Sean Payton, Broncos players detail London experience ahead of Sunday’s showdown

London is one of the best sight-seeing cities in the world. From the Tower Bridge to the Changing of the Guard, there are so many neat things to check out and be a part of. For the Denver Broncos, who are across the pond this week to take on the New York Jets, it should be a fun week to check out a different part of the world, right?

Wrong.

The Broncos are roughly 30 minutes outside of the big city and are not partaking in any fun activities that your average family of four would partake in. They’ve been practicing at the Tottenham Training Ground, home of the Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and have kept the focus on football throughout the week. For Broncos head coach Sean Payton, he’s not worried about any of the touristy things that London has to offer in the slightest.

“I like that we’re over here. I couldn’t tell you or point in the direction where the hotel is, and that’s fine. I’m still trying to figure out how to get around in the hotel. It’s the perfect setup. I like coming over here,” he said.

This is Payton’s third business trip to the UK, and he’s looking to keep his win streak going. His Saints beat the Chargers 37-32 in 2008, and took down the Dolphins 20-0 in 2017. While he’s got some miles under his belt, this is the first time that many of his players, notably quarterback Bo Nix, have played a game across the pond.

“It’s pretty awesome. It’s just another game, though, and the venue changes just a little bit, and it’s good to play out of the United States, get some exposure, and see how it goes,” Nix said.

HOW DOES BEING IN LONDON IMPACT GAME PREP?

One of the most important things in football is how a player prepares themselves in the week leading up to a game. From body recovery methods, to film study, to diet, there are so many important things throughout the week that an NFL player needs to in order to best prepare themselves for a game. Even for road games, the Broncos usually spend most of the week at home, but they went straight to London after winning in Philadelphia a week ago. As a result, the players don’t have the facilities this week that they’re used to in Denver.

How does that change things for the orange and blue?

“Well, you try to keep [your regime] the exact same, but it’s hard when they uproot you,” Nix said. “You don’t have quite the same resources, I guess. Resources have changed and locations have changed, so you try to make do with what you’ve got, but it’s definitely not going to be a normal week. So good thing I’m not superstitious or anything.”

Nix’s top wide receiver, Courtland Sutton, shared a similar sentiment. His focus is on adapting to the environment he’s in this week instead of focusing on what he’s missing.

“I try to stay in a routine and try to find a way to maintain what I need. Coach [Payton] said something his first year here like being able to have a routine that adapts and carries with you. In a sense, I find ways around it. It’s not the same. You kind of have to find a way to make things work and adapt and adjust,” Sutton said.

THE POSITIVES IN LIMITING DISTRACTIONS

While it’s difficult for players to adjust to a wildly different environment that’s seven hours ahead of Denver on the clock, the few distractions around create an opportunity for the teammates to build stronger relationships with each other. There’s no family matters that have to be dealt with, there’s no Avalanche games to go to, just the team, the hotel and the football field.

Outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper is a fan of that.

“It definitely brings us all together, and stuff gets us out of our comfort zone a little bit to where we kind of have to forcibly hang out with each other and get to know your teammates and stuff like that,” Cooper said. “I think that’s amazing for real because we get caught up in our lives. We have families, we have kids and everything that we have to handle on a day-to-day basis. So when you travel and you kind of separate yourself away from that, it gives more time to kind of grow as a team, grow as a unit. I think that’s only going to help us get better down the road.”

It’s all business for the orange and blue this week. After they made a statement with a 21-17 comeback victory over the Eagles a week ago, their focus is keeping that momentum going and taking care of a Jets team that has struggled mightily to start the season. Sunday’s contest kicks off at 7:30 a.m. MDT.

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