The Saints held their first full practice in France on Wednesday at the Stade Montbauron in Versailles, and Kellen Moore came off the field talking about weather. “We had a couple rainstorms in the middle of it at various times and I think our guys didn’t bat an eye,” the New Orleans coach said. “They were fired up, juiced up, having a ton of fun. There was a couple rainbows in there so it was a great day.”
Moore met reporters at 4 p.m. Paris time (5 p.m. in Cairo), four days before the Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Stade de France in the first regular-season NFL game played in France. General manager Mickey Loomis spoke earlier in the day. The team posted both sessions in full.
A walk-through at the Stade de France on Saturday
Moore has not seen the stadium in Saint-Denis yet. “The history of that stadium is really special. I have not been over there yet,” he said. “Our anticipation is for Saturday for our team to go over there, do a walk-through type practice out there just so our guys can get a feel for the surrounding area and the field and you know kind of experience and soak it in before the game.”
He admitted the week cannot be completely normal. “I think it’s not 100 percent normal. Certainly we all recognize that and I think that’s an important spot we’re not going to be oblivious to that,” Moore said. “Wednesday through Friday is very similar and really Saturday morning even will be very similar with a few adjustments just for logistic purposes.” Flying straight from New Jersey after Sunday’s 34–27 win over the Giants, he said, gave the players time to get used to the time zone.
Daniel Carlson is still in the United States
Only two players missed practice. Kicker Daniel Carlson stayed home for the birth of a child. “They’re expecting a little one here in a little bit so navigating that,” Moore said. “He’s still in the States so we’ve talked through this all. We’re all on the same page so he should be out here shortly. We’re expecting him to be here. Obviously, we do have Charlie if something goofy happened,” he added, meaning practice-squad kicker Charlie Smith.
Right guard Cesar Ruiz did not practice with the knee injury he suffered against the Giants. Moore said Ruiz made the trip and is day-to-day, and rookie Jeremiah Wright worked with the starters. Linebacker Kaden Elliss, who has missed three games with a calf injury, was limited but back on the field. “Kaden’s obviously an important part to our defense,” Moore said. Rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson travelled with the team but will not practice this week, and Moore said there is no date for his return yet with the bye coming after Paris.
- Did not practice: K Daniel Carlson (personal), G Cesar Ruiz (knee)
- Limited: RB C.J. Donaldson (shoulder), LB Kaden Elliss (calf), LB Anfernee Jennings (knee), RB Alvin Kamara (back)
- Full: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (head), DT Nathan Shepherd (illness), QB Tyler Shough (left hand)
Loomis: “a nightmare for the equipment people”
Loomis explained why the Saints came for the whole week. “When you have a lot of new players and a lot of young players, it’s a chance for them to be together, spend 24 hours a day together, have some shared experiences off the field,” he said. “Logistically, look, it’s really probably a nightmare for the equipment people, the trainers, the travel coordinator. That’s who bears the brunt of these trips.”
“If we’re going to come overseas, come to a great country like this, we want the players to be able to have some experiences that are positive for the week,” he went on. “We want to be ambassadors for our sport, for our organization, and it’s hard to do that in a short two or three day period.” Loomis was at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night with several players and thanked Paris Saint-Germain, adding with a smile that he had been to “a soccer game last night, excuse me, a football game last night.” He said the Versailles base was the pick of the team’s football operations staff.
On the unrest in France, Loomis said the team had been briefed rather than consulted. “We have a lot of confidence in the security team that’s in place, you know, local security, the league, and our own security people, and so far we haven’t been affected in any way,” he said. “So hopefully that stays that way.” A French reporter asked whether the NFL would help develop tackle football in the country as well as flag. “I hope so,” Loomis said. “I don’t know of any specific plans, but I know that the NFL as a whole, the league, they develop academies for football.”
Loomis also answered Gayle Benson’s criticism of the 1–4 start for the first time. “Every once in a while we all need to be a little uncomfortable. That’s okay,” he said, adding that he would not share an evaluation of Moore until “later down the road.”
“Louisiana and New Orleans has such a French influence”
Moore said the French link means something to the team. “It’s a unique opportunity and a special opportunity. You know Louisiana and New Orleans has such a French influence there and so we feel very tied to both communities,” he said. He also spoke warmly about Sunday’s opposite number. Moore worked under Mike McCarthy in Dallas, and he said the Steelers coach’s “consistency week after week, day after day” was what stayed with him. Of Aaron Rodgers he said: “If you give him an opportunity, he’s going to see it.”
The Saints’ week so far, from the PSG partnership to seven players at the Parc des Princes, is in our Parc des Princes story. Our curfew report covers the overnight restrictions in central Paris, and our arrival story has how the team is handling the unrest.
What comes next (Cairo time)
- Thursday, October 22: the PSG x Saints merchandise capsule goes on sale; the Steelers hold a full practice in Pittsburgh and fly to France in the evening
- Friday, October 23: NFL House opens at Pavillon Cambon Capucines; PSG’s Hail Mary over the Seine; the Steelers arrive and practice
- Saturday, October 24: the Saints walk through at the Stade de France; Saints House pop-up at Pavillon Vendôme
- Sunday, October 25, 4:30 p.m.: Steelers vs. Saints at the Stade de France (2:30 p.m. in Paris; clocks in France go back an hour early on Sunday morning)
How the league got to Saint-Denis, starting with Wembley in 2007, is in our interactive Paris timeline.
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