Relocating Flowery Branch operations to London is no small task (more on that later today) and trying to find a routine among the festival atmosphere for the NFL's International Series could prove to be challenging, but the Falcons are set on controlling what they can control.
That means making the most of the opportunities to make the week in London just like any other week of game preparations, thousands of miles away from Flowery Branch or not.
"It's just like any other road game," head coach Mike Smith said Monday. "What we're trying to do is we're trying to make this like a home game. This is one of our eight home games that we have, so our schedule of the week will be the same as when we came over."
The Falcons touched down in London and headed straight to Bushey Meads School to get local kids excited about football during a Play 60 event.
WR Devin Hester steps off of the bus in London
RB Devonta Freeman heads from the bus to the Play 60 event
RB Jerome Smith, G Harland Gunn and T Ryan Schraeder walk to the Play 60 event
C James Stone walks away from the bus in London
WR Julio Jones and WR Devin Hester pass with the kids
QB Matt Ryan
K Matt Bryant and P Matt Bosher show the kids the tricks of their trade
WR Julio Jones and WR Devin Hester pass with the kids
A few of the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders were also in attendance at the event
CB Robert Alford
WR Harry Douglas and WR Eric Weems
Catching a pass from Matt Ryan is a great way to start Monday morning!
GM Thomas Dimitroff and WR Julio Jones
LB Joplo Bartu
OLB Jacques Smith high fives his group
TE Levine Toilolo makes the kids work for a high five
RB Devonta Freeman
DE Stansly Maponga
A girl shows the Falcons her best touchdown dance moves
A few of the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders were also in attendance at the event
TE Levine Toilolo encourages a kid through a drill
K Matt Bryant and P Matt Bosher show the kids the tricks of their trade
OL Gabe Carimi
CB Desmond Trufant passes the ball during the Play 60 event
A few of the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders were also in attendance at the event
RB Steven Jackson
GM Thomas Dimitroff speaks with the media at the Play 60 event in London
DE Malliciah Goodman
CB Robert McClain gives high fives at the event
DE Stansly Maponga works with the kids
Immediately following their arrival in London, the Falcons set off to participate in a Play 60 event at a local school — an activity usually reserved for Tuesdays during a normal game week — and then got settled in at their hotel and headquarters for the week.
The players will have a CBA-mandated day off Tuesday before getting right into their normal game week preparations with walkthroughs and practices Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Saturday will provide a break from the norm as the team will participate in a fan fest at Trafalgar Square, but at the conclusion of that event, it's right back to focusing on Detroit and winning in Week 8.
"You've got to get on a time schedule where you can get some sleep and things like that because that's going to be important for the game," wide receiver Roddy White said. "We've got to do a lot of focusing on just getting our bodies and minds right for this chance, this opportunity that we've got over here in London."
