Steelers Defeat Saints in Paris as Aaron Rodgers Makes History
Pittsburgh secured a 16-10 victory over New Orleans in the first regular-season NFL game in France, highlighted by a historic touchdown pass to Darnell Washington.
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-10 in the first NFL regular-season game held in Paris, France. Played at the Stade de France in front of 78,488 spectators, the low-scoring matchup featured just two touchdowns, both coming during the second quarter.
With the win, the Steelers improved their record to 5-2 for the season and temporarily took the lead in the AFC North. Meanwhile, the Saints dropped to 2-5 following a hard-fought contest that saw both defenses make critical stops in the red zone.
A major milestone was reached during the first half when Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers surpassed Peyton Manning in career touchdown passes to move into third place in NFL history. Rodgers connected with tight end Darnell Washington on a four-yard pass, which marked the first touchdown in the history of NFL games in Paris.
Rodgers finished the game completing 19 of 30 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown. The pivotal offensive sequence also included a 51-yard reception by DK Metcalf that set up Washington's historic score.
Running back Jaylen Warren powered the Pittsburgh ground game, gaining 101 yards on 18 rushing attempts behind an offensive line that dominated the line of scrimmage. Kicker Chris Boswell added stability to the scoreboard by converting all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 28-yard kick that opened the scoring and a 47-yard strike late in the second quarter that gave the Steelers a 13-10 halftime lead.
The Saints' offense was led by quarterback Tyler Shough, who completed 30 of 38 passes for 278 yards and one touchdown pass to Devaughn Vele. New Orleans had opportunities to narrow the deficit in the second half, but an interception and a missed 52-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson with 10 minutes remaining left them trailing until the final whistle.
Paris served as one of three new host cities for NFL international games during the season, alongside Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro. The Steelers will look to build on their momentum as they prepare for upcoming division play, while the Saints aim to regroup after falling below the .500 mark.