The New Orleans Saints are overseas this week for a historic matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, October 25, at Stade de France in Paris.
The Week 7 game marks the NFL’s first regular-season game in France, giving both franchises an opportunity to make history on an international stage. However, for the Saints, the trip represents something more important: a chance to build momentum and potentially turn their season around.
New Orleans enters Sunday’s matchup at 2-4 after a much-needed 34-27 victory over the New York Giants, which snapped their three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Aaron Rogers and the 4-2 Steelers arrive in Paris riding the momentum of a 26-19 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With their bye week approaching, the Saints have an opportunity to string together consecutive victories for the first time this season and return home with renewed confidence.
However, Tyler Shough and the offense will face a challenging Pittsburgh defense that ranks 9th in total defense, allowing just 307.5 yards per game. The Steelers have also been effective against the pass, surrendering an average of 204.3 passing yards per contest.
PREDICTION: Saints 31 – Steelers 27
Yes, the Saints have an opportunity to make history in Paris, but the bigger question is whether they can turn one encouraging victory into sustained success. Following last week’s comments from team owner Gayle Benson, the pressure is mounting on both players and coaches to deliver results. Add in the spotlight of an international stage and Sunday’s matchup against the Steelers becomes even more significant. I believe the Saints will win this game but more importantly, Sunday will provide a clearer picture of whether the Saints are finally finding their footing after a slow start to the season or if the team still has more questions than answers.