House could also be the place your coronary heart is, however whenever you’re an NFL participant abroad, it will probably’t be the place your ideas are.
The Tennessee Titans (2-3) head to London this weekend for his or her first recreation within the NFL Worldwide Collection since 2018, a matchup in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens (3-2) on Sunday (8:30 a.m. CT, NFL Community). The journey throughout the Atlantic may be daunting, and staying awake after touchdown is much more tough.
However quarterback Ryan Tannehill has a technique he says works for him.
“Don’t attempt to look again and see what time it’s again within the States,” he stated. “Have a look at the clock: No matter time it’s, that’s what time it’s. Inform your self that and simply go along with it.”
There is a six-hour time distinction between London and Nashville. So when followers are waking as much as watch Sunday’s recreation at 8:30 a.m. in Music Metropolis, it’s going to be 2:30 p.m. at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Tannehill’s tip is to faux that is not the case. Your physique is perhaps telling you it is time for espresso and breakfast. However your mind cannot hear. See the solar. Know it is up excessive within the sky. Let that be your information.
Tannehill is a veteran of the Worldwide Collection; he performed video games in London with the Miami Dolphins in 2014 and 2015. Most of the Titans’ veterans have been over there as properly. Security Kevin Byard, operating again Derrick Henry and outdoors linebacker Harold Landry made the journey with the Titans in 2018. Receiver DeAndre Hopkins went in 2019 with the Houston Texans. Defensive finish Arden Key was there with the Jacksonville Jaguars final 12 months, and kicker Nick Folks traveled with the New York Jets in 2015.
That is to not point out cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who traveled to Germany as a part of the Worldwide Collection final 12 months with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or gamers like guard Peter Skoronski and Byard who performed video games in Europe whereas they had been in school.
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“Your physique goes to really feel like, ‘I’m presupposed to be asleep proper now.’ You need to discover a approach to battle to remain up,” Byard stated. “I bear in mind some guys did. I believe we acquired off the airplane (in 2018), practiced after which we had a while off so guys went to sleep. After which they had been up at like 4 within the morning and up all the day. It’s attempting to meet up with your physique clock.”
Titans coach Mike Vrabel would not appear overly involved about his gamers adjusting to the time distinction. He joked that gamers already go to sleep in conferences in Nashville, so he’ll be used to it if the identical occurs in London. However he would not recall jet lag taking part in a significant component in 2018, when the Titans adopted the identical routine they’re utilizing this week.
As for the London expertise, Vrabel stated it is neat seeing followers representing all 32 NFL franchises at a recreation. He joked he is trying ahead to seeing Tom Brady and Josh Allen jerseys at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Tannehill talked in regards to the weird expertise of followers rooting extra for cool issues to occur than one particular staff, cheering any time both staff does one thing properly. It neutralizes home-field benefit in an attention-grabbing approach.
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Tannehill, Byard and defensive sort out Jeffery Simmons all reiterated that this can be a enterprise journey, although. Tannehill stated he has by no means gone sightseeing in London. Simmons stated he is hoping to get to see a few of downtown London, however he is not going to let the truth that he is out of the country distract him from his primary goal.
Neither is he going to let his teammates distract him from getting the remainder he wants. Tannehill stated it is simple for him to sleep on planes, a undeniable fact that annoys his spouse. However Simmons stated he must be a bit of extra explicit about the place he sits. He cannot sit subsequent to a different huge man. There’s an excessive amount of loud night breathing danger.
As a substitute, he’ll sit with Byard and hope the 2 veterans can get the remainder they want.
“I don’t wish to be sat close to Arden for positive,” Simmons stated with a smile. “I can simply have a look at him and inform he snores.”
Nick Suss is the Titans beat author for The Tennessean. Contact Nick atnsuss@gannett.com. Observe Nick on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, @nickusss.
