When you review most picks and predictions for the Pittsburgh Steelers Week 7 game in Paris, many believe they will beat the New Orleans Saints. Although most score predictions have remained close for the most part, the Steelers have routinely emerged as the predicted winners of this game.
Don't be surprised if the Black and Gold struggle in this matchup with many factors working against them.
The time change is going to be brutal for Pittsburgh's football team to adapt to. They just arrived in France on Friday morning, unlike the Saints, who arrived on Monday. That means New Orleans will have five days to adjust to the time change, while the Steelers will have only two. That alone could completely alter this outcome, and it only gets worse when you look at different situations.
Keep in mind the time change factor, and pile on the practice issues, injury concerns, and lack of success in road games, and the Steelers' chances of victory could be rather low. Chunks of their lineup will be missing due to injury, and the lack of practices later in the week could cause issues. The picks and predictions will mostly go towards Pittsburgh, but don't be so certain they'll get the win.
Still Curtain contributors predict a tight road to victory in Paris for the Pittsburgh Steelers
"The Steelers and Saints are both coming off Week 6 wins before facing each other in Paris. These international games can be fluky, but Pittsburgh is still the better team overall, with a comparable offense and a better defense. If Patrick Graham can find a way to slow down Chris Olave, the Steelers will have a great shot to win their third straight before traveling back across the pond to host the Browns." - Tommy Jaggi (Steelers 23-20)
"The Pittsburgh Steelers are ahead of schedule right now. And it’s a great feeling! Wouldn’t a win against New Orleans be a great way to keep momentum? I believe Aaron Rodgers’ hit streak continues with him completing at least two touchdown passes against a questionable New Orleans secondary. Jaylen Warren will also earn significant touches as Mike McCarthy works to spread the field. Defensively, TJ Watt’s injury status is concerning. But Patrick Graham’s unit does their best to keep Tyler Shough under wraps - limiting his impact to achieve victory." - Loyal Ricks Jr. (Steelers 28-24)
"I have zero feel for this game. The Saints are such a hot-and-cold team, but the Steelers aren't much better. Playing in Paris feels like a hard negative for both sides. Ultimately, I think Pittsburgh stacks a third win in a close game." - Andrew Falce (Steelers 17-14)
"The 4-2 Steelers meet the 2-4 Saints at Stade de France, with Pittsburgh riding a two-game winning streak after its 26-19 overtime win in Tampa and New Orleans coming off a turnover-fueled 34-27 victory over the Giants. The Saints’ 10th-ranked scoring offense makes this tougher than the records suggest, but Pittsburgh’s stronger ground game and plus-three turnover margin give it the edge and Saints quarterback Tyler Shough continues to play through broken bones in his non-throwing hand."- Allison Koehler (Steelers 27-20)
Final prediction has Steelers struggling to overcome French hangover
Score Prediction: Steelers 18, Saints 21
We have seen the Steelers' offense have off games earlier in the season, and don't be shocked if their jet lag causes that to happen again. New Orleans doesn't have a great defense as a whole, so Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers should be able to move the ball on them, but it might not be enough. With some offensive inconsistencies, this could be another troublesome game for them as a unit.
As far as the defensive side of the ball for the Steelers, they need to establish a consistent pass rush against the Saints and force Tyler Shough into a couple of turnovers.
That's how they got back into the game last week against the Bucs, and it might be paramount to winning this one as well. New Orleans has talented playmakers on offense, and this won't be a walk in the park for Pittsburgh's defense.
One thing many are discounting in their picks and predictions in this one has been the Saints' offense. They have been inconsistent, but when they are rolling, they have put plenty of points on the board. The Steelers' predictable zone coverage could cause them more grief in this game than many want to admit. Their only path to victory is to shut down the run and force Shough into bad decisions.
With a short week of practices and a brutal travel schedule, the Black and Gold's offense needs their run game to finally be relied on.
They cannot afford to lean on Aaron Rodgers's aging arm every week, even if that's what the quarterback would like. With all of the problems popping up as the game gets closer, it's hard to ignore them. This could be another disappointing loss of the season if they're not careful.
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