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FOXBORO

When Patricia Fitzpatrick goes to a New England Patriots game at Gillette Stadium, she has to travel barely three miles.

For Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Foxboro resident is going to have to add a few zeroes to the tally on her commute.

Fitzpatrick is one of many New England Patriots' fans making the trek across the Atlantic Ocean to see her favorite team play at Wembley Stadium in London.

"I can't wait," the oncologist nurse said as she ironed, packed, and took care of other last-minute preparations in anticipation of her departure from Logan International Airport in Boston. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Adding to the excitement of attending the National Football League game at historic Wembley Stadium is that Fitzpatrick and her husband, William, a state trooper stationed at the Foxboro barracks, are going to see their son, T.J., a senior at Quinnipiac University who is studying abroad in Ireland.

Their older son, Billy, a police officer in Manchester, NH, is also going on the trip.

"T.J. left in August and isn't going to be coming back until three days before Christmas, so we were going to go over and see him about halfway through the semester, anyway," Fitzpatrick said. "Being able to combine the two worked out great."

Fitzpatrick said the family is going to spend three days in London, then travel to Ireland and spend four days there.

"None of us have ever been to London, so we're excited to do the touristy things, like see Big Ben, the crown jewels, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and definitely Harrods.

"I have to go to Harrods," she said, laughing. "But our main focus is seeing our son. We can't wait to lay eyes on him."

Norton resident Sean Johnson is also making his first trip to London - in fact, anywhere outside the United States.

He has no family ties, just a deep passion for the Patriots, which he travels to see two or three times a season.

"This is definitely the farthest I've traveled to see them, but it will be worth it," said the computer programmer and season ticket holder. "Unfortunately, I can't stay too long, since I have to work on Friday and only have Monday off. I have to be at work on Tuesday." The die-hard fan is making the six-hour flight today and will return Monday. "I'll be tired, but I can sleep on the plane on the way back. I don't plan on doing much sleeping while I'm there."

Johnson said that while he is excited about seeing the game, he wishes the Patriots were playing a "more worthy opponent."

"I mean, c'mon, they (Buccaneers) haven't won a game all season," he said. "We can beat them with our eyes closed."

Nevertheless, seeing an NFL football game on English soil is a novelty and "something I'm happy I can say I was a part of," Johnson said.

"I'll be interested to see how the English fans act, like if they go nuts like they do at soccer games," he added.

There will be plenty of British Patriots' fans on hand, since there is a Patriots' fan club in England and, according to the NFL, American football is extremely popular in the United Kingdom - with the New England Patriots being the most popular team.

The almost 90,000-seat stadium, the second largest in Europe, will host a capacity crowd.

While there may be enough British fans to fill the venue, there will be plenty of American fans crossing The Pond, as well.

On Wednesday afternoon, a bus filled with 32 New England Patriots' fans from the area left from Finnegan's Wake pub in Walpole to head to Logan to catch an evening flight to London.

The trip was headed by Wrentham resident Tom Kirwan, co-owner of the pub.

"Every year he heads up a trip to Ireland," said Attleboro resident Andy Farrar, a bartender at Finnegan's Wake. "This year, they went a little earlier than they usually do so they could go to the game in London. They're going to spend a few days there, then a few days in Ireland."

Pub co-owner Kristin Smith said the group ranges in age from 23 to 70, and all were wearing Patriots gear when they boarded the bus.

"This has been in the works since March, so they were pretty pumped up," she said.

The trip costs $1,550 per person, which includes everything except spending money, Smith said.

Echoing the sentiment of other fans, Farrar said he wishes the Patriots were playing a more challenging opponent.

"Tampa is getting their butt kicked this year," he said.

Sunday's game, which is being played at 1 p.m. in London, will be televised here live at 6 p.m.

The game comes on the heels of the Patriots' 59-0 trouncing of the Tennessee Titans and the Buccaneers 28-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The NFL is playing at Wembley Stadium for the third straight year. The Patriots' honorary team captain is Sir Elton John, who is performing his "Red Piano" show at Wembley Stadium Tuesday night, two days after the game.