Bears Business As Usual; Bucs Feeling English Chill
October 17th, 2011
After last night’s beating of the Saints, most Buccaneers Joe talked to were heading home to pack and then join their teammates about 6:30 a.m. today to start the long process of flying to England. The Bucs arrived this evening in preparation for Sundays Bucs-Bears game.
The Bucs will have their usual day off tomorrow in London, where they surely will frolic about town. Hopefully, no Buccaneers will misunderstand if, say, a cab driver offers them a fag or calls them a bloke.
The Bucs will resume their usual game-week practice schedule Wednesday.
The Bears, however, are in Illinois preparing, as usual, for a road game, and will fly overseas Thursday. ESPNChicago.com reports some of the Bears’ rationale.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Bears itinerary calls for the club to conduct practice at Halas Hall on Wednesday and Thursday, then take off for the United Kingdom sometime Thursday afternoon/early evening, which puts them in London on Friday morning.
Once the Bears arrive, select players and coach Lovie Smith are scheduled to meet with the media Friday at approximately 3:15 p.m. London time, before the team conducts a practice from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
“It’s a business trip for us,” Smith said Monday of the decision to go later in the week. “We didn’t go over there early because we want to go through our same game week routine, our practice field, our equipment, our meeting rooms. [We want to] do what we normally do when we play a road game. Go out at the end of the week and play the game. That’s how we are looking at the game.”
Ironically, if you click through the ESPN story above, you’ll see that Lovie Smith says the Bears did lots of research and determined flying out to England early is the wrong move. Who did they talk to that said the Bucs are doing it all wrong?
Joe really has no theory on the right way to prepare for a game in England. For the Bucs, it’s probably a good idea to be out there early (no chance of a travel nightmare impacting play) and get used to the elements and all things London. Kickoff conditions Sunday are forecast to be about 56 degrees with a strong chance of rain.
October 17th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
I like the call on going over there today. Another aspect that could have forced their hand is the tropical system that will cover Florida this week. It very well could have an effect on air travel.
October 17th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
I agree Joe, going early makes sense to me as well. Get acclimated to the weather and surroundings. The weather is supposed to be crap here for the next couple days so I think Coach Raheem made the right call……. as long as they keep Aqib on a very short leash and lock Tanard in his own room.
October 17th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
The easy answer is look to whatever is the least simple and creates the most amount of inconvenience. I am not even being cynical. That is almost always the right way to do something.
October 17th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
I think the Bucs defense is gonna be in for a big day on Sunday. Chicago has a horrible offensive line and Cutler will be getting pounded once again. I also smell another/maybe a couple of T-Jack interceptions coming.
October 17th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
ROTFL!!! The cab driver thing you said was hilarious! =^)
October 17th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
does anyone know if the game will be on tv?? i know its supposed to be a home game for us over there but does the blackout policy work overseas to?
October 17th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
I think its the right move going there early. Keep in mind the Bucs are the first team to go twice, so I am sure Rah is using that knowledge to make the best choice for the team.
October 17th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
patrick, i think cutlers only been sacked twice in the last three games. they’re running tons of three step drops like the lions did to us and getting the ball out of cutlers hand quickly.
October 17th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Honestly, my wife and I just spent the last week in London and got back Saturday night. I totally think Rah is doing the right thing. First two days we were there, the jetlag was terrible. We got there early Sunday morning and were wiped out til Tuesday. It’ll only be worse for the Bears, flying an extra time zone. And we had lots of beer to make things okay – they have to play a football game.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
@Neal You went the wrong week.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
Whats more, hopefully T-JAX dosent decide to smoke any funny fags or, lets say, takes a overnight trip to Amsterdam.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
i hate how this counts as a home game for the Bucs, i live in St.Louis so it doesnt effect me but it effects the city, i dont like it @ all. after the tragic plane crash that killed an entire hockey team, i just dont like anything over seas. this sux! if the Bucs pull off a win (i hope they do) @ least we have a bye week when we get back. BUC IT IM OUT!!!!!!!!!
October 17th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I was watching the Sky Sports feed of the game (*cough*) and it seemed like Raheem and the Bucs had some obligations while they were in London this week. Sky Sports was going to follow around Raheem and the Bucs around and document their every move or some such.
Maybe the NFL asked if the Bucs could go out there early?
October 17th, 2011 at 10:57 pm
@gotbbucs….what are u talking about?
“I think Cutler’s only been sacked twice in the last three games”
Last week against the Lions, I think Lawrence Jackson had 2 sacks on his own. I could be wrong cuz I don’t feel like checking, but I recall Cutler being sacked around 4-5 times that game alone. Jackson, Willie Young, and I’m pretty sure Cliff Avril all had sacks….and that doesn’t even count the Vikings game last night, or the game before the Lions game. And there were also countless false starts between the O line and the TE Kellen Davis….I’m sure it will be pretty loud in London. Patrick is right, the O line is suspect and must be exploited. Nice try though…
October 17th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
Big Marlon, youre right. He’s been sacked 5 times in the last three games. Lions got him 3 times, Carolina and Minni got him once each.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Joining the Bucs in London is their newest RB addition Chad Spann. Derrell Smith was cut from the PS to make room for Spann.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
I’m thinking IF McCoy is healthy enough to play, even if its just limited action, this may be an opportunity for the D line to make some noise.
October 18th, 2011 at 1:04 am
Alright! Let’s see what Spann can do! Hopefully this No. Ill. Buc will add a little vigor to the offense.
October 18th, 2011 at 6:15 am
Are London games blacked out too?
October 18th, 2011 at 7:51 am
Andrews:
LOL Of course not.
October 18th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Just watched Chad Spann highlights on youtube, the kid looks like a beast, 5-9 200lbs and lowers his shoulder when he runs, looks like the guy he replaced at NIU Michael Turner, not quite as thick but faster. See how long it takes for him to learn the playbook, don’t know if he’s so much a change up from Blount than just a more compact version, with some more speed. Could turn into a Bradshaw/Jacobs type tandem for us.
October 18th, 2011 at 10:00 am
If you’ve ever been hit hard by jetlag, you’d side with the bucs on this one. I’d much rather be out there early and have a week to get used to the time change. It has more of an impact than you’d expect on the body.
October 18th, 2011 at 10:07 am
I used to fly to England for work. I would go over there for 3 weeks, then come home for a week off and get caught up on expenses and paperwork. I did that for several months.
Going over EARLY is DEFINATELY the right move. The time zone change screws you up the first couple of days but after that you are good to go.
Advantage Bucs!
October 18th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Sack are great but PRESSURE is the key, as the Bucs demonstrated against the Saints. I’ll take continuous pressure over a freak sack or two. Pressure leads to mistakes and turnovers. Just ask Drew Brees.
October 18th, 2011 at 10:40 am
Good thing we are beyond the 75 mile radius….
October 18th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
“59 degrees with a strong chance of rain.”
– Really? You don’t say… *LOL*