The Atlanta Falcons will face the Indianapolis Colts in the first regular-season NFL game in Berlin on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET. The 7-2 Colts, fresh off acquiring cornerback Sauce Gardner, look to rebound from a Week 9 loss to Pittsburgh. The Falcons, on a three-game skid, need running back Bijan Robinson to regain form against a Colts defense vulnerable to the run.
The matchup at Olympic Stadium marks Berlin's debut as a regular-season NFL host, airing exclusively on NFL Network and NFL+. The Colts enter as one of the season's surprises, tied for the most wins at 7-2 and leading the league in several offensive categories. Their defense received a boost at the trade deadline with the addition of two-time All-Pro Sauce Gardner, who is in concussion protocol but participated fully in practice Wednesday and is expected to play if cleared. Gardner, with a 52.4% completion rate allowed in coverage since 2022 (third among cornerbacks with at least 175 targets), could shadow Falcons wide receiver Drake London, who had 118 receiving yards and three touchdowns last week.
Indy's Week 9 performance against Pittsburgh raised questions, as running back Jonathan Taylor managed just 45 rushing yards—his lowest since Week 12 last season—and quarterback Daniel Jones threw three interceptions while taking five sacks. The Colts, who rank first in play-action pass attempts, struggled without Taylor's explosive runs, forcing Jones into a frantic output. Now, they face an Atlanta defense that ranks second in yards allowed and fourth in success rate against play-action offenses.
For the Falcons, consistency has been elusive. They dominated the Buffalo Bills with 238 scrimmage yards and a touchdown from Bijan Robinson in Week 6 but followed with a 30-0 shutout loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 and a current three-game losing streak. Robinson averages 78.7 scrimmage yards over the last three games, and Atlanta is 0-5 when he falls below 150. The Colts have surrendered the seventh-most rushing yards and third-most explosive runs to opposing backs, offering Robinson a potential bounce-back spot.
Gardner's arrival addresses Indy's secondary woes, where they rank 26th in passing yards allowed per game (244.8) and seventh-most in passer rating on deep passes (115.3). He steps in amid injuries, including cornerback Charvarius Ward's limited play (four games). A strong showing could solidify the Colts' playoff push, while the Falcons seek momentum entering the season's second half.