Why the Texans opted to fly to London two days before their game against the Jaguars
· Yahoo Sports
LONDON - The Houston Texans are taking a similar approach to Sunday's game against Jacksonville in London as they did the last time they played there, in 2019: traveling two days before the game to adjust to the six-hour time difference.
The Texans practiced Wednesday and Thursday in Houston before boarding an 8½-hour flight across the Atlantic. They landed in London on Friday morning.
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They're expected to resume their normal pregame schedule in London, though Friday's practice was pushed back an hour.
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"In preparation this week, (Director of Wellness) Ladd (Harris), he's done a great job of giving the guys a plan of ‘you start to go to bed a little bit earlier each and every night to try to get on that schedule,'" coach DeMeco Ryans said. "We got the guys some cool blue light glasses to kind of help for guys to go to sleep a little bit sooner. Once we leave here, guys are expected to go to sleep on the plane and sleep overnight, just like a normal red-eye flight."
In the locker room Wednesday, some players, including edge rusher Danielle Hunter, were already trying out their new blue light glasses.
Preparation for the game began in the spring, after the schedule was released and the Texans learned they would play in London this season.
They sent groups of staff members across the pond several times to get used to the time difference and determine the best time to arrive. They settled on arriving two days early.
Immediately after the game, the Texans will travel back to the United States to resume their regular schedule of rehabilitation and preparation for the following week's game against the New York Giants.
"I'm thankful for our support staff and the schedule and everything that they've laid out for us," Ryans said. "I think it's well thought out. They don't miss anything."
The team plane had lie-flat seats, allowing players to sleep in a more comfortable position than most fans making the trip, who had to sleep sitting up.
"I'll knock out, definitely with that long of a flight," rookie guard Keylan Rutledge said. "But I'm up and down, so hopefully I can get some good sleep."
"For me, I can go to sleep whenever," running back Woody Marks said.
Teams have taken different approaches to international travel this season and over the years.
In Week 1, the Los Angeles Rams traveled to Australia for their game - an 18-hour flight - 17 hours before kickoff, while the San Francisco 49ers traveled a week in advance. The 49ers went on to dominate the Rams 27-7, drawing criticism from outside observers of Los Angeles' approach.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, who took a similar approach last week before their game against the Philadelphia Eagles, have already been in London for a week.
The Texans' approach matches what they did in 2019, when they beat the Jaguars 26-3 at Wembley Stadium, the same site as Sunday's game. It's a balance between adjusting to the time difference and not straying too far from their regular schedule before returning to the Central time zone for the following week's game against the Giants.
Ryans seemed less inclined to discuss any potential advantage the Jaguars might have gained by arriving a week earlier.
"I don't know what that advantage is or if there is an advantage," Ryans said. "My mindset and everything I'm telling our guys is when the ball is kicked off, everybody wants to talk about the difference with the travel, the difference with the timing and schedule.
"I want to talk about when the ball is kicked off, ‘What are we doing?' That's what matters most to me."
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There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Why the Texans opted to fly to London two days before their game against the Jaguars.