Paris – The New Orleans Saints are ready to take all necessary precautions while visiting Paris this week, as they prepare for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh at Stade de France.
Student-led protests, sometimes destructive, have dominated the news cycle in the city for weeks as it prepares to host its first NFL game, between the Saints (2-4) and Steelers (4-2).
The Saints arrived Monday morning, on a direct flight following a 34-27 victory over the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J.
"Our guys were able to get out on the field and just kind of walk around and get a light lift in," Saints coach Kellen Moore said.
"I think it's a great setup. It's an awesome opportunity for our football team to spend some time together, focus in on a really good opportunity to play out here in a great atmosphere."
He said he hopes the early arrival will benefit New Orleans.
"I think there's a few elements," Moore said. "I think the acclimation thing is important, for our guys to get here and have a couple of days to get acclimated. And then it allows us to have a normal work flow. Wednesday through Sunday really is going to be as normal as possible. I think that's going to be a great opportunity for our guys.
"There's always an added bonus of guys having an opportunity to spend a little bit more time together; the bonding element of a team atmosphere, I think it'll be great for our guys. This is a continuation of an extended trip, going from (the Giants game) to here, and I think this will be great."
But the team and players are cognizant of the unrest and how it potentially could affect the social part of the trip.
"Just being safe is obviously the biggest thing," tight end Juwan Johnson said. "Some guys have family here — some guys have their parents, their kids and things like that. The biggest thing is just travel in groups.
"But I think what you do on your own is obviously, I think just praying for the city of Paris. I think being in Paris is one of the most beautiful things you can be a part of. They have so much history, so (many) things going on. But I think with everything that's going on, I think they're exercising what they want as far as change. As outsiders, we just want to be as safe as possible and keep our families and keep our teammates safe."
The NFL said it continues to do its due diligence to ensure safety this week.
"We've been monitoring that with our security people, in contact with the security people as well locally, French police, etc.," said Brett Gosper, head of Europe and Asia-Pacific for the NFL. "It's full speed ahead at this point, we don't see any reason to be otherwise. That's the intelligence that we're getting, the view we're getting. So, all is good from this point. We're going to keep monitoring things and making sure that we stay safe. It's on a good passage way to the game now. That's our feeling."
Moore said the team doesn't have any planned team-bonding events that possibly could be a security issue.
"It's more our guys having the opportunity to spend some time together," he said. "That will naturally, organically occur. Guys will have different opportunities to share a meal or spend a little bit of time outside. That's at their discretion.
"But our guys are smart, they understand this is still a business trip. At the same time, there'll be a little bit of time for these guys to explore and I think that's an important part of this thing. You're in a different country, a different culture, it's a great opportunity. And then we have a normal week, just like we always do."
Gosper expects a hugely successful week.
"Anywhere is exciting but, a special place is Paris, and I know special for the Saints," he said. "They have a special relationship they're building. So it's going to be great. (Saints owner) Mrs. (Gayle) Benson has put a lot of effort into making this happen, it wouldn't happen without her and it wouldn't have happened as well without her. You'll see that by the end of the week."
