Saints Go Silent in Paris as Missed Chances Fuel Another Loss
Gee Bino
SAINT-DENIS, France — The setting was historic. The ending was another disappointment for the New Orleans Saints.
New Orleans lost 16–10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Stade de France, falling to 2–5 after an afternoon of stalled offense and missed opportunities. Pittsburgh improved to 5–2 in the NFL’s first regular-season game in France, played before an announced crowd of 78,488. Official Saints recap
The Saints remained within striking distance throughout the second half. They never scored another point.
That is what makes this defeat so frustrating. A touchdown could have changed the result, but a rushing attack that produced almost nothing, a red-zone interception and Pittsburgh’s ability to extend possessions kept New Orleans from taking control.
The running game disappears
The Saints finished with 18 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Kendre Miller managed six yards on eight carries, Alvin Kamara had five yards on six attempts, and Tyler Shough supplied the remaining seven yards. Official box score
Those numbers describe more than an unproductive afternoon for the backs. They left New Orleans with few reliable options to move the line of scrimmage, create favorable second downs or threaten Pittsburgh near the goal line.
The offensive line entered without Cesar Ruiz, with Jeremiah Wright starting at right guard. That personnel context belongs in the evaluation alongside blocking execution and the effectiveness of the concepts being called. Official gamebook
Kellen Moore and his staff need to identify why the offense could not produce a usable ground-game answer. With so little return from the run, every mistake in the passing game became harder to absorb.
Shough moves the ball but loses a crucial opportunity
Shough completed 30 of 38 passes for 278 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Devaughn Vele caught five passes for 54 yards and the Saints’ only touchdown. Kamara added seven receptions for 57 yards, while Chris Olave finished with six catches for 56 yards. Official passing and receiving statistics
There was enough passing production to show that New Orleans could advance the ball. The problem was turning those completions into points.
The most damaging example came on the opening possession of the second half. Trailing 13–10, the Saints reached Pittsburgh’s 10-yard line before Payton Wilson intercepted Shough, ending a chance to tie the game or take the lead. Turning-point report
That decision belongs in Shough’s evaluation. So does the work required to give him a clearer scoring opportunity when the defense compresses the field. A high completion percentage has limited value when a possession ends without the points the team needs.
A first half that kept the Saints close
New Orleans’ touchdown came on fourth-and-goal from the 1, when Shough found Vele. Daniel Carlson also converted a 38-yard field goal. Official scoring summary
Pittsburgh’s touchdown came on Aaron Rodgers’ four-yard pass to Darnell Washington. After the Saints tied the score at 10, Chris Boswell’s 47-yard field goal as the half expired put the Steelers ahead 13–10. First-half recap
The halftime position still gave New Orleans a realistic opportunity. The Saints were receiving the second-half kickoff and needed one productive scoring drive to change the pressure in the game.
Their next possession reached the red zone. Wilson’s interception made the difference between an opportunity created and an opportunity finished.
The defense produces pressure but cannot finish enough drives
Chase Young and Carl Granderson each recorded 1.5 sacks. Holding Pittsburgh to one touchdown and 16 points kept New Orleans within reach of a result. Official Saints recap
The defensive problems appeared in the running game and on third down. Jaylen Warren rushed for 101 yards on 18 carries, and Pittsburgh converted 10 of 16 third downs. Official gamebook
Those conversions helped the Steelers continue possessions that New Orleans needed to end. The sacks mattered, but the defense also had to turn more favorable situations into changes of possession.
Pittsburgh had a dependable way to keep moving the game forward. New Orleans spent too much of the afternoon trying to compensate for the absence of one.
The closing chances disappear
Carlson missed a 52-yard field goal with 9:27 remaining, leaving the deficit at six points. Later, Patrick Queen’s sack helped end the Saints’ final possession. Pittsburgh took over with 5:52 left, and New Orleans never got the ball back. Fourth-quarter play-by-play
Rodgers then supplied a decisive eight-yard scramble on third-and-six, helping Pittsburgh finish its closing possession and run out the clock. Closing sequence
A long missed field goal belongs in the recap, but the offense had already created a larger problem by remaining scoreless after halftime. The Saints needed more than one difficult kick to rescue their afternoon.
The final sequence also exposed the defense’s remaining obligation. Keeping a game close preserves a chance only if the offense receives another possession. Pittsburgh made the conversions that prevented that opportunity.
Injuries add to the concerns
The Saints lost CJ Donaldson to a shoulder injury and Justin Reid to a concussion, according to the team’s postgame recap. Official injury update
Their availability will be worth monitoring as New Orleans enters its bye week. The immediate football review, however, already has clear priorities: find a productive rushing plan, improve red-zone execution and finish more defensive possessions.
Each issue affected the Saints’ ability to convert a close scoreboard into a victory.
The bye week has to produce a response
New Orleans returns to action against the Cleveland Browns on November 8 at the Caesars Superdome. Official next-game information
At 2–5, the Saints need changes that show up in the next game. The coaching staff must determine which blocking concepts and personnel combinations can generate reliable gains, and which red-zone answers give Shough the best chance to finish possessions without forcing the ball.
The defense needs the same specificity. Pressure must be paired with better work against the run and more third-down stops.
Paris provided a memorable stage for the league. For New Orleans, it produced a familiar frustration: enough moments to imagine a win, followed by too little execution to secure it.
Who Dat Nation: Which issue deserves the most attention during the bye—Moore’s offensive plan, the running game, red-zone execution or third-down defense?
