A head start: Packers to leave for Seattle a day early; flying out Friday

GREEN BAY (AP) — Packers coach Mike McCarthy will give his team a head start out West to prepare for the NFC title game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Green Bay plans to leave for Seattle on Friday, one day ahead of when the team would usually fly out for Sunday road games.

McCarthy said Monday that his training staff has studied the impact of traveling a day early. He says it fits the pattern of some of the other changes in training and sports science-themed conditioning that the Packers have instituted this season.

"It's an incredible commitment from the organization -- just the way we travel, the opportunity to go up there and not blink an eye. This is giving us the best position to prepare and put us in the position to win this game," McCarthy said during a Thursday news conference.

"I guess the way to see it -- it's my first time doing that. I think they've been talking about this, you know, over the years of trying this maybe for some West Coast trips and this is the time to do it," Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk said.

"The schedule is a little different, so guys are going to have to adjust accordingly. We`re leaving on Friday, which hasn`t happened in my 10 years, so it`s a little easier probably for a rookie to make the adjustment. But all of us have to make sure we`re doing the proper preparation. It will be a little disjointed when we get up there. We`ve got to make sure we`re focusing on the right things when we get there," Packers QB Aaron Rodgers said.

Green Bay's season started with a trip to Seattle and a 36-16 loss in the league opener.

McCarthy also says that quarterback Aaron Rodgers came out of the game feeling well. Rodgers is dealing with a lingering left calf injury. He was limited in practice Wednesday.

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