CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -The New Orleans Saints know all about packing for long trips.
Mother Nature isn't to blame for the latest four-game odyssey that includes a stretch of nine straight days on the road, nearly 12,000 air miles and six weeks away from the Superdome.
Blame it on an unlucky schedule - and their role in helping the NFL attempt to become a global brand.
The Saints (3-3) visit the Carolina Panthers (4-2) on Sunday in a crucial matchup in the surprisingly competitive NFC South. Immediately after the game, the Saints fly from Charlotte to London, where they'll practice for a week before playing a "home" game against the San Diego Chargers at Wembley Stadium.
They'll then return to New Orleans for their bye week, before visiting Atlanta and Kansas City on consecutive Sundays.
The next game in New Orleans: Nov. 24 against Green Bay, three days before Thanksgiving, when the Saints will either be playoff contenders or in danger of missing the postseason for the second straight year.
"I guess the challenge, in the end, is that when you're playing overseas and it's your home game, somewhere along the line you're going to have a stretch of games where you're away from your stadium," coach Sean Payton said. "Because you're really 7-9: seven at home, nine not at home."
After spending all of the 2005 season on the road due to the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, and practicing the week before their season opener this year in Indianapolis because of Hurricane Gustav, the Saints believe they'll be able to weather the latest travel challenge.
"We have a tough stretch of road games; the London game counts as one of our home games, but obviously it's not," quarterback Drew Brees said. "I think more than ever we have to band together and take it one day at a time and try to rattle off some wins here."
If Brees continues to pile up 300-yard passing games, the Saints should be OK.
Brees, the NFL's leader in completions and yards passing, hit on his first 16 passes in last week's 34-3 rout of Oakland. He finished 26-of-30 for 320 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. With receiver Marques Colston (thumb) and tight end Jeremy Shockey (hernia surgery) expected to return this week, Brees gets two more weapons as he leads the league's top passing offense against Carolina's second-rated pass defense.
"He's had more 300-yard games than I've ever seen in my life," Panthers safety Chris Harris said. "We've got our hands full. They can pass the ball and we feel we've got a pretty good pass defense. Something's got to give Sunday."
The Panthers, 3-0 at home after going 2-6 at Bank of America Stadium last season, need a victory to stay at least tied in the loss column in the NFC South after last week's humbling 27-3 loss at Tampa Bay.
