Paris – Regardless of how enticing and exhilarating a flirtation with danger can be, a long enough dalliance with it will eventually lead to heartbreak, even in the City of Love.
The New Orleans Saints (2-5) found out on Sunday against Pittsburgh (5-2) at Stade de France, dropping a 16-10 decision as they enter their bye week — their third one-score loss this season — in the first NFL game played in Paris.
The Saints caught a break twice in the first half with two overturned fumbles — first on a play involving quarterback Tyler Shough, who fumbled after a tackle by Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, and then on a fumble by running back Kendre Miller. Shough later connected with Devaughn Vele for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:45 left in the second quarter, the Saints' lone touchdown of the game.
Outside of that score, New Orleans failed to capitalize on their good fortune. On the cleanest drive of the day — 65 yards on 13 plays to open the third quarter, with New Orleans trailing 13-10 and facing second-and-7 from the Steelers' 10-yard line on the 14th play of the drive, having squeezed 7:17 off the clock with eight passes and five runs — Shough's pass attempt for receiver Chris Olave was undercut and intercepted in the right flat by Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson.
Wilson returned it 18 yards to the Pittsburgh 29-yard line, the Steelers drove 51 yards and kicked a 39-yard field goal with 14 seconds left in the quarter and the 16-10 lead stood.
New Orleans' two fourth-quarter drives ended with a missed 52-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson — his fourth miss in 11 attempts this season — and a punt, allowing Pittsburgh to drain the final 5:52. The Steelers converted a third-and-6 on an 8-yard run by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, surpassing the longest gain by any Saints back in an offense that managed just 18 yards on 17 carries. Then, with 69 seconds left, Pittsburgh eschewed a successful 37-yard field goal after the Saints were penalized for being offsides.
"We had our opportunities but ultimately they made a few more plays than us," Saints coach Kellen Moore said. "Margins are small in this game and when you have your opportunities you've got to take advantage of them, and they made more than we did."
Carlson matched Pittsburgh's opening-drive field goal with a 38-yarder in the second quarter, but the Steelers retook the lead with a touchdown drive on their next possession. The big play — a 51-yard pass from Rodgers to receiver D.K. Metcalf — came on third-and-14 from the Steelers' 45-yard line. The 4-yard touchdown pass was a jump ball between 6-foot-7 tight end Darnell Washington and Saints 5-foot-11 cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
New Orleans responded with a 12-play, 52-yard touchdown drive, positioned by Barion Brown's 42-yard kickoff return and ended on the pass from Shough to Vele.
Shough completed 30 of 38 passes for 278 yards and the touchdown, plus the interception. But New Orleans' run game was nonexistent; Shough's 7 yards on three attempts led the way.
Defensively, despite 1.5 sacks each from edge rushers Chase Young (seven this season) and Carl Granderson (5.5), New Orleans allowed 148 rushing yards on 30 carries and Pittsburgh converted 10 of 16 third-down attempts, several on short runs.
