Two weeks after losing to the then-winless St. Louis Rams, the Redskins couldn't let another opponent celebrate its first victory of the season at their expense, could they? What was Campbell going to do about it?

After all, he had averaged just 183 passing yards the previous three games while throwing just one touchdown pass as Portis dominated the offense. Campbell had topped those average yards with an unbelievably efficient first half (16-of-19, 186 yards), but his heavily favored Redskins were still losing.

"We're moving the ball up and down the field," Campbell said. "We're getting into a groove, but it's a penalty or a turnover that sets us back. If we can get seven (points instead of three), we wouldn't be in so many tight games."

Before facing Detroit, the Redskins had played six straight games decided by no more than a touchdown. And the 26-year-old Campbell was still under .500 (13-14) as a starter during his career despite Washington's surprising 5-2 start this year.

Campbell connected with receiver Antwaan Randle El for 31 yards to set up another Shaun Suisham field goal on Washington's first series of the second half. When the Redskins got the ball back, they were on their own 5-yard line. A 17-yard strike to tight end Chris Cooley on third down got Washington out of the hole. Another third-down completion to Cooley and a facemask penalty on Detroit gave the Redskins a first down at midfield.

The Lions chose to blitz, leaving ace Redskins receiver Santana Moss one-on-one with safety Kalvin Pearson. Campbell avoided blitzing safety Ramzee Robinson and hit Moss in stride behind Pearson for the touchdown with 4:42 left in the third quarter that put the Redskins ahead to stay.

"A heroic play and throw by Jason," said coach Jim Zorn. "He had to make an avoid move and then have the sense not to bolt, but to know that ... Santana beat his guy."

Said Moss, "I don't think (being pressured) is something that he even thinks about. He sees it coming and he reacts."

Campbell reacted in his typical low-key fashion. He might be from Mississippi, too, but he's not one to race around the field in celebration a la Brett Favre. Nor will he chew out his teammates like some quarterbacks.

Guard Pete Kendall, a 13-year veteran, said Campbell's calmness and steadiness are among his best assets. After his career-high 127.4 passer rating and personal-best 82.1 percent accuracy (23 of 28 for 328 yards) against the Lions, Campbell reached midseason with a 100.5 rating. And he has yet to throw an interception, extending his franchise-record streak to 252 passes stretching back to December.

"Unbelievable," Cooley said. "That's a huge credit to how smart he is."

SERIES HISTORY: 76th regular-season meeting. Redskins lead 42-30-3, but Steelers have won all three meetings since 1991. That includes a 24-3 rout in 2000 in the final game at Three Rivers Stadium as the sub-.500 Steelers eliminated the Redskins, once 6-2, from postseason contention.