Does traveling really affect a team?

[Great Dayne]

All in all you want to play at home. Just look at teams' records each year for home games and away games. Less crowd noise issues at home and you don't have to break routines. That said, when you travel in the playoffs you don't have to worry as much about distractions like hustling up tickets for friends and family. I think Vegas giving home teams a 3 point edge is pretty accurate. Some teams like Seattle and kansas city might have another point or two advantage with their crowd noise.. You also have to give Denver an extra edge due to altitude

Road teams 4 wins and 0 loses in the postseason this year. I believe the Packers play much better on the road than at home with Rodgers at QB. IDK if it's because he struggles in cold weather environment or it's the underdog mentality. This week it appears as though the home teams should all win.

 

[DunceKaep]

I'm not going to defend NFL politics,
but tell me why you should blame the Patriots for what an organization of 32 owners decide?????

I am NOT blaming the NE Pats. It is a fact that Kraft proposed the issue. FACT.
I blame the voting process, which has 26 teams NOT in Pacific Coast Time.

Sure, an easy vote, but c'mon. Then at least give the WC teams traveling East a break, since Kraft proposed the break for EC teams.

I'm all for the EC team not having to go ALL the way to the west coast twice, such a burden, but WHY NOT satisfy the WC teams and give them less (LESS) 10am starts.

Quit arguing that Kraft proposed the issue, He did, FACT.
Now, what about WC teams traveling East???? Fuck them??? or Issue????

 

[Manster7588]

How fast do you think you can reset your entire body clock?

Try to go to bed three hours early tonight and start your daily routine three hours early tomorrow, then check back in with how you feel. You'll be able to get it all done, sure. No way you will be at y our peak.

Not only the time change, but even first class isn't the most restful 4 hours.

 

[Uhsplit]

I get that they'd rather be at home, but they didn't earn that. Given the issues that travel causes, why not get there in advance so their bodies are adjusted by game time?

Pete could answer that better and more accurately than any of the fans. The fans can only guess. My guess is they weighed it out and decided they like the home surroundings enough that it outweighs the internal clock clock.
Ok, back to the topic.

 

[Uhsplit]

There are no colleges in the Carolinas? Face it, if they wanted to practice there, they could find a place. They chose not to, which is their right, but they don't get to thereafter complain about time changes. It is a product of their own decisions.

Who from the Seahawks is complaining...or are they answering a question about travel?

 

[Uhsplit]

Don't you love it?????

Do you agree that Kraft complained loudly enough to have the NFL rule in his favor on East Coast teams traveling to the West Coast?

 

[Logicallylethal]

So...a thread gets started by a Dolphins fan questioning whether or not travel time actually affects performances calling BS on its actual impact

It is then answered by a 49er fan and a Broncos fan explaining how it could impact a west coast team playing 10 am (pacific) on the east coast

A few Seahawk fans also chime in giving similar answers explaining how a 10 am start could impact a west coast team

...and somehow on page 2 there are posters complaining that Seahawk fans are the ones complaining about this?

You guys see the backwards idiocy that we have to deal with on these boards?

 

[Logicallylethal]

Quimtastic Seahag fans, which I freely admit is redundant.

You do realize that this thread was created by a Dolphins fan right? And that the first posters to support the theory that a 10 am start does have an impact were from a 49er fan and a Broncos fan...right?

So how exactly are Seahawk fans complaining?

Do you have the same IQ as Kaepernick or something? I get the irrational hate for the Seahawks but are you really this dumb?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Was just listening to some analysis of the Seahawks and Panthers game. They brought up the fact that Seattle will have traveled from Minny back to Seattle, then to Carolina and that will affect the team's performance. I call bullshit. How does getting onto a plane and traveling to a different timezone make you less effective? You would assume the teams get there a day early to get over the jet lag.

To some degree, we're all creatures of habit. This may go down as too much information, but from taking a shit to brushing your teeth, eating breakfast, sleep, etc....we tend to do work around our body clock. I know for me when I go out west...it throws everything off. The days seem so much longer because 5a (east coast) body clock time and I'm wide awake, and it's only 2a...then 10p east coast my body is saying hey let's shut down, but it's only 7p, brain says no. By the time my body acclimates to the time change, it's time to get back on a plane and head east, but my body immediately re-adjusts to east coast time.

Road games, travel imo is more about getting out of your normal routine. I would assume a vet player is more used to the changes. I think by league rules the traveling team is suppose to be in town by Thurs or Fri for a Sun game...going west some teams add an extra day.

 

[DutchBird]

Might do a little research on this. It would be interesting to see the science to this, and what athletes really do to combat it.

There was a reason why many swimmers were not amused (to put it mildly) when for the 2008 Olympics they changed the times for the (semi-)finals and preliminary rounds in order to placate NBC (which demanded the the finals be live on US prime time). Most athletes spent weeks getting themselves used to the changed start times - in order to be physically prepared to have maximum performance in the morning, rather than afternoon/evening.

 

[Southieinnc]

I am NOT blaming the NE Pats. It is a fact that Kraft proposed the issue. FACT.
I blame the voting process, which has 26 teams NOT in Pacific Coast Time.

Sure, an easy vote, but c'mon. Then at least give the WC teams traveling East a break, since Kraft proposed the break for EC teams.

