NFL heading to Germany this weekend as Atlanta Falcons And Indianapolis Colts meet face to face in Berlin. The Colts made major defensive upgrades at the trade deadline to cement their status as contenders, and the Falcons need a win to stay in the NFC playoff race.
Coming off just their second loss of the season, the Colts made a big turnaround Tuesday, sending a pair of first-round picks and wide receiver A.D. Mitchell. New York Jets for the defender Gardner sauce. It was a big gamble, but it's worth it if the team Super Bowl aspirations. Indianapolis already has two of the best offenses in the league, anchored by a star running back. Jonathan Taylor and veteran defenseman Daniel Jones. The unit had a hiccup last weekend against Pittsburgh Steelersand he looks like he can bounce back against the Falcons.
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Atlanta should be the more desperate team in this matchup as the team is currently 3-5 and needs a win to maintain momentum in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons missed an opportunity to get a big win last weekend when kicker John Parker Romo missed what could have been a decisive extra point late in the fourth quarter against Patriots. However, Atlanta has no shortage of weapons, especially on offense. Drake London just had a three-touchdown performance, and Sesame Robinson is one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Where to watch Falcons vs. Colts game live
- Date: Sunday, November 9 | Time: 9:30 am ET
- Location: Berlin Olympic Stadium – Berlin, Germany.
- TV: NFL Network | Broadcast: Fubo (Try for free)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Chances: Colts -6.5; O/U 48.5 (via DraftKings)
Falcons vs. Colts: Need to Know
- New weapon to protect the Colts. On Tuesday, Gardner became the second player since 1990 to be traded for multiple first-round picks. The other one was Jalen Ramseywho went to Los Angeles Rams in 2019. With a pair of first-team All-Pro selections in his first two seasons in the NFL, Gardner has already established himself as one of the top corners in the league. Gardner missed time with a concussion, but is set to return for his Colts debut this week.
- Battle on the outskirts. Expect both of these teams to field their runners early and often because they have two of the best players in the world. Taylor and Robinson are two of three players with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season. The last time two players with these numbers met was in Week 10 or earlier, Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson faced each other in 2002.
- The Falcons were underdogs. The Falcons are the underdogs here, and it's a role they've liked, at least in terms of spread. Atlanta is 3-0 against the spread as an underdog this season, meaning the team is just a 1-4 favorite. The problem for the Falcons is that not all of those coverages resulted in outright wins. They will need to make sure they upset this weekend to avoid falling into the 3-6 hole.
Falcons vs. Colts Prediction, Picks
Despite how good the Falcons are as underdogs, I'm hesitant to take them in this situation this weekend given the road trip and the fact that they'll be getting an angry Colts team that suffers a rare loss. Still, Indianapolis' defense should get plenty of stops even if Gardner doesn't fully understand the scheme. Atlanta's defense isn't exactly a pushover either. Due to the defense and the general disruption of the body clock, I think we're in for a low-scoring match. Pick: Colts -6.5; Less than 48.5
