The Saints are heading into Sunday’s game in France with plenty on the line, and if they’re going to leave Paris with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a few key players have to deliver.
This matchup feels like one New Orleans could, and maybe must, take. The Saints and Steelers are sitting at similar levels, Kellen Moore’s job remains in question, team chemistry has improved but still has room to grow, and getting to three wins could improve New Orleans’ chances in the division.
That makes individual performances matter even more. Three Saints, in particular, have a chance to swing the game.
Barion Brown is the fun one. He still hasn’t found the end zone on a return in his young career, but his punt return work has shown real growth over the past few weeks.
His value here isn’t tied to offensive touches so much as what he can do with the ball in his hands on special teams. If Brown can give New Orleans better field position against a strong Steelers defense, that could be a huge boost for the offense.
And yes, there’s also the obvious dream: Brown getting his first career punt return touchdown in Paris.
Taliese Fuaga is another player the Saints need more from. He hasn’t been consistently good this season, flashing at times but also giving the team too many rough moments.
The talent is there, which is why the inconsistency stands out. Sunday gives him a major test against T.J.
Watt, and it’s a clear chance for Fuaga to steady himself, handle one of the league’s top defensive linemen, and give Shough the kind of protection this offense needs. He doesn’t have to be perfect.
He just needs to be better than he has been.
Kool-Aid McKinstry is in a similar spot. After leaving the last game with a migraine, and with the recent success of Martin Emerson Jr. and McKinstry’s slow start to the season, the Saints’ young corner has to start looking like “the guy”.
He’s supposed to be New Orleans’ locked-in CB1, but that hasn’t shown up yet. The Steelers’ offense hasn’t been especially dangerous this year, though McKinstry will still have his hands full with DK Metcalf and/or Germie Bernard.
Even so, it’s a good chance for him to put together a strong outing in Paris.
In Other News...
Saints Paris Game Could Decide How Hot Kellen Moores Seat Gets
The Saints trip to Paris carries more than international flair for Kellen Moore and a team still searching for traction. Against the Steelers, the result will be judged not just in the standings but in the broader conversation around a first-year coach trying to steady the locker room and establish trust. Owner Gayle Benson is the one voice that matters most in that equation, and this game has quickly become a marker for how much patience remains as the season moves forward.
A win would at least give the Saints something tangible to build on, while a loss would only intensify the noise around Moores future. The range of possibilities is wide because the stakes are so awkwardly high: one game in a marquee setting, a team still feeling its way, and a coach whose standing could shift dramatically depending on how this one plays out. For New Orleans, Paris is about more than a novelty showcase. It is the kind of stage that can shape how the rest of the season feels. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Offense Faces A Real Test In Paris Against Pittsburgh
A trip to Paris brings an unusual stage for a Saints offense that is still trying to find its footing, and the matchup with Pittsburgh should tell plenty about where this group really stands. Tyler Shough and Chris Olave remain central to any hopes of getting the passing game moving, while the Steelers arrive with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a defense that has enough speed and structure to make life difficult for New Orleans.
There is also no shortage of firepower on the other side, with Jaylen Warren and Pat Freiermuth giving Pittsburgh multiple ways to stress a defense. The betting market has already framed this as a tight one, but the bigger question for New Orleans is whether its offense can answer a real test on an international stage and turn enough chances into touchdowns to keep the game within reach. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Paris Game Just Revived A Nightmare Fans Never Forgot
The NFLs assignment for the Saints game in Paris against the Steelers carries a familiar name for New Orleans fans, and not for a comforting reason. Bill Vinovich is set to work the matchup overseas, a notable call because the league had steered clear of putting him on Saints games in recent years, keeping an obvious distance from a memory that still lingers in the fan base.
For New Orleans supporters, the optics are hard to miss, even with the league trying to spread its product internationally. A Paris showcase is supposed to feel fresh and celebratory, but the referee assignment revives old frustration and puts an unwelcome spotlight back on a chapter the Saints would probably prefer stay buried. [Read more 🡒]