Surging Chargers deal with challenging logistics of London trip
CLEVELAND – In his four years at Western Oregon, a small Division II school in Monmouth, Oregon, Chargers wideout Tyrell Williams went on his fair share of lessthan-ideal road trips.
There was a 28-hour bus trip to Utah and one nearly as long to Los Angeles. The logistics were, more or less, a nightmare.
“We lost both of those games, too,” Williams recalled. “So it was rough.”
This week, the Chargers find themselves in the midst of their own prolonged road trip, albeit with no lengthy bus rides necessary. After their 38-14 beatdown of the Browns on Sunday, the Chargers will practice in Cleveland until Thursday, when they’ll fly to London, ahead of their Sunday matchup with the Titans at Wembley Stadium.
The logistics involved in such a trip are extensive. Schedules are meticulously planned. Sleep patterns are analyzed. Jet lag, for a team used to playing on the West Coast, becomes a serious concern. But the circumstances are at least different from what Williams experienced with Western Oregon. The Wolves weren’t exactly staying at the Ritz-carlton, like the Chargers will this week. “This is a bit better,”
joked Williams, who had a season-high 118 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday.
But the challenges are real, too. The Chargers have been adamant about arriving across the pond later in the week, as opposed to practicing in London in the leadup to Sunday’s game. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said he leaned especially on defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s experience playing overseas in managing the logistics of the trip.
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In his four years as Jaguars head coach, Bradley traveled to London every season, making him one of the league’s foremost experts on the matter. Earlier this month, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll also reached out to Bradley to get his advice.
Of all the logistics involved, proper sleep may be the most problematic. When the Chargers kick off in London, it’ll be 6:30 a.m. in Los Angeles. For that reason, the Chargers will practice several hours earlier this week.