The NFL made history on Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints traveled to the Stade de France for the league’s first ever regular season game played in Paris. In a defensive struggle defined by missed opportunities and gritty play, the Steelers managed to maintain control throughout much of the contest. A major highlight of the morning occurred when veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers connected with Darnell Washington for a short gain, marking his 540th career passing touchdown and officially moving him past Hall of Famer Peyton Manning on the all time list.
While Rodgers found success with targets like DK Metcalf, who hauled in a massive 50 yard reception to flip the field, the Steelers defense provided the real edge. T J Watt remained a constant menace in the Saints backfield, nearly forcing an early turnover that could have changed the trajectory of the game. Pittsburgh entered halftime with a slim 13-10 lead thanks to a last second field goal by Chris Boswell, which barely cleared during a chaotic scramble after Rodgers was sacked with only seconds remaining on the clock.
The Saints fought valiantly despite significant adversity, including injuries to quarterback Tyler Shough and safety Justin Reid. Shough showed flashes of brilliance, connecting with Devaughn Vele for a touchdown to keep New Orleans within striking distance, but his day was marred by ball security issues and physical tolls on his hands. The New Orleans rushing attack completely stalled in France, as stars Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller combined for a dismal ten yards on the ground across several drives.
As the game moved into its final stages, momentum swung toward Pittsburgh following a critical interception by linebacker Payton Wilson near the goal line. That play stifled a promising Saints drive and shifted pressure onto New Orleans kicker Daniel Carlson. With less than ten minutes remaining and trailing by six, Carlson missed a 52 yard field goal attempt wide right. The mistake left the Saints staring at a 16-10 deficit, leaving them needing a touchdown rather than a simple score to reclaim the lead in this historic international showdown.
