Steelers' Controversial Paris Gamble Runs Into A Veteran Who Won't Make Excuses

The Pittsburgh Steelers boarded their flight to France with a plan that had already made plenty of people nervous. Their opponent was settled in, their quarterback had questions, and there was little time for a body clock that refused to cooperate. By the final whistle, the scoreboard had settled one argument. A veteran in Pittsburgh's locker room had a much more interesting answer about the rest of it.

Cameron Heyward acknowledged that the Steelers' compressed Paris itinerary wasn't exactly comfortable after Sunday's 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints. Pittsburgh's defensive captain described the adjustment as difficult, then made it equally clear that he had no intention of blaming the schedule for anything. The Steelers had arrived in France on Friday morning. New Orleans had been there since Monday.

The contrast sparked debate before the NFL's first regular season game in France. Head Coach Mike McCarthy preferred preserving Pittsburgh's normal preparation routine for most of the week, while the Saints chose additional days to adjust overseas. An older roster, the previous Sunday's overtime game in Tampa Bay and another AFC North matchup looming next week all influenced his thinking.

When Heyward was asked about the experience during his postgame press conference, he didn't pretend the adjustment was effortless. His response sounded like somebody who had already spent enough time negotiating with the calendar and wasn't interested in reopening the discussion after the final whistle.

“A little rough. You know, you play the games in front of you, you adapt and keep moving. I'm not going to cry about spilled milk. You know, we know it's not going to be perfect every week. It's about bouncing back and making sure we make the plays when we can. We were able to do that,” Heyward said.

It's a refreshing answer because both parts deserve to be heard. Heyward conceded the travel wasn't ideal. He also rejected the idea that an imperfect week provided a ready-made explanation for whatever happened on the field. International games are inconvenient, and complaining afterward doesn't recover a single hour of sleep.

The Steelers' approach was deliberate. They left Thursday evening, arrived Friday morning and faced kickoff about 55 hours later. Their planned walkthrough at Stade de France was canceled because of weather concerns, sending the players to an indoor session at the hotel. Pittsburgh had built extra rest into its preparation, but its schedule didn't leave much room to become comfortable with an unfamiliar setting.

Aaron Rodgers was among those who questioned the timing. The 42-year-old quarterback said Friday that he'd have liked to arrive on Monday for once, having repeatedly made Thursday departures for international games. McCarthy believed his plan served Pittsburgh's circumstances better. Heyward's postgame answer doesn't settle who was right, and it shouldn't be twisted into an endorsement of every detail.

The players provided a better argument. Pittsburgh rushed for 150 yards while holding New Orleans to 18 on 17 carries. Jaylen Warren gained 101 yards on 18 attempts, helping a Steelers offense convert 10 of 16 third downs. Those aren't numbers from a group that spent the entire afternoon waiting for its legs to wake up.

Still, the victory was hardly seamless. Pittsburgh scored one touchdown, a pass from Rodgers to Darnell Washington, and needed three field goals to finish the job. The Saints entered halftime down only 13-10 and drove deep into Steelers territory to begin the second half. If anyone wanted to argue the preparation had been perfect, the film would make that a pretty short conversation.

Payton Wilson intercepted the Saints near the goal line on that third-quarter possession, preventing New Orleans from taking the lead. Later, Patrick Queen delivered a third-down sack that forced a fourth-quarter punt. Those were the exact moments Heyward meant when he talked about adapting and making plays. The Steelers didn't need every circumstance to cooperate; they needed their defenders to do their jobs at the worst possible time for New Orleans.

Pittsburgh improved to 5-2 with its third consecutive victory and second straight win overseas. That streak is worth celebrating, especially after an overtime fight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the week before. Yet there is a tempting conclusion the organization should resist: claiming Sunday's result proves a Thursday flight is the best way to prepare for every international opponent.

Steelers Should Listen To Heyward Without Declaring The Debate Over

Heyward handled the question better than anyone rushing to use the score as scientific proof of McCarthy's method. A victory alone cannot establish that Pittsburgh picked the optimal itinerary, just as a defeat wouldn't have proved the plan disastrous. Pittsburgh won because it ran the ball effectively, created crucial stops and executed enough plays to overcome a narrow margin.

What makes Heyward's response valuable is the standard behind it. He was willing to acknowledge discomfort without demanding sympathy or looking for somebody in the travel department to blame. Players are allowed to think a week was difficult. A team chasing meaningful games in January cannot afford to treat every inconvenience as a special exemption from playing well.

The next test comes November 1 against the Cleveland Browns, who beat Pittsburgh 27-24 earlier this month. McCarthy considered that divisional rematch when constructing the Paris itinerary, so the full calculation extends beyond a single Sunday in France. Nobody will give the Steelers extra credit against Cleveland for surviving a transatlantic flight, either.

Heyward didn't leave Paris claiming the travel was painless. He left with another victory and little interest in making the circumstances the headline. The Browns won't be asking how anybody slept.

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