The Pittsburgh Steelers' travel schedule for the Week 4 game in Dublin against the Minnesota Vikings has been a hot topic of conversation this week.
After the team left for its 2013 game in London on a Thursday, a plan that Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward admitted wasn't a good one for players and coaches, the hope was that the team had learned its lesson this time around.
However, the Steelers ended up taking the same approach for the Dublin trip, and that was not the preferred one for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
"I wish, you know, it is what it is, but if the schedule had been a little different, If I could have chosen, maybe we get over on Monday, Tuesday is a day off, get to get out, see some things," Rodgers said.
The benefit of leaving earlier in the week is that players have more time to get acclimated to the time change. And, as Rodgers points out, it would also allow players and coaches to enjoy their stay in Dublin a bit more.
There was a report from Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that said the Steelers actually wanted to leave earlier in the week, but the league denied their request for an unknown reason.
But that report was refuted by the NFL on Friday, with vice president of football and international communications, Michael Signora, saying it is up to the teams when they leave for an international game.
"Michael Signora, the league’s senior VP of football and international communications, said it is up to each team to decide how early or late in the week it wants to arrive for an international game. Sometimes, those decisions are based on hotel and practice site availability," Dulac reported.
Both teams will be on even footing, though, as the Vikings arrived in Dublin on Friday. Minnesota will play a second international game in London next week.
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