Peter Diana, Post-Gazette photos Deshea Townsend comes off the corner to sack Redskins quarterback Todd Collins, one of three sacks the Steelers recorded last night at FedEx Field in their 12-10 win against the Redskins. Click photo for larger image. More Coverage: Steelers Notebook: Randle El hoping to get his number called a lot more Ron Cook: Redskins' fans angry, but football is brutal Slideshow: Uneasy win Middlesex grandmother won Steelers 'Name the Mascot' contest Send us your Steelers training camp photos Listen In Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette recaps Saturday night's preseason game between the Steelers and the Washington Redskins: A lackluster performance

LANDOVER, Md. -- The Steelers must hope the NFL preseason truly means little because that's about what their first-team offense and defense showed last night.

Coach Mike Tomlin kept his first units on the field throughout the first half with some slight adjustments, but there was little spark on offense and his defense had third-down letdowns.

Nevertheless, the Steelers pulled out a 12-10 victory when backup kicker Connor Hughes kicked his third field goal of the fourth quarter, from 19 yards, with 1:30 left to end a drive directed by third-team quarterback Brian St. Pierre.

Rookie cornerback William Gay's interception at the Steelers' 22 with two seconds left ended a last-gasp Redskins charge.

The victory ran the Steelers' record to 2-1. Washington fell to 1-1.

"It's far from perfect in a lot of ways but I liked the resiliency this team showed out there," Tomlin said. "We stayed in the fight, we found a way to finish this football game."

It wasn't so much the finish -- when the two teams were deep into their depth charts -- but the first half that might be cause for some concern for Tomlin.

The Steelers' first- and second-team offense had difficulty near the end zone and settled for four chip-shot field goals -- one of 21 yards by Jeff Reed in the second quarter and three by Hughes in the fourth quarter of 28, 22 and 19 yards.

The Steelers' first teams trailed, 7-3, at halftime, and even when they scored it was a disappointing end.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger ran the offense in all four series in that half. The Steelers looked good on just one of them, and that ended in semi-failure inside the 5 after covering 84 yards on 16 plays.

The Steelers had a first down at the 9 and ran six plays, but had to turn things over to Reed when they could get no closer than the 4 with two seconds left.

"I'd like to see him perform better," Tomlin said of Roethlisberger, "like to see the offense perform better. But that was a charged-up defense in front of a home crowd tonight. You have to give those guys credit. But I wish they would have been more effective and got in a groove."

In his first action of the preseason, Willie Parker carried four times for 4 yards. Click photo for larger image.

Willie Parker made his first appearance of the preseason, carrying just four times for 4 yards before leaving after three series.

Roethlisberger completed 8 of 12 passes for 87 yards, but could not get his team into the end zone. He also scrambled four times to lead everyone at halftime with 17 yards.

The Steelers' first-team defense held the Redskins for the most part in that first half on early downs. Washington used its magic on third downs, converting 7 of 10 attempts against the Steelers' first-team defense.

"We couldn't get off the field today," linebacker James Farrior said. "They called some good plays."

Washington's quarterbacks were a combined 13 of 17 against the Steelers' first-team defense for 109 yards, although they were sacked three times. Rookie LaMarr Woodley got that going with his first sack, cornerback Deshea Townsend blitzed in for another and linebacker Clark Haggans for a third after the Steelers managed just one in the first two games.

"It's good we're getting some pressure," Haggans said. "We have to clean up some stuff and we need to keep moving forward."

The Steelers began their only scoring drive with the first team from their 13 with 5:39 to go in the second quarter and Roethlisberger went into the shotgun no-huddle right away. He hit two big passes to wide receiver Santonio Holmes of 22 yards to start it off and then 28 yards on third-and-16.

Roethlisberger missed Holmes, wide open in the front of the end zone, from the 8 when he threw it out of the end zone. A penalty on that play gave the Steelers a first down at the 4. From there, Verron Haynes was nailed in the backfield by linebacker Rocky McIntosh, who shot through a hole between tackle Max Starks and Chris Kemoeatu for a 4-yard loss.

Willie Reid's big gain late in the fourth quarter helps set up Jeff Reed's go-ahead field goal. Click photo for larger image.

Roethlisberger scrambled back to the 4 on second down, but on third down, he was hit by linebacker London Fletcher as he threw and a slightly off-target pass glanced off Cedrick Wilson near the goal line.

"On a positive note, we moved the ball down the field," Tomlin said. "I think that was a critical juncture of the game."

The Redskins scored when Brandon Lloyd beat cornerback Bryant McFadden for a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Todd Collins with 1:32 left in the opening quarter.

Lloyd ran to the left corner of the end zone, then came back across the back line and McFadden did not keep up with him.

Washington lost its starting quarterback, Jason Campbell, earlier on that series as he completed a 29-yard pass to tight end Chris Cooley. Defensive end Brett Keisel lunged low as Campbell threw and he hit him in his left knee.

It was reminiscent of Kimo von Oelhoffen's hit that ripped up Carson Palmer's knee in the 2005 playoffs. The Steelers were penalized 15 yards on top of the gain.

Washington's H.B. Blades, left, and David Macklin wrap up Steelers runner Gary Russell. Click photo for larger image.

"By no means are we interested in seeing anyone get hurt," Tomlin said, "particularly that team's quarterback. We want to play hard and fair."

The Redskins announced Campbell had a bruised left knee and the quarterback said he did not think it was a dirty hit.

Tomlin alternated the right side of his offensive line in the first half. Willie Colon opened at right tackle and Kendall Simmons at right guard, and they traded series with tackle Starks and guard Kemoeatu. The Steelers then went with the combination of Colon/Kemoeatu for much of the second half.

Shaun Suisham kicked a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter to stretch Washington's lead to 10-3. Collins hit tight end Todd Yoder with a 32-yard pass to the Steelers' 35.

With Charlie Batch at quarterback, the Steelers' second team also drove a long way in the third quarter and it ended much the way the first team's drive did -- on a field goal.

Hughes kicked it this time, from 28 yards, to end a 13-play, 69-yard drive.

The Steelers' defense created an opportunity with 10:28 left when cornerback Grant Mason and then linebacker Clint Kriewaldt smacked into tight end Jake Nordin and jarred the ball loose. Colclough recovered for the Steelers' at Washington's 22.

Again, the Steelers settled for three on Hughes' 22-yard field goal after failing to get into the end zone after a first down at the 7.