For most NFL teams, a typical road game features a Saturday trip before a Sunday game. Most NFL teams, however, are not the Seahawks, who are the most geographically isolated team in the league.
So after the Seahawks wrap up Friday's practice this week, they'll leave for the airport to board their flight to New England ahead of their Week 2 game against the Patriots. That's consistent with what the team did throughout Pete Carroll's 14-year tenure with the Seahawks whenever they traveled east, an itinerary that allows players to adjust, at least a bit, to the time change ahead of a 10 a.m. PT kickoff.
Macdonald didn't just blindly accept that schedule without doing some research on the topic, but it's also hard to argue with the team's success going east, and on the road in general, in recent years. The Seahawks have won 24 of their last 35 games that kick off at 10 a.m. PT, and 16 of their last 21. And their 52 road wins overall since 2013 are the third most in the NFL, no small feat for a team that regularly is among the league leaders in miles traveled.
"We've had a lot of success going east, and there's been some research into it too," Macdonald said. "A lot of it actually is in relation to sleep, believe it or not. We talked about it to the team today. We had sleep specialists come in and try to be thorough in that approach. A lot of it's what we've done here in the past. We've built off of that."
But while Friday travel will be the norm for players who were around in previous seasons, one thing different this week, the team's first coming off a regular-season game, is that the players' day off was Monday, followed by meetings Tuesday, leading into the practice week kicking off on Wednesday. In the past, players would come in for meetings on Monday, then get Tuesday off.
"The main thing is really just to take a deep breath after the game and then be able to move on," said Macdonald. "That's the main thing; take the emotion out of it, be able to kind of digest, understand why you won or lost, where you need to improve. The guys get it the next day, and once they come in, you're kind of in next week's mode. There's no break. Hey, this is what happened. Let's move on. Now it's like an extended week on that next opponent."
The Seahawks face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium during Week 2 of the 2024 season. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Patriots.
Morris Bradshaw, bottom, New England Patriots receiver, makes the catch from quarterback Steve Grogan on the three yard line and fumbles the ball out of bounds while being landed on by Kenny Easley (45), Seattle Seahawks, to set up a later touchdown at the end of the first half during their game in Seattle, Dec. 19, 1982. (AP Photo/Gary Stewart)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) grabs the ball above the head of New England Patriot defender Rick Sanford (25) to complete a 20-yard touchdown pass from Seattle quarterback Jim Zorn in the second quarter at Seattle, Sept. 21, 1980. (AP Photo)
New England Patriot quarterback Steve Grogan, (14), releases a pass Seattle Seahawk Bill Gregory, (77), during the first half of their game on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1980 in the Kingdome in Seattle. Grogan completed 15 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns during the game as the Patriots beat the Seahawks 37-31. (AP Photo)
New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan holds on to the ball as he is sacked by Seattle Seahawks Jeff Bryant during first quarter action at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Sept. 16, 1984. (AP Photo/Mike Kullen)
Tony Collins (33) running back for the New England Patriots, is tripped up during first half action against the Seattle Seahawks in the Kingdome in Seattle, Dec. 19, 1982. Moving towards Collins is Seahawks safety Kenny Easley. (AP Photo/David Ekren)
New England Patriots Craig James, right, heads upfield with Seattle Seahawks Fredd Young (50), along for the ride, during 1st quarter action at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Sept. 21, 1986. (AP Photo)
New England Patriots Tony Collins (33) struggles for that extra yard despite the efforts of Seattle Seahawks Kenny Easley (45) and Keith Butler (53) during first quarter action at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Sept. 21, 1986. (AP Photo/Mike Kullen)
New England Patriots' Irving Fryar (80) takes the ball from Steve Grogan and moves around Seattle Seahawks' end to score in the second quarter of the game in Seattle, Nov. 17, 1985. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Seattle Seahawks linebackers Bruce Schultz (58) and Tony Woods (57) and nose tackle Joe Nash (72) team up to stop New England Patriots fullback Bob Perryman (34) during an NFL game in Foxboro, Mass., Dec. 4, 1988. The Patriots defeated the Seahawks 13-7. (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)
New England Patriots fullback Sam Gash (33) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks Sept 19, 1993, at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Brian Blades (89) is tackled as he runs upfield with the ball during an NFL game against the New England Patriots Sept. 19, 1993, in Foxborough, Mass. (Allen Kee via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver David Patten (86) side steps Seattle Seahawks corner back Ken Lucas (21) as Patten heads for the end zone during second quarter action of their NFL game Sunday afternoon Oct. 17, 2004 in Foxboro Mass. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselback, right, throws a pass under pressure from New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (75) during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Seattle Seahawks' Julian Peterson, right, brings down New England Patriots' Kevin Faulk on a reception by Faulk in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris goes over the top of Seattle Seahawks' defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (99) to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, at Qwest Field in Seattle. The Patriots beat the Seahawks 24-21. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Michael Boulware (28) separates New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady from his helmut during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselback, right, throws a pass under pressure from New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (75) during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
New England Patriots tight end Daniel Graham (82) looks to get around Seattle Seahawks defender Marcus Trufant during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Seattle's Doug Baldwin falls into the end zone with his second touchdown of the game.
Seattle's Russell Wilson and New England's Rob Gronkowksi share a laugh at the pregame coin-toss.
Kam Chancellor leads the Seahawks in a victory yell after the victory at New England.
Chris Matthews leaps high and catches the Seahawks second touchdown of the game but the first in his N.F.L. career to tie the game at 14-14 just before halftime.
Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor lead the Legion of Boom in their traditional pregame huddle right before taking the field for warmups.
Seahawks fans including the loyal "Big Lo" (holding Sea-Fence) sign, send the team off near SeaTac Airport.
Kevin Pierre-Louis and Tyvis Powell sport Celtics basketball jerseys for the trip to Boston. Pierre-Louis has repped a basketball team from the opposing city for each road trip.
Jermaine Kearse nearly comes up with this catch on a deep route which was broken up at the last minute.
Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin hauls in his third TD catch of the night, which would provide the eventual game-winner.
Receiver Tyler Lockett cuts towards the middle of the field after a reception in the second quarter.
Head referee Bill Vinovich flips the coin for Super Bowl XLIX as captains and honorary captains for both teams convened at midfield.
Seahawks running back Christine Michael hurdles New England's Malcolm Butler in the first half.