I'm all for the EC team not having to go ALL the way to the west coast twice, such a burden, but WHY NOT satisfy the WC teams and give them less (LESS) 10am starts.

Quit arguing that Kraft proposed the issue, He did, FACT.
Now, what about WC teams traveling East???? Fuck them??? or Issue????

 

[JMR]

If traveling is just an excuse and isn't a big deal, then just let Seattle play all 16 at home. I'm sure no one would mind.

 

[Southieinnc]

Well, I think you should ask Robert Kraft. NE Owner.
He complained that travel to the West Coast was 'hard' on players.

The NFL owners voted on a proposal that East coast teams would not have to travel to the west coast twice, hence they made a schedule saying a non west coast team traveling west, would not have to go to Oak and SD in the same year. So when scheduled to play the AFC West, a traveling team would go to Oak and KC, but be at home against Den and SD, avoiding the awful trip to the west coast 'twice'. Imagine that.

Same with the NFC, NE traveling West would have Sea and StL on the road, and Az and SF on the road. Avoiding the terrible TWO trip to the west coast. Now that StL in in LA, that screws that up, so I'm sure Kraft will complain about it again.

Do a google search, check teams schedules, it is true. Kraft complained, got the Eastern teams to vote on it, and it was approved.

West coast team have complained about 10am starts, and the NFL basically said, FU. It's no big deal, there is no statistical data to back up your claim. But for Kraft, they bent over pron style, and adjusted the schedule.

Comment on that @LambeauLegs

proposed the issue. FACT.

.....since Kraft proposed the break for EC teams.

I'm all for the EC team not having to go ALL the way to the west coast twice,

Quit arguing that Kraft proposed the issue, He did, FACT.
Now, what about WC teams traveling East???? Fuck them??? or Issue????

You keep blaming Kraft and the Patriots and then saying you are not blaming Kraft and the Patriots.
You have a legitimate complaint about the schedule bias - that is a separate issue!
Kraft is doing nothing wrong by trying to help his team,
NFL doesn't give a f____ what you or the west coast teams think - therein lies your problem.....

 

[Southieinnc]

Do you agree that Kraft complained loudly enough to have the NFL rule in his favor on East Coast teams traveling to the West Coast?

It is irrelevant.
There is a bias and you don't like it. You can't fix it so get over it.....
Talk to the billionaire owners club.....

 

[johnson]

Was just listening to some analysis of the Seahawks and Panthers game. They brought up the fact that Seattle will have traveled from Minny back to Seattle, then to Carolina and that will affect the team's performance. I call bullshit. How does getting onto a plane and traveling to a different timezone make you less effective? You would assume the teams get there a day early to get over the jet lag.

I agree. There are exceptions (a quick turnaround trip to Denver perhaps), but the rule should be athletes in the best shape of their lives should be able to handle this without much issue. If they can't...maybe they shouldn't be playing pro sports.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

Why is this even a debate? It's been studied several times, outside of football no less, and it's always the same conclusion. Traveling west is easier than traveling east.

Jet lag is tougher when traveling east, but precautions can ease its effects

http://www.ccjm.org/index.php?id=107937&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=364961&cHash=1457c781324647cd163d86de6d24bb4b

 

[Southieinnc]

Why is this even a debate? It's been studied several times, outside of football no less, and it's always the same conclusion. Traveling west is easier than traveling east.

Jet lag is tougher when traveling east, but precautions can ease its effects

http://www.ccjm.org/index.php?id=107937&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=364961&cHash=1457c781324647cd163d86de6d24bb4b

View attachment 77677

I have flown many international flights. Jet lag is no fun.
LOL at whining about pro athletes flying a non-stop across the US - in business class!!!!!

 

[Southieinnc]

Why is this even a debate? It's been studied several times, outside of football no less, and it's always the same conclusion. Traveling west is easier than traveling east.

Jet lag is tougher when traveling east, but precautions can ease its effects

http://www.ccjm.org/index.php?id=107937&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=364961&cHash=1457c781324647cd163d86de6d24bb4b

View attachment 77677

I have flown many international flights. Jet lag is no fun.
LOL at whining about pro athletes flying a non-stop across the US - in business class!!!!!

 

[molsaniceman]

I am NOT blaming the NE Pats. It is a fact that Kraft proposed the issue. FACT.
I blame the voting process, which has 26 teams NOT in Pacific Coast Time.

Sure, an easy vote, but c'mon. Then at least give the WC teams traveling East a break, since Kraft proposed the break for EC teams.

I'm all for the EC team not having to go ALL the way to the west coast twice, such a burden, but WHY NOT satisfy the WC teams and give them less (LESS) 10am starts.

Quit arguing that Kraft proposed the issue, He did, FACT.
Now, what about WC teams traveling East???? Fuck them??? or Issue????

Sounds like simple math 26 vs 6 will be alot of travel east

 

[dkmightyhammer]

I have flown many international flights. Jet lag is no fun.
LOL at whining about pro athletes flying a non-stop across the US - in business class!!!!!

I'm certainly not whining. But when someone posts that they don't believe jet lag is a real thing they are just plain wrong and need to be corrected.

Anyways, I don't think the travel to the east is the issue so much as the start time of the game. There really isn't any reason the league needs these playoff games to start so early. There's only 4 games, I'm sure something better could have been figured out.