Rams and 49ers Take Different Routes for Australian Season Opener
NEW YORK – As the Rams and 49ers kicked off their season, both teams found themselves in the same location, but they took quite different approaches to their preparation.
The 49ers decided to arrive in Australia a week ahead of their game, allowing their players ample time to adapt to the long-distance travel and significant time change.
On the other hand, the Rams opted to come just a day before the game, believing this would help them manage their body clocks better.
Their lackluster performance in a 21-7 defeat to the 49ers raises an important issue: Should the NFL leave travel decisions entirely up to the teams, or should there be established travel guidelines to enhance the quality of international games?
Currently, the league is not imposing any specific travel requirements.
However, the prospect of a different strategy remains on the table.
“I think, ultimately, on those kinds of matters, as things stand, it’s best to let the football decisions stay with the teams regarding their game preparation,” said NFL executive Peter O’Reilly during the league’s fall owners meetings.
This maintains the flexibility teams have in managing their international trips, allowing coaches and performance staff to weigh the benefits of adjusting to new time zones versus sticking to their regular routines and minimizing interruptions.
The Rams and 49ers arrived at opposite conclusions about the best approach.
While it’s unclear if the Rams’ travel strategy directly led to their difficulties, the situation provides the league with a case study as it considers the challenges of traveling far from home.
O’Reilly hinted that a more standardized approach could be on the horizon.
“As I said, that’s not something we’re ruling out,” he noted. “There might be future discussions about establishing some standards. But for now, that choice is theirs.”
This distinction is significant. The NFL isn’t mandating specific arrival times or declaring the Rams’ strategy as flawed. It’s recognizing that the experience might contribute to future considerations.
“We’re always looking at whether there are adjustments we want to make,” O’Reilly remarked.
For the league, the challenge lies in balancing a team’s control over its preparation with the overarching goal of ensuring competitive games for international fans.
This dilemma becomes especially pertinent when dealing with the considerable distance and time change that comes with traveling to Australia.
“The exciting part of this international venture and the quick pace we have is that we learn new things every year, and the teams do too,” O’Reilly explained.
Whether these insights will evolve into requirements down the line is still an open question.
