The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to monitor the unrest in and around Paris ahead of their NFL Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 25 at Stade de France, outside the city.
Coach Mike McCarthy said everything has proceeded as planned so far, despite disruptive protests that have gripped France in recent weeks. And that conversations within the team continue as events continue to unfold on the ground.
“The team is excited about playing over there,” he told reporters at his weekly news conference. “We’re in contact with the league. We had a Zoom call today with the league office, which is the normal protocol before you get over there. With the whole team. So we feel like we have a really good plan. We’re aware of the situation over there and have a lot of confidence in our plan.”
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The Steelers plan to leave the United States on Thursday, so their stay in the country won’t be very long.
The team followed a similar plan last season, when it faced the Minnesota Vikingsin Dublin, Ireland. McCarthy said some team personnel have already arrived in the area in anticipation of the matchup.
The Saints have already arrived in France. They departed the United States directly after their NFL Week 6 victory against the New York Giants and will spend the balance of the week across the Atlantic Ocean.
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The league issued a statement Sunday, signaling that the game will proceed as planned for now.
“Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday,” the league said.
“We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There’s been no disruption or impact at league sites.”
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At present, McCarthy and his coaching staff are more actively managing the disruption that the trans-Atlantic journey will cause to the weekly routine.
Unlike last season, the Steelers won't get a bye after their international excursion and will face the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 1 back at Acrisure Stadium. So the focus has been on a plan to maximize the team’s competitiveness for both the Paris game itself and the subsequent AFC North division matchup.
“Whether you’re playing in a Super Bowl or a Monday night game that’s more than five, six hours in the air, you look at all of those things,” McCarthy said. “The reality of it is, I’ve always just tried to stick to the basics. The hydration. The sleep. Just to make sure you give the men the best opportunity to prepare to perform, and then ultimately stay in as normal a flow of preparation as you can.”
The Steelers picked up a 26-19 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. They rallied from 13-0 and 16-3 deficits to earn their fourth win of the season and into a tie for the division lead with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns at 4-2.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers 'excited' for NFL Paris game vs Saints despite spate of disruptive protests