International games are always unique in their own way, as Mike McCarthy’s Steelers move to 5-2, at least temporarily taking the lead in the ultra-competitive AFC North with a 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in Paris.
It was business as usual for Pittsburgh’s offense, as they continued to lean on their efficient run game and ability to create yards after the catch on underneath throws. As for the defense, it was another bend-but-don’t-break showing, highlighted by a couple of critical stops in the red zone.
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There were plenty of player performances worth shouting out from this contest. With a rematch against the Cleveland Browns on the horizon, let’s first talk through some winners and losers from France.
This felt like Patrick Queen‘s best performance in a Steelers uniform, as he finished with a team-high five stops, including one on the goal line. He continues to thrive in coverage this season, even if he did drop yet another interception that hit him in the hands. Luckily, his partner in crime, Payton Wilson (who also shined today), held on to the one thrown in his direction. On the final defensive drive of the game, Patrick Graham dialed up a blitz that got Queen one-on-one against a backup right guard, resulting in a sack on the potential game-winning drive.
WATCH OUT WATCH OUT WATCH OUT @Patrickqueen_ pic.twitter.com/PBugBUUeUu
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 25, 2026
The matchup between Chase Young and Troy Fautanu was appointment viewing for me coming into the week, but it became more lopsided as the game wore on. Fautanu’s aggression, anchor and recovery ability flashed early before Young started working him over with his hand usage, catching the left tackle overextended a couple of times. Ultimately, across 25 matchups, Fautanu allowed four pressures and a pair of sacks per Sumer Sports. This was a tough opponent, but the former first-round pick simply has to find a way to vary his approach more against the craftier rushers.
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New Orleans hasn’t been able to stop anyone all season, especially on the ground, so it’s no surprise that Pittsburgh’s run game, led by Jaylen Warren, continued to hum. Both backs had their moments, but the Steelers’ offensive line absolutely dominated all day long. Zach Frazier was burying people left and right. McCarthy took a page out of Arthur Smith‘s book by bringing back the six-OL package from last season. Overall, the unit finished with a whopping 53.5% success rate and helped bleed the clock on the final drive.
The recently turned 32-year-old cornerback had been playing pretty well up to this point, particularly as a run defender and blitzer. However, today was a reminder of the decline in coverage from Jalen Ramsey. The Steelers got torched in the flat all morning, and Ramsey seemed to struggle to change direction and keep up in space. He was tagged with nine receptions, 78 yards allowed and a touchdown on 10 targets. This outing isn’t worth panicking over, though, simply because the scheme has really helped amplify his strengths while hiding his limitations over the larger sample size.
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It sure felt like the Saints were deploying more five-man pass-protection calls than the Steelers have seen in quite some time. As a result, T.J. Watt got some premium looks rushing the passer and was able to take advantage. No. 90 tallied four pressures and a key sack that should have resulted in a forced fumble if not for a botched review from a shaky officiating crew. He’s getting off the ball quicker and starting to expand his rush plan—something that could really allow his game to age more gracefully over time.
Coming into Week 6, this group ranked 28th in third-down efficiency. Today, the Steelers’ offense finished 10-of-16, with a few second-reaction plays from Rodgers making a difference. The bomb to DK Metcalf helped set up their only touchdown, Rodgers found Brandon Smith later over the middle, and he even scrambled for a first down in the fourth quarter. Without the ability to consistently create explosive plays downfield, Pittsburgh’s small-ball approach on offense only works if the team can move the chains at a high rate. We’ll see if this is something they can build on the rest of the way.
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Although the season-long results in the red zone (19th through six weeks) aren’t egregiously bad, the Steelers’ process inside the 20 remains puzzling. For whatever reason, there’s an abundance of fades, which are low-percentage throws. Darnell Washington did dunk on a guy, but that’s a really difficult thing to hang your hat on, and the Steelers are finding that out the hard way. To his credit, McCarthy did at least try to run the ball a little more down there, with execution seemingly being more of the culprit against the Saints.
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