GREEN BAY – The Packers are attacking this weekend's road trip to Los Angeles with a basic approach centered on overcoming the jet leg and attrition associated with a long cross-country flight.
In addition to the moving practices up a day and leaving early for LA on Friday, Head Coach Mike McCarthy said the coaching staff and team nutritionists have a mapped out a specific plan for acclimating players once they do touchdown in California.
It includes allowing the players to get rested Friday night prior to an early Saturday workout and practice. Once noon arrives, McCarthy believes his team will be back on its usual Saturday routine and internal body clock.
"It's built into our scheduling," said McCarthy on Thursday morning. "We'll have an activation workout out there Saturday, which will be a big part of moving the jet lag through and things like that. Just a lot of the basics, a lot of general rules. Obviously, increase the hydration leading into the flight. One bottle of water for every hour on the flight. Just what we refer to as the basics."
The Packers have used this tactic to handling West Coast road trips in the regular season for the past few seasons. Inside the locker room, players have appreciated the organization's proactive approach to ensuring their healthy and proper hydration in preparation for gameday.
"You're awareness of taking care of your body, all that stuff has to get heightened even more so now," receiver Davante Adams. "Lot of traveling, more chances to be dehydrated. Things happen, soft tissue when you you're not taking care of yourself. There's going to be a lot of moving around, so we have to make sure we're handling business when we're on the road. We've done a pretty good job with that historically, so we just have to continue doing what we're doing."
The Packers practiced Tuesday with only one player, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, not participating during the portion open to the media. McCarthy said the decision was made that Rodgers "needed to go through the rehab," so the team opted for that route. The team will be back on the practice field at 11:15 a.m. CT Wednesday.
