Ex-Rams Tackle backs Kyle Brandt’s criticism of controversial Australia strategy

Former Los Angeles Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth endorsed Kyle Brandt's criticism of the team's travel strategy following their loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. Brandt raised concerns about the plan after noticing the Rams appeared sluggish in their 27-7 defeat. The Rams had been in California until Tuesday before embarking on a 15-hour flight to Melbourne, arriving approximately 28 hours before kickoff.

They had planned to return immediately afterward. Brandt argued that the limited recovery time due to the long flight negatively impacted the players' performance. He said, "They tried too hard to be smart. They got too cute." Brandt specifically mentioned the sleep factor, noting that some players may struggle to sleep on planes, like Alaric Jackson, who is 6'7″ and 340 pounds.

Whitworth agreed with Brandt's point about sleep, as he had never slept on a plane before and was required to sleep instead of practicing on a Friday when the team arrived in London. Brandt also questioned whether the Rams would repeat the same strategy for future games in Australia, stating, "There is no way, because all those conversations about when the Rams would arrive in Australia... They didn't. They never arrived in Australia."