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The New Orleans Saints (2-4) snapped a 3-game losing streak Sunday when they beat the New York Giants. Now, playing in the first NFL game in Paris, the Saints take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2). Here are our staff predictions for the game.
Jeff Duncan (Season record: 2-4)
Steelers 23, Saints 21: The teams’ preparations have contrasted drastically for the game. The Saints have been here all week and should have their body clocks adjusted better than the Steelers. But I think it won’t matter. Pittsburgh is the better team.
Zach Ewing (Season record: 3-3)
Steelers 22, Saints 17: The Paris spotlight is a fun moment for this franchise, but the truth is this isn’t a great matchup for the Saints. The Steelers defense ranks in the NFL’s top 10 in sacks (16), interceptions (six) and touchdown passes allowed (six). You need to run the ball to best this defense, and New Orleans hasn’t done that consistently. On the other side, Aaron Rodgers has a habit of producing what he needs to win.
Luke Johnson (Season record: 3-3)
Steelers 20, Saints 17: This is one of the hardest score predictions we've had to do this year. The Saints have a decided advantage having been in France for a full week — anyone trying to say a team can just operate on its normal schedule by staying only a few days abroad is, and I say this with a kind heart, dead wrong. But this Saints team has also been hard to trust, and the Steelers can run the ball and rush the passer, two things that give the Saints problems.
Matthew Paras (Season record: 1-5)
Saints 21, Steelers 18: I’ve gone back and forth on this game almost as many times as I’ve used this translation app in France. Je pense que l'arrivée des Steelers à Paris aussi tard pourrait leur causer des problèmes. Aaron Rodgers has to look old again at some point, right?
Rod Walker (Season record: 3-3)
Steelers 26, Saints 20: Although the Saints got back on track last week, they didn’t play a clean enough game for me to pick them again. Aaron Rodgers won’t make the same mistakes that Jameis Winston. The good news is the Saints leave Paris and head into their bye week, giving them a chance to get healthy while also hitting the reset button.