The New Orleans Saints will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL’s first regular-season game in France on Sunday, with New Orleans still managing injuries at wide receiver as Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson remain sidelined. Rookie Germie Bernard has taken on a larger role for Pittsburgh, while the Saints arrive in Paris facing mounting pressure after a 1-4 start.
What changed for the franchise
Saints owner Gayle Benson delivered an unusually direct warning before the club’s trip to France, making clear that the team’s early-season performance cannot become acceptable in New Orleans. The message put added attention on second-year head coach Kellen Moore and longtime general manager Mickey Loomis.
Loomis, who has overseen football operations for roughly 25 years, said this week that he remains encouraged by the direction of the team under Moore, quarterback Tyler Shough and the current core. But Sunday’s international stage raises the stakes for a roster that has already had uneven results.
New Orleans answered Benson’s challenge last week by recovering from a 10-point hole against the New York Giants. The Saints built a 34-10 lead before holding on for a 34-27 win. A victory over Pittsburgh would send the club into its bye week at 2-4; a loss would leave New Orleans at 2-5 and intensify questions around the organization’s leadership.
The Saints are the NFL club with marketing rights in France, making the matchup a significant event for the franchise. New Orleans also has deep historical and cultural ties to France, while its fleur-de-lis logo reflects a longtime French symbol. The team practiced near Versailles during its preparation week.
Pittsburgh will be the designated road team at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. Mike McCarthy’s Steelers elected to arrive later in the week. The stadium has hosted the 1998 World Cup final and events during the 2024 Summer Olympics, but Sunday will mark its first NFL game.
On the field, Pittsburgh’s offense has leaned increasingly on shorter throws and its playmakers around quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has averaged fewer than 4.2 air yards per attempt over the past two weeks, limiting pressure but also reducing explosive gains. His 30.6% pressure rate is the third-lowest among qualified NFL passers, while his minus-0.19 EPA per dropback ranks 29th.
Jaylen Warren could be central to the Steelers’ plan after his output dipped in Week 6 following Rico Dowdle’s return from injury. Warren earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after his Week 5 performance, and he now faces a Saints defense allowing a league-high 45.3% success rate on designed rushing plays.
Bernard has been productive while Pittsburgh’s receiving corps has been depleted. Over the past two weeks, he leads the NFL with 133 yards on targets traveling fewer than 10 yards in the air. That could be a useful matchup against a New Orleans defense that has surrendered 845 yards on underneath throws, fifth-most in the league, along with the fifth-highest success rate at 56.9%.
DK Metcalf remains a primary option after catching a season-high 11 passes in Week 6. Tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington also offer Rodgers larger targets, but Warren and Bernard may determine whether Pittsburgh can consistently move the chains.
For New Orleans, Shough enters the game as one of the league’s most volatile quarterbacks. The second-year starter is tied for third in the NFL with 14 offensive touchdowns, matching Josh Allen and Brock Purdy, and he accounted for four touchdowns against the Giants. He is also tied for fourth with eight giveaways.
That risk is particularly dangerous against a Steelers defense tied for third with 10 takeaways. New Orleans is tied for the third-most giveaways with 12, and Pittsburgh’s coverage profile could trouble Shough. He has thrown five interceptions against zone looks, tied for the second-highest total in the NFL. The Steelers have used zone coverage on 82.8% of opposing dropbacks, seventh-most in the league, and five of their six interceptions have come in zone.
T.J. Watt, Jalen Ramsey and Pittsburgh’s defense will look to turn that matchup into short fields and turnovers. For the Saints, protecting the football may be as important as Shough’s ability to keep pace with Rodgers and the Steelers offense.
Pittsburgh and New Orleans kick off Sunday at Stade de France in the NFL’s first game played in France.
