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WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Saints coach Sean Payton is ending evening meetings with players an hour earlier at training camp this summer and starting practice an hour later in the mornings.Doing so gives players more time to enjoy the amenities at the luxury Greenbrier Resort in the mountains of West Virginia, should they choose -- but that was hardly the point.Coming off consecutive 7-9, non-playoff seasons, Payton figured there had to be ways to tweak the schedule to get better results. Decades ago, conventional wisdom might have dictated longer, more grueling practices to promote toughness, a stronger work ethic and better conditioning. But Payton, whos gained a reputation for embracing technology and progressive philosophies about managing the modern pro athlete, didnt see the wisdom of such old-school approaches in 2016.One of the things we are paying attention to, obviously, is the recovery and all the elements that go into that, Payton said as camp practices began this past week. A lot of it is the evening recovery -- trying to get the guys in the cold tubs, trying to get the guys really to sleep earlier. Then the (morning) schedule is even backed up ... with the idea of making sure that everyone is getting north of eight hours rest.Payton said there wasnt any specific study or new data that led him to emphasize rest and recovery so much as a sum total of what weve seen, read, and heard. Part of it was simply ensuring trainers had time to employ new technology that helps players maintain their bodies, such as air compression sleeves helping circulation and thus reducing swelling for even relatively healthy players. Saints players also can climb into a super-cooled chamber for a few minutes with the goal of supplying muscles with more oxygen-infused blood.Weve got a lot more gear now: the inflatable legs, the cryotherapy machine, Payton said. Theres a lot of other things that we have access to that weve got to take advantage of.More rest and recovery gives players a reason to take the Greenbriers pillow menu more seriously. But that emphasis wont turn Saints players into high-maintenance prima donnas, in Paytons view. Concepts of toughness, competitiveness and intensity are stressed during much of the day, particularly when players are on the field and in meetings.I credit coach Payton and his staff, man. He lets you know that what we did in the `60s and `70s and even in 2006 -- it may not work, said running back Tim Hightower, who resurrected his career last year after spending three years out of football because of complications related to reconstructive knee surgery. When you step on that field, youve got to go to work; its a physical game.But its another thing to have the awareness that your players need some down time. They need the tools, they need the resources to recover so we can be at our best day in and day out, and I think theres a huge emphasis on that.But then, when we step on that field, he wants a physical approach, a physical mindset, a tough, smart football team, and I like it, and I think guys are starting to understand, Hightower said.The Saints third practice of camp on Saturday was their first in full pads, and there were some heavy hits, highlighted by safety Kenny Vaccaro bursting through the offensive line and flattening fullback Sione Houma, who was blocking on a running play.The NFLs collective bargaining agreement now limits teams to one traditional practice per day. Teams also can stage additional walk-through practices without pads in place of what used to be the second practice of two-a-days. Those generally emphasize formations and positional soundness and arent run at full speed. The Saints have cut back on walk-throughs, but at times will lengthen their lone full-speed practice to nearly three hours.For us to get it the way its supposed to look, there might be some practices where were out here longer than normal, Payton said.Right tackle Zach Strief, an 11th -year veteran who has spent his whole career with New Orleans, said he could sense after one day that camp would be tougher, despite the added rest time.Theyre going to push us, Strief said. You really drive home the competition aspect of it, where its not OK to have a bad play or miss a block or miss an assignment.Game notes CB Keenan Lewis and LT Terron Armstead remained on the clubs physically unable to perform list, but Lewis could be seen working out on his own at close to full speed. ... DT Nick Fairley and S Erik Harris both left practice on Saturday. Payton did not provide details on their conditions.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL B. J. 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MEXICO CITY -- As much as possible, the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans want to treat their trip to Mexico City as business as usual.But theres no hiding the fact that this game will be unlike any other road trip.Players have been given security warnings. The teams are taking precautions about how their food is prepared. And both teams are figuring out how to deal with the thin air 7,380 feet above sea level when the Texans (6-3) take on the Raiders (7-2) on Monday night at Azteca Stadium.Players have run extra laps, spent more time on the bike, and a few have even used elevation masks as part of their training for the game.Its going to be tough, Raiders offensive lineman Donald Penn said. Im not going to sugarcoat it. Whenever that second wind hits, then youre good. You hope that second wind hits early, then youre really good. When my second wind hits, its usually early in the first quarter, second quarter maybe.Both teams have some experience with playing at altitude, with the Texans traveling to Mile High in Denver last month and the Raiders making annual trips there. Mexico City is more than 2,000 feet higher than Denver but both teams are in the same boat.Were on an equal playing field, Texans offensive lineman Duane Brown said. No ones more used to the altitude than the other team, so were all going out there with the same struggle, if there will be a struggle.The thin air also could impact how the game is played, with throws and kicks both able to travel longer distances. Three of the five longest field goals in NFL history have come at altitude in Denver, including Matt Praters record 64-yarder for the Broncos in 2013.In Denver, I can see anywhere from 6 to 7 yards difference in ball carry, just over my past experience there, Texans punter Shane Lechler said. I know the altitude here in Mexico City is going to be a little higher, but you still have to hit a good ball. Its not like every single time its going to be a huge difference.The altitude is only one factor that will make the second regular-season game ever in Mexico different from a typical one in the NFL.The Mexican fans are known for their enthusiasm at soccer games and the players expect nothing less Monday night, with perhaps more cheers than usual for kicks and punts from a crowd used to a different kind of football.I like to watch soccer, so Im wondering is it going to be like a soccer atmosphere where they have the horns playing and stuff like that, Texans cornerback A.J. Bouyee said.ddddddddddddIm already visualizing everything on what its going to be like. At the end of the day, you just got to expect the unexpected.The NFL announced the matchup for the game back in February and has spent lots of time planning for the week to make it as smooth as possible for the players and teams.Mark Waller, the NFLs executive vice president of international, said the league gave the teams advice on when to arrive to limit the effects of the elevation; made sure there were English speaking drivers for the players; and worked with the chefs at the team hotels to ensure the players could get their usual meals.Our goal in any game is to not have any reason why the teams would be disrupted from performing at their best in any market in any game, Waller said.As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, Azteca Stadium has undergone major renovations since the NFL last played a regular-season game there in 2005. Capacity was reduced from more than 100,000 to 84,000, with premium seating added, improved communication capability and new locker rooms that can handle the larger roster for football teams.This game is the first of a three-year contract for the NFL to play in Mexico City, and the league would like it to become an annual event.In the same way that we built in London an annual game, I would like to think we can do the same thing there and become part of the sporting calendar, Waller said. We want to become known as one of the great sporting events in the city in any given year.Waller said he wasnt sure whether it would be better to have one team become the regular host of the games like Jacksonville does in London or to rotate teams. The Raiders would be a prime candidate to give up a home game to come to Mexico City because of their uncertain stadium situation -- they seek a possible move to Las Vegas -- and their popularity in Mexico.It was impressive to see all the Raiders fans down there and see how excited they were for the game, said Raiders running back Taiwan Jones, who made two offseason trips south of the border to help promote the game. One thing I heard from the locals was how crazy an environment its going to be. From what I hear, Its going to be a party.---AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken contributed to this report---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '