How does the game delay impact the players routines?

[Beck Water]

Bottom line up front: after the Jags game and then the Chargers game, I lack a little faith in the Bills' sports science or sports medicine department.

 

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how the delay in the schedule will impact the players?  I know that one of the factors which seemed to impact them with the postponed 2020 Titans game was the uncertainty - would it be played, when would it be played, was there a health or exposure risk to the Bills plalyers, etc.

 

I want to see our guys give this their best.

 

So normally the routine is:

Saturday: walk-through practice, typically from about 11-12 pm.  Then if it's a home game, the players will get treatment as needed, watch film on their own, they all have a bit different routine, some may do a light workout. Time with their families.  For a home game, they still meet up at the hotel close by the stadium about 7 pm.  They have meetings to go over some last-minute stuff. Then team dinner, sometimes position meetings, chapel for those who want it, then curfew.

 

How is this gonna change with the delay?

 

Also I know for some players - they are very disciplined and regimented in what they eat and when for 24 hrs before the game.  'Zo Alexander talked about his personal regime though I can't find the article now, but he normally followed a keto diet his last years in the league, and he had specific supplements he wanted to take at specific times for 24 hrs before kickoff.

 

Anyone got any info on this?

 

 

 

 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

No real insight, but Kurt Warner just addressed that on NFL Game Day … said players are creatures of habit and that any alterations in schedule do have an effect on their performance. 

[Saxum]

Routine will be interrupted by difficulty getting to stadium if Bills try to add practice/meetings on Sunday.

[Chuck Schick]

I’d tend to think that for the Bills being at home, this is a lot less disruptive?  Mentally they weren’t yet in “game day mode”.  

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Where/what hotel do the Bills typically stay in for home games? How close to stadium?  The players probably came to practice today assuming they were going to hotel afterwards as normal for Sunday game.  So wil lthey do that and also stay there Sunday night too?

[JerseyBills]

16 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

Bottom line up front: after the Jags game and then the Chargers game, I lack a little faith in the Bills' sports science or sports medicine department.

 

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how the delay in the schedule will impact the players?  I know that one of the factors which seemed to impact them with the postponed 2020 Titans game was the uncertainty - would it be played, when would it be played, was there a health or exposure risk to the Bills plalyers, etc.

 

I want to see our guys give this their best.

 

So normally the routine is:

Saturday: walk-through practice, typically from about 11-12 pm.  Then if it's a home game, the players will get treatment as needed, watch film on their own, they all have a bit different routine, some may do a light workout. Time with their families.  For a home game, they still meet up at the hotel close by the stadium about 7 pm.  They have meetings to go over some last-minute stuff. Then team dinner, sometimes position meetings, chapel for those who want it, then curfew.

 

How is this gonna change with the delay?

 

Also I know for some players - they are very disciplined and regimented in what they eat and when for 24 hrs before the game.  'Zo Alexander talked about his personal regime though I can't find the article now, but he normally followed a keto diet his last years in the league, and he had specific supplements he wanted to take at specific times for 24 hrs before kickoff.

 

Anyone got any info on this?

 

 

 

 

Well I'm 99% certain Bills have been in constant communication with the league and Buf and McD had a plan B in this scenario. 

 

And Pit is dealing with the same issue and have to travel on top of that, so this likely favors Buf even more

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Diggs and Allen have dropped the pairs ice dancing, and will now feature a piano and bass jazz duo.

*
Ed Oliver and his horse will spend Sunday riding around and checking fence lines for stranded cattle.

[theRalph]

3 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

And Pit is dealing with the same issue and have to travel on top of that, so this likely favors Buf even more

Yes. Either pit arrives today as originally scheduled and spends two hotel nights…or come early Monday. Not coming Sunday with a travel ban.

[Beck Water]

4 minutes ago, Chuck Schick said:

I’d tend to think that for the Bills being at home, this is a lot less disruptive?  Mentally they weren’t yet in “game day mode”.  

 

The cancellation was announced just as the players would have been at the facility, getting treatments and getting ready for a walk-thru practice.

 

I would guess that the Bills themselves must have known of the plan hours before the presser, so what would they do?  Bring the players in and hold walk-thrus anyway, knowing there will be a delay but that they may not be able to bring them in Sunday due to the driving ban? 

 

Do they try to get the players into a hotel Sat night so they're all assembled and no worries about having to do "snow removal and QB retrieval service"?  Will they try to get them together as per usual schedule on Sunday night, even though there's a driving ban?  Or will they let the players be at home until Monday even though they may then be struggling with "snow removal and QB retrieval"?

 

[SoonerBillsFan]

Play COD MW3 today and they will be fine.

[Nextmanup]

I don't think the change of schedule impacts the players AT ALL.

 

They are pros.  They'll show up and play whenever it is.

 

 

[Wacka]

Have Duffs send buckets of old wings to the Steeler's hotel tomorrow (Think the Coach episode)

[RyanC883]

14 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

The cancellation was announced just as the players would have been at the facility, getting treatments and getting ready for a walk-thru practice.

 

I would guess that the Bills themselves must have known of the plan hours before the presser, so what would they do?  Bring the players in and hold walk-thrus anyway, knowing there will be a delay but that they may not be able to bring them in Sunday due to the driving ban? 

 

Do they try to get the players into a hotel Sat night so they're all assembled and no worries about having to do "snow removal and QB retrieval service"?  Will they try to get them together as per usual schedule on Sunday night, even though there's a driving ban?  Or will they let the players be at home until Monday even though they may then be struggling with "snow removal and QB retrieval"?

 

 

hopefully they have them all in a hotel to avoid any travel issues.  Can also watch film, get treatment tomorrow, etc.  

 

I also share you concerns about the Bills ability to plan. The Steelers should have it worse though

[Beck Water]

36 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Where/what hotel do the Bills typically stay in for home games? How close to stadium?  The players probably came to practice today assuming they were going to hotel afterwards as normal for Sunday game.  So wil lthey do that and also stay there Sunday night too?

 

So the players don't normally go straight from practice to the hotel.  They practice about 11 am and usually wrap up whatever by 1:30-ish is my understanding, then for a home game they're free until 7 pm.

 

Really good question on "where do the Bills typically stay for home games?"  I don't know - hopefully someone does.

 

There was an announcement of Ellicott Hotels as "the official hotel partner of the Buffalo Bills".  Ellicot Hotels has a downtown hotel normally about 20 minutes to the stadium, but that seems like a Bad Idea to try to get to or from in a snowstorm.  They own a bunch of hotels, but the ones closest to the Stadium are like your Country Inn/Hampton Inn/Staybridge moderate-price niche.

 

Staybridge maybe, if the "Hotel partner" means anything?  It's 6 miles from the Stadium and has multiple possible routes.

 

24 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I don't think the change of schedule impacts the players AT ALL.

 

They are pros.  They'll show up and play whenever it is.

 

 

 

Like they did in London with the Jags game and on the Tuesday game with the Titans, Got It.

Edited January 13, 2024 by Beck Water

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

22 minutes ago, theRalph said:

Yes. Either pit arrives today as originally scheduled and spends two hotel nights…or come early Monday. Not coming Sunday with a travel ban.

Flight from Pittsburg to Buffalo diverted to Albany by high winds.  Steelers bus from Albany to Buffalo. 🤔  Even better if they put them on one of those 'winking blinking kiddie cans' that Ralph used to rent for the training camp scrimmages against the (original) Browns.

[Beck Water]

56 minutes ago, AlCowlingsTaxiService said:

No real insight, but Kurt Warner just addressed that on NFL Game Day … said players are creatures of habit and that any alterations in schedule do have an effect on their performance. 

 

Thanks, hopefully that segment will show up on Youtube at some point.  The Good News is that the Bills have had so many evening and Monday games that hopefully they've become a bit more accustomed to change.  They only had 5 Sunday 1 pm games this season!  and 4 Sunday 4:30 games.  So 8 of their games were played "out of schedule". 

 

Just crossing fingers they adjust.

 

I know we got guys here who know people who know people, just wondering if any insight.

Edited January 13, 2024 by Beck Water

[K D]

I saw Benford at Lowe's at noon today so they must not have practice today

[Beck Water]

1 minute ago, KDIGGZ said:

I saw Benford at Lowe's at noon today so they must not have practice today

 

Unless they did it earlier and then released the guys, I dunno.  They wouldn't have a practice, but normally would have a street clothes walkthrough on Sat.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

52 minutes ago, theRalph said:

Yes. Either pit arrives today as originally scheduled and spends two hotel nights…or come early Monday. Not coming Sunday with a travel ban.

 

 

Read an article believe it was in the Athletic that states their plan is to fly out of Pitt Sunday afternoon at 3:00. That could change or be incorrect, but that's what it stated.

 

 

29 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

So the players don't normally go straight from practice to the hotel.  They practice about 11 am and usually wrap up whatever by 1:30-ish is my understanding, then for a home game they're free until 7 pm.

 

Really good question on "where do the Bills typically stay for home games?"  I don't know - hopefully someone does.

 

There was an announcement of Ellicott Hotels as "the official hotel partner of the Buffalo Bills".  Ellicot Hotels has a downtown hotel normally about 20 minutes to the stadium, but that seems like a Bad Idea to try to get to or from in a snowstorm.  They own a bunch of hotels, but the ones closest to the Stadium are like your Country Inn/Hampton Inn/Staybridge moderate-price niche.

 

Staybridge maybe, if the "Hotel partner" means anything?  It's 6 miles from the Stadium and has multiple possible routes.

 

 

Like they did in London with the Jags game and on the Tuesday game with the Titans, Got It.

 

 

Wow, I figured this was the 2nd worst kept secret in buffalo, behind only the whereabouts of Pegulas jet. 

 

Would tyhink they need a hotel with large meeting spaces and areas for food setup too.

[PBF81]

1 hour ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Diggs and Allen have dropped the pairs ice dancing, and will now feature a piano and bass jazz duo.

*
Ed Oliver and his horse will spend Sunday riding around and checking fence lines for stranded cattle.

 

That's a bummer, I was anticipating their Blades of Glory-esque routine.