Saints fans back home will be up with the coffee and beignets Sunday, because the first NFL game ever played in France kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Central at Stade de France. New Orleans (2-4) is the designated home team against the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2), and it arrives after a 34-27 win over the Giants in which it nearly blew a 34-10 lead.
Pittsburgh is favored, and most of the numbers explain why. Still, the Saints have a few matchups worth circling, and three of them could swing a game played an ocean away from the Superdome.
Chase Young sacks Aaron Rodgers twice
Chase Young has been one of the best edge rushers in football through six weeks. His 89.7 pass-rush grade ranks second among 115 qualified edge defenders, according to PFF, and he has 25 pressures and 5.5 sacks. Carl Granderson has four more, and the pair split three of the Saints’ five sacks against the Giants.
Pittsburgh has allowed 19 sacks, and its 3.2 per game is better than only three offenses, per Steelers.com. Tampa Bay got to Rodgers five times last week. He gets the ball out quickly, but the Steelers are leaning on Troy Fautanu at left tackle and rookie Max Iheanachor on the right side. They know what’s coming. “Their D-ends are really good, their linebackers are good, and they have a good safety tandem,” tight end Pat Freiermuth told Steelers.com. Young gets two sacks, and New Orleans gets at least four.
The Saints finally score first
New Orleans and Miami are the only teams that haven’t scored first in a game this season. The Saints have six first-quarter points all year and have been shut out in the opening period in five of six games.
That changes in Paris. Tyler Shough has leaned on a no-huddle that no team uses more, and it’s the cleanest way to put a sleepy Steelers defense on its heels early. Pittsburgh goes three-and-out on 29.6% of its drives, fifth highest in the league, which means the Saints should get the ball back with good field position. Once Shough gets inside the 20, he’s been nearly automatic: 20 of 26 with 10 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Chris Olave clears 100 receiving yards
David Reginek-Imagn Images
Chris Olave opened the season with three 100-yard games in his first four and still ranks second in the NFL with 580 receiving yards. He has 46 and 43 yards in the past two games, though, as defenses have worked to take him away.
Pittsburgh plays more zone than the Saints’ recent opponents, and Olave has 456 receiving yards against zone coverage this season. Jamel Dean has eight passes defensed and returned an interception 40 yards against the Buccaneers, while rookie Daylen Everette has been thriving under fire opposite him. Jalen Ramsey has been playing through what he called a broken wrist. Olave catches seven passes for 105 yards.
Hit all three, and the Saints head into their bye at 3-4 with the NFC South conversation still alive.
More on the New Orleans Saints
- Kaden Elliss Reveals How Long It Took the Saints to Feel Normal in Paris Before the Steelers
- The Saints Can’t Beat the Steelers in Paris While Allowing the NFL’s Most Rushing Touchdowns
- Why the Saints’ Chris Olave Could Give Steelers’ Secondary Nightmares
- Saints’ Defense Under Brandon Staley Is a Bigger Problem Than Tyler Shough’s Turnovers
