Why Jon Gruden asks the Raiders to leave late for their trip to London

ALAMEDA – The Seattle Seahawks will travel to London on Wednesday to prepare for Sunday's race with the Raiders.

The Silver and Black leave Thursday night.

It is unorthodox to be sure because we are about to leave about 5,400 miles from home. Most West Coast based teams leave early in the week or stay on the east coast and then cross the Atlantic. NFL planners generally accept requests to play against a team in the east of the previous week to facilitate travel to London.

L.A. Chargers, for example, will train in Cleveland between the Browns and Tennessee in London the following week.

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden takes a different tack.

He waits until the last minute to make his way, just in time for the availability of media to promote the Raiders-Seahawks clash at Wembley Stadium. They will prepare seriously for Alameda before leaving for London and will perform two reconnaissance practices in the UK before the match.

"Did a lot of research on that, obviously – people who did it, people who did this cross-country trip from California," said Gruden. "I do not know much about it. We just do what we think best for our players. Get the right preparation here. Then go to London, ask them the appropriate rest, an acclimatization to the weather. So get ready to play Sunday.

Time will tell if this approach is working. It may be right, but the talent will tell more about the outcome of Sunday than the travel plans. Or, you know, that could totally fail.

The Raiders wanted a home game leading to the trip to London, but they had a road game in Los Angeles, keeping the Silver and Black away from home for most of the season. They will then have a period of five calendar weeks in the Bay Area – they will have a bye, two home games and a road match in Santa Clara against the 49ers – to balance their balance.

This route however is not suitable for Gruden.

"I hope to be able to do it, honestly. I'm not great (traveling), "said Gruden. "I am claustrophobic. My son was a weightlifter and he won a powerlifting contest in Belarus. I had to fly 14 hours. I had to go home 14 hours. I've been dizzy for a month. I could not even go to bed, the house was spinning. I hope not to be dizzy. I am not a big traveler.

"I'm going to be honest with you, I hate it, I'm not good, I'm worried, I'm more worried about it than our goal-line attack right now."

Gruden exaggerates there. Just a little, if you can not say.

There is probably some truth in this route that keeps the Raiders as close to home as long as possible.

The Raiders have dropped a home game to play abroad four of the past five years. They will do it again in 2019 before officially settling in Las Vegas in 2020. The international contest next year is expected to take place in Mexico City, where the Raiders hosted games in 2016 and 2017.

Gruden plays a role in the marketing of this London game and will not have bad things to say to him, even if he feels otherwise.

"Honestly, you hate losing a home game, but to improve the game, I think it's exciting," he said. "It's great for football. I did not really think about it much. "

Getting ready and traveling well will be the main concern this week before the Seahawks game, as the Raiders try to avoid a 1-5 record before qualifying for a weekend. This will be the first visit of Gruden in London. He will try to prepare the team as best as possible under circumstances that are not ideal.

"I'm excited to go out there and make friends," said Gruden. "My brother had to leave in Redskin and he loved it. My son had to leave as a member of the Redskins and he loved it, so I will do it too.