Photo: steelers.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t have much room for error against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. With their offense struggling to finish drives, the defense needed to make sure the Saints couldn’t capitalize on their own scoring opportunities.
That’s exactly what Payton Wilson delivered in the third quarter of Pittsburgh’s 16-10 victory at Stade de France in Paris, intercepting quarterback Tyler Shough deep in Steelers territory to prevent New Orleans from potentially taking the lead.
The Steelers entered the second half holding a narrow 13-10 advantage, but the Saints immediately threatened to change that. New Orleans opened the third quarter with a methodical possession, moving the football downfield while converting several important third downs against Pittsburgh’s defense.
The Saints eventually reached the Steelers’ 10-yard line after putting together a 14-play drive that covered 68 yards. With Pittsburgh’s lead hanging in the balance, Shough attempted to connect with wide receiver Chris Olave on second-and-seven.
Instead, Wilson stepped in front of the pass at the Pittsburgh 11-yard line, securing the interception before returning the football 18 yards to the Steelers’ 29.
It was the type of defensive play Pittsburgh desperately needed. New Orleans had already consumed nearly half of the third quarter, and another touchdown would have put the Steelers in a difficult position against a Saints defense that was keeping their offense out of the end zone.
Payton Wilson anticipates the pass perfectly and picks off Shough in the red zone
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Wilson’s interception did more than prevent New Orleans from scoring. It gave Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense an opportunity to extend their lead, which they did with a lengthy possession of their own.
Pittsburgh responded with a 14-play, 51-yard drive that consumed 7:18 off the clock. Although the offense couldn’t finish the possession with a touchdown, Chris Boswell connected on a 39-yard field goal to extend the Steelers’ advantage to 16-10 with just 14 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
That would prove to be the final score, as Pittsburgh’s defense kept New Orleans off the scoreboard for the entire second half. The Steelers also held the Saints to an astonishing 18 rushing yards on 17 attempts, forcing Shough to shoulder nearly the entire offensive workload.
Wilson finished the afternoon with six combined tackles, an interception and a pass defended, but his biggest contribution came at the moment the Steelers needed it most.
In a game decided by six points, taking away a potential go-ahead scoring opportunity was every bit as important as putting points on the board.
