Rams, Giants approach London jet lag differently

BRENTFORD, England — Ten seasons into the NFL's London experiment, and no one seems much wiser about how to best tackle the conundrum of time zones and travel.

Conventional wisdom suggests it's best to either arrive as early — or as late — as possible, in order for the body to either completely adjust to the shift in circumstances or to stay close to its natural rhythms.

Sunday’s showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants at Twickenham Stadium features both approaches. The Rams, with an eight-hour time gap to compensate for, arrived Monday and have spent the week in the leafy countryside outside the British capital trying to get their sleeping schedules on track.

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The Giants went the other way, spending the bulk of their week at home — albeit amid the escalating Josh Brown domestic violence saga — before arriving at Heathrow airport Friday, little more than 48 hours ahead of game time.

“There is no perfect system, I don’t think,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “We have looked at it and planned for this for a long time. You just want to give yourself the best shot at being successful with it. You want the guys rested and feeling as good as possible.”

Los Angeles’ road trip is long in terms of both time and distance. The Rams flew to England after last Sunday’s loss to the Lions in Detroit, meaning a three-hour body clock adjustment in Michigan was followed by another five-hour shift in Europe.

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The Giants appeared sluggish Friday but were confident they would recuperate fully.

“It is just about being able to get yourself right,” Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. “This is probably the most awake I have felt since I have been here. But it is just one of the things you have to deal with.”

The Rams began looking into the logistics of the journey in May, and Fisher was certain his group could have done no more to get ready. However experience suggests the process is an inexact science.

“We felt pretty good four years ago,” Fisher said, referencing his team’s meeting with the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in 2012.

“We came in on the Monday, they came in on the Friday. We scored on the opening drive. Then ... it wasn’t so good.”

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New England beat the Rams 45-7.

“It is tough to get used to, however you do it,” said Rams tight end Lance Kendricks, who had four catches for 32 yards against the Patriots in 2012.

“It is a short amount of time for the body to adjust to a new situation, and then you want to go out there and compete at a world-class level. You can try to do a lot of different things, but I don’t think any team has really found the perfect answer yet.”

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