The Pittsburgh Steelers will make NFL history this week, as will their opponent, the New Orleans Saints. For the first time in the league's long existence, a regular season game will be played in France. Paris, to be exact. After nearly 20 years since the Dolphins and Giants played the first regular season game outside of North America, the NFL's international footprint grows larger every year.
As interesting as all of that is, the football played on the field is what really matters. Pittsburgh enters Week 7 with a 4-2 record, barely beating the Buccaneers 26-19 in overtime a week ago. The Saints, meanwhile, climbed to 2-4 after a bizarre 34-27 win over the Giants. Both teams have plenty of flaws they are hoping to correct as the season goes on, but the Steelers are favored for a reason.
As the game approaches, we will have all of the important details you need to know. Injury reports, weather reports, how to watch, storylines, and more. So bookmark this page and come back throughout the week!
- How to Watch Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints in Week 7
- Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report for Week 7
- New Orleans Saints Injury Report for Week 7
- Weather Forecast for Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints Week 7
- Biggest Pittsburgh Steelers Storylines heading into Week 7
- Predictions for Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints in Week 7
How to Watch Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints in Week 7
- Date: Sunday, October 25
- Time: 9:30 a.m. EST
- TV Network: NFL Network
- Announcers: Dave Pasch (Play-by-Play), Kurt Warner and Jason Kelce (Color Analysts), Molly McGrath (Sideline Reporter)
Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report for Week 7
Steelers injury reports will appear here as they become available
New Orleans Saints Injury Report for Week 7
Saints injury reports will appear here as they become available
Weather Forecast for Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints Week 7
Current Forecast (via NFLWeather.com)
- Temperature: TBD
- Wind Speed: TBD
- Precipitation: TBD
Biggest Pittsburgh Steelers Storylines heading into Week 7
Will the Steelers continue leaning on the passing game despite missing multiple playmakers?
Despite missing multiple receivers heading into their Week 6 matchup with the Buccaneers, the Steelers chose to make the passing game the focal point of the offense. While they ultimately came away with the victory, it was an ugly mess for much of the contest.
Aaron Rodgers put up a solid 253 yards through the air, but it took him a whopping 49 pass attempts to get there. He was the definition of a checkdown merchant, with just five of those 49 passes traveling beyond 10 yards, according to Next Gen Stats. It seemed as though Mike McCarthy didn't have faith that Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle could succeed against the Buccaneers' stout run defense.
Still, the Steelers can't win games against good teams with that offensive approach. The Saints could be a team that they can once again get away with it against, but it's something to monitor.
Which team will handle the international trip better?
There has been plenty of discourse surrounding how to handle playing across the pond ever since the NFL's International Series took shape. We saw the Rams be criticized for arriving in Australia right before their Week 1 disaster against the 49ers, who had been down under for days at that point.
In the Steelers case, they are taking the route of trying to make the week feel as normal as possible, choosing to fly out on Thursday evening. Meanwhile, the Saints arrived in France on Monday, so they will be well adjusted by game time on Sunday. Will the contrasting strategies make any difference? Only time will tell.
Can the Steelers pass rush come alive against a struggling Saints offensive line?
The Steelers' pass rush has long been the strength of their defense, but they haven't been as effective on a down-to-down basis this season. According to Sumer Sports, Pittsburgh ranks just 23rd in pressure percentage at 37.4%. They do rank ninth in sacks with 16, so they have managed to get the QB on the ground at an above-average level. Still, they aren't causing as much disruption as they need to be, considering the names in that group.
T.J. Watt has cooled off after a hot start, Alex Highsmith isn't having his best season, and Nick Herbig has made splash plays but hasn't been as dominant as he was last season. The interior has been hot and cold, with Cam Heyward remaining a consistent presence while the other pieces have been hit-or-miss.
With the Saints missing star left tackle Kaleb Banks, this is an opportunity for them to really hit their stride. If they don't, it may be time to worry.
Predictions for Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints in Week 7
Predictions will be added as experts weigh in throughout the week
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