Steelers' Stay In Ireland Comes With Pair Of Massive Advantages Before Clash With Vikings In Week 4

The Pittsburgh Steelers are participating in an international contest for the first time since the 2013 season when the franchise squared off against the Minnesota Vikings in London. This time, the game will take place in Ireland, but the game is once again against Minnesota. It should be a good contest as both games are 2-1 entering Week 4, and the Vikings are preparing to start backup quarterback Carson Wentz for the second straight week. Pittsburgh and Minnesota will not arrive in Ireland until Friday, but fans have already begun making the journey overseas.

Many fans in Pittsburgh were worried about the franchise's plans for travel ahead of the matchup with the Vikings. In 2013, players complained about not being able to get their bodies acclimated to the time change overseas, which in turn hindered their performance and played a part in the loss. This time around, the NFL is forcing Pittsburgh and Minnesota to leave at similar times, and the Steelers had no choice when they were heading to Ireland. What the organization did have a say in was where they were staying, and team insider Gerry Dulac shared some details about that location named the Carton House.

"The Steelers have taken over all 169 rooms and, should they choose, never have to leave once they arrive in the country Friday morning," Dulac wrote. "The resort has two regulation football fields — they call them 'training pitches' here — and plenty of space for meeting rooms, medical equipment and training tables."

The Steelers have everything the organization could possibly need at the Carton House, and there are plenty of nice amenities for the players to enjoy. Players and coaches do not have to leave their resort until it is Sunday and they need to head out for the game. Some players might want to go out and explore Ireland a little bit, but there is no reason to leave other than pleasure.

Since Pittsburgh is technically the home team for this matchup with Minnesota, the franchise got to choose where it was staying first. This is an advantage due to all of the luxuries that the Carton House offers, including its two practice fields that are on the property. Another advantage playing in the Steelers' favor would be the fan base that is present in Ireland, as well as the connection between the franchise and the country. Dulac spoke with the resort's General Manager Martin Mangan, and he shared some great words about the Steelers.

"'It’s the Rooney connection,' said Mangan. Sitting in a reception room surrounded by guests having afternoon tea. His sparkling Irish green tie is the proper complement to a gray suit. 'I had the pleasure once of meeting the ambassador [the late Dan Rooney] and his grandson. That’s a very unique Irish connection. For us, it’s very exciting. Everyone in our hotel this week is a huge Steelers fan.'"

Pittsburgh has an obvious connection with Ireland due to Dan Rooney once serving as the ambassador to the country for the United States. There are plenty of Steelers fans in Ireland, which should make it feel like the team truly does have a home field advantage. Hopefully the organization will be able to put on a good show for the "home" crowd.

Steelers Winning In Ireland Won't Come Easy

Pittsburgh has a great setup going into the game due to the resort the team gets to stay at, as well as the prominent fan base in Ireland. However, the Vikings are going to be a hard team to beat, even with a backup quarterback. The Vikings' defense causes havoc throughout every game, and that could hurt Pittsburgh's offense. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out, but the Steelers are underdogs for a reason in this game.

What do you think about the details about Pittsburgh's stay in Ireland? Let us know in the comments below!

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