Steelers Win Over Redskins May Clinch Obama Victory

To some who follow a statistical anomaly, the Monday Night game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins was about more than football. According to a strange statistic, if the Redskins won on their last home game before the election, the candidate from the incumbent party would win the White House. If the Redskins lost, then the candidate from the other party would win.

In this case, despite all the exit polls, Barack Obama would lose the election if the Redskins won. But the state of Pennsylvania, which might clinch the election for Obama tonight, came through for Obama again last night as the Steelers won easily.

Since 1936, this rule about the Redskins' last pre-election home game determining the course of the election has held. 16 straight times, a Redskins win signaled a White House win for the party in power, and a loss preceded a change in power.

However, the jinx changed in 2004, as the Redskins lost their last home game before the election to Green Bay, but George W. Bush still kept the Presidency. But due to the controversial election of 2000 and Al Gore getting the most popular votes, some still believe the Redskins rule stayed intact, since the party that had the most votes in 2004 lost along with the Redskins.

So if the streak is still intact, or just got broken up in the last election, Obama has another clear path to victory.

In the actual game, the Steelers gave the Redskins some key opportunities early in the game, but the Redskins only got two field goals out of it. After that, the Steelers and their defense dominated their way to a 23-6 victory that sent a statement to the NFL.

Despite a 5-2 record, the Steelers took a hit after coming from ahead to lose to the Giants last week. But a convincing win over the Redskins put the Steelers back into the ranks of Super Bowl challengers.

However, the Steelers still got a damaging loss when Ben Roethlisberger suffered a right shoulder injury before halftime. Backup Byron Leftwich finished the game, but whether Roethlisberger will miss any more time is unknown.

For the Redskins, they continue to struggle after their hot start. In their last few games, the Redskins have lost to previously winless St. Louis, struggled to beat Cleveland and Detroit, and have now lost at home in a statement game. Despite being 6-3 in the ultra tough NFC East, the Redskins are beginning to fade.

Sources

Inquirer.net- "Good for Obama: Steelers beat Redskins" sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20081104-170202/Good-for-Obama-Steelers-beat-Redskins

USA Today- "Tuesday eye-opener: Steelers seal election" blogs.usatoday.com/gameon/2008/11/tuesday-eye-ope.html