It's off to Londontown! The Buccaneers will be taking on the division-rival Carolina Panthers for the second and final time this season in a 'home' game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While the game is still taking place on Sunday afternoon, the travel and time changes make things a little more hectic around AdventHealth Training Center this week.
The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible. Enter the Bucs' sport science staff, who has been tasked with coming up with individualized programs for players with regards to exercise, sleep and nutrition.
"The doctors have a really good plan," Head Coach Bruce Arians said last week. "We've been over it, starting two weeks ago, on how to handle each day, and they've got different things prescribed each day as far as sleep – sleep is the main thing – when to go to bed, whatever you do. So, yeah, the sports science guys have a really good handle on it."
The team will have their first opportunity to sleep on the flight over, leaving Thursday evening and arriving in London on Friday morning. The Bucs will have a full day Friday once they arrive, holding meetings and practice like normal.
Saturday will be fairly normal too, with meetings and walk-through in the morning. They'll have Saturday afternoon to go out and explore their surroundings but will have to be back for more meetings later in the day. It's a business trip and just another game, as Coach Arians so simply put.
The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, which means Bucs fans can wake up with the Bucs at 9:30 a.m. Have a mimosa or a bloody mary (if you're of age) for your girl, would you?
Cheerio!
