls in line with accelerated sense of urgency that has permeated every level of organization over last 10 months.

Consider this: winning touchdown was thrown by a quarterback ( Russell Wilson ) who wasn't on roster in February and t in lineup until October. It was caught by a wide receiver (Mike Williams) who began last week as a member of New York Jets .

Pittsburgh spent first two seasons of post-Ben Roethlisberger era trying to do things way it has always done m: methodically and pragmatically. Only Kenny Pickett didn't pan out. offense continued to sputter under Matt Cana and NFL's most expensive defense me eugh plays to keep Steelers competitive but t eugh to close gap between Pittsburgh and powers that be in AFC.

That chasm suddenly looks far more navigable than it did a month ago, when Mike Tomlin thanked Justin Fields for his solid if t always spectacular play during a 4-2 start and handed offense over to Wilson. Fields h done everything Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith asked of him. He took care of ball. He used his legs to make plays. He did what he could to t lose games.

decision to go to Wilson, however, came with a mess that t losing is longer good eugh. games with Fields behind center looked like so many of m over last half-dece or so — defense kept things tight and a play or two from offense created a narrow pathway to victory.

Yet NFL's longest-tenured coach knew he hn't seen eugh. If Pittsburgh wants to end a playoff victory drought that dates to 2016 AFC championship — longest gap between postseason wins since Immaculate Reception 52 years ago — Tomlin knew his offense would have to be more than serviceable for Steelers to catch Kansas Cities and Buffaloes of world.

So he flipped to Wilson, who has silenced his doubters one moonball at a time. latest proof came on that lob to end zone in waning minutes to Williams, something Tomlin h seen on highlight shows but developed a greater appreciation for while watching it play out in real time right in front of him.

re is a long way to go, to be sure. final two months include six AFC rth games, a trip to Philelphia and a Christmas Day showdown with Patrick Mahomes and two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

If anything can be taken away from Pittsburgh's promising first half of season, it's that it is longer comfortable with status quo. And Tomlin may have tipped his hand when talking about a fourth-and-1 call in last minute that led to Washington jumping offside, allowing Steelers to seal game.

Asked if Wilson was actually going to snap ball if Commanders didn't jump, Tomlin smiled.

“We will never kw, will we?" Tomlin said. "You all kw I’m a degenerate.”

And longer satisfied with trusting process. Pittsburgh blew way it rmally does things in offseason. Nine games in, Steelers are reaping benefits during a year when ceiling appears to be rising with each passing week.

Spreing ball around. Wilson targeted nine different players — even third tight end MyCole Pruitt got a look — and it's telling of Wilson's “throw it to whoever, whenever” approach that his bomb to Williams marked first time he looked Williams' way all day.

t much for a team that is a handful of plays away from being 9-0. If Williams' arrival can create more opportunities for George Pickens, Steelers could have one of more potent offenses in league, something y haven't h since height of “Killer B's” era in late 2010s.

Nine months after Denver Broncos paid nearly $40 million to let Wilson walk, nine-time Pro Bowler looks rejuvenated in Pittsburgh.

defense is elite, but sometimes that aggressiveness can be a double-edged sword. Pittsburgh needs to avoid kind of penalties — face masks and pass interferences, etc. — that piled up against Washington, allowing Commanders to extend drives.

Pittsburgh will begin stretch run relatively healthy, though depth at outside linebacker could be a concern after Alex Highsmith turned his left ankle chasing down Jayden Daniels in fourth quarter on Sunday.

92.3 — percent of teams since 1990 that have started season 7-2 and reached playoffs.

See if y can continue to be Lamar Jackson's Kryptonite when Baltimore Ravens visit Pittsburgh on Sunday. Jackson is just 2-4 against Steelers in his career.