The Patriots have their game plan for Week 10 trip to Germany
FOXBORO -- The Patriots would probably love to get away at the moment, and that's exactly what they'll do later this week. The 2-7 Pats will get to enjoy a big change of scenery by the end of the week, as they'll head to Germany to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt next Sunday as part of the NFL's International Games.
New England has its game plan for a unique week ahead. The Patriots will practice in Foxboro on Wednesday and Thursday and then depart for Germany following Thursday's practice. They'll fly overnight (losing six hours in the process) and arrive Friday morning, when they'll continue their preparations for the 4-5 Colts.
"Quite different [than a normal week]," head coach Bill Belichick said of the team's plans during his Monday morning interview on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. "We'll leave Thursday after practice, lose the time going over there and show up Friday morning. We've done it before on trips to London, so same general idea. We'll have to adjust to it just like the Colts have to make the adjustment. It is what it is."
New England has played in three international games before -- and won all three, with a pair of victories in London and one in Mexico City -- but this will be the team's first game in Germany. The NFL hosted its second ever game in Germany in Week 9, when the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins, 21-14, at Frankfurt Stadium.
Now that stage will belong to the Patriots and the Colts, with New England serving as the home team for the matchup. This will be the first time that the Patriots serve as host for an international game since the launch of the NFL's international series in 2007.
Sunday's game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. in Germany, making it a 9:30 a.m. kickoff in New England. Belichick said the team would be discussing the best ways to combat the time difference throughout the week before leaving for Germany, but that the early kickoff shouldn't be a problem.
"The schedule changes in this league. Thursday games, Europe games, Monday night games ... Those variances in the schedule, they are what they are," Belichick told reporters on Monday.
WBZ-TV's Steve Burton is heading to Germany for this weekend's Patriots-Colts game and will begin live reports from Frankfurt on Thursday!
