The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers are making history by playing the first NFL game in Paris, France, and the Steelers are already giving the Saints a small advantage before we even get to Sunday. Per Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 the Fan in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are flying to Paris Thursday night.
In comparison, the Saints flew straight to Paris after their game on Sunday. They didn't even spend another night in the hotel in New York. Granted, the Saints are the home team and have exclusive rights in Paris.
This is a huge deal for the Saints franchise, so it makes sense that they would be there before the Steelers. The head scratching part isn't that the Saints were in France longer but rather that the Steelers are just getting there. We saw the same discrepancy in travel plans in Week 1, and if history repeats itself, the Saints could be in line for an overseas victory.
Saints are already a step ahead of the Steelers
The Saints have been in Paris since Monday, and yes that was beneficial for the relationships they're cultivating in Paris. However, it's most importantly beneficial because it allows the team to get acclimated to time difference in Paris.
Paris is seven hours ahead of New Orleans and six hours ahead of Pittsburgh. The game will be the equivalent of a late afternoon kickoff in Paris, but it will be early morning in these team's home city. The adjustment in time has been discussed when west coast teams take a trip to the east coast.
Going to Paris is similar but on a whole other level. The routines are completely different, and the Steelers' plan doesn't give the team much time to get acclimated. The Saints, on the other hand, had all week to get their bodies used to being in a drastically different time zone.
To make matters worse, or better for the Saints, the Steelers are reportedly going straight from the plane to practice. The whole situation feels rushed.
New Orleans can only hope the seemingly rushed nature contributes to a sluggish Steelers team. Maybe that'll cancel out the slow starts the Saints have typically had this year.
In Week 1, the 49ers arrived in Australia much earlier than the Rams, and we saw how that game turned out. The Rams were touted as a super team and fell short. Their lack of making the trip earlier was a common point of discussion before and after the game.
Maybe the 49ers are just a better team, and the travel schedule is being overblown. The Steelers just made it something to monitor again. For the Saints' sake, hopefully there truly is something to traveling earlier.
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