The Saints’ trip to Paris has taken on a different kind of backdrop this week, with safety concerns and civil unrest shaping the conversation around Sunday’s game against the Steelers.
The NFL still plans to stage the matchup in France, but the atmosphere around the city has been altered by protests and stepped-up security measures. The Associated Press reported that major museums, including the Louvre and Orsay Museum, were closed Saturday, even as tourists lined up to enter Notre Dame Cathedral. French authorities, the AP said, are trying to avoid a repeat of recent violent unrest.
That anxiety has reached the U.S. government as well. The State Department issued a security alert this week warning “Americans in Paris for the NFL game” to “exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings” because of protests.
Roger Goodell said this week that the league has prepared for the situation with help from both U.S. and French officials. He also noted that street protests “are not unusual in France.”
The league’s plans kept moving forward Friday when French President Emmanuel Macron met with Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owners Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace to “discuss Sunday's game and the long-term future of the NFL in Paris.” The NFL also said Friday that its pop-up shop in the city center would be closed Saturday, with fans instead directed to an alternate shop at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of the city.
For New Orleans, the setting may be more complicated than anyone imagined when the game first took shape, but the football part is still there. The Saints will get their shot against one of the NFL’s best in a different environment, with the chance to secure their third win against Pittsburgh on Sunday.
In Other News...
Saints Face A Fascinating Paris Test Against A Familiar Steelers Blueprint
The Saints trip to Paris brings an unusual backdrop for a matchup that already carries plenty of intrigue, with Kellen Moore now tasked with steering New Orleans offense against a Steelers staff led by Mike McCarthy. The coaching connection matters here because Moore once worked under McCarthy in Dallas, giving this one a layer of familiarity even as the two sides are likely to lean on very different ideas about how to attack the same field.
For New Orleans, the challenge is less about the setting than the chess match it creates. The Saints will have to sort through how to get their offense moving against a Pittsburgh blueprint that has long asked opponents to stay patient and precise, and this is the kind of game where the details can decide whether drives stay alive or stall early. It should be a revealing test of how quickly Moore can shape the Saints plan when the margin for error is likely to be slim. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Still Have One Thing Keeping The NFC South Race Alive
A 2-4 start has not exactly put New Orleans in a comfortable place, but the Saints have not faded from the NFC South conversation either. The roster still has enough talent to make things interesting, and even with injuries hitting key offensive pieces, there are reasons to believe this team can hang around if the offense keeps moving in the right direction.
Chris Olave has given the passing game a real anchor, and Tyler Shoughs presence adds another layer to what the Saints are trying to build. Carolina may be viewed as the division favorite, but New Orleans still has a path if the defense tightens up and the offense continues to show the kind of upside that has kept the season from slipping away completely. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Wasted A Chance And Two Offensive Concerns Stand Out
The Saints finally snapped their four-game losing streak with a win over the Giants, but the follow-up against the Steelers brought back too many of the same offensive worries. New Orleans had trouble getting anything going on the ground, and the attack never quite found a rhythm even with Barion Brown flashing some promise as a receiver, a reminder that there is at least some upside to be found in the passing game if the staff can find a way to tap into it more often.
Still, the bigger frustration was how many chances slipped away. A missed field goal and a red zone interception helped turn a winnable game into one that got away, and the Saints could not overcome those empty trips. Even with Chase Young and Carl Granderson giving the defense a legitimate pass-rushing pair, the offenses inability to finish drives keeps leaving New Orleans with more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]