Falcons hold final practice in Berlin before facing the Colts

BERLIN — After leaving Atlanta on Thursday, the Falcons landed here after an eight-and-half-hour flight and hit the practice pitch at FC Union’s fields.

The Falcons (3-5) are set to face the Colts (7-2) at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at historic Olympic Stadium.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris had the team follow the plans of the pilot, who told the team to eat, turn off the lights and go to sleep. When they reached Berlin, they planned to stay up after practice and meetings.

The team has an 11 p.m. curfew and then would sleep in to get ready for the game.

The Falcons were hoping that the players got between four to five hours of sleep on the plane.

“I think everybody has done such a great job having the ability to get us over here in an efficient way,” a bleary-eyed Morris said before practice. “I think (senior director of operations) Brandon Ruth and that department deserves a lot of credit for being able to travel and help us get over here and feel as best as we can possibly feel.”

The Colts made a big move this week as they traded for two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner.

“I’ve been a part of it one other time with the Atlanta Falcons when the Rams traded for Jalen Ramsey and he came in a played us and played a pretty good football game,” Morris said. “You can get some unique patterns for those guys. We always get those in the game. On Sunday when that thing starts when you have a player like Sauce Gardner you just figure it out.”

The Colts could probably just assign Gardner to play Falcons wide receiver Drake London one-on-one and leave the rest of their defensive scheme intact.

London is coming off his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and had a career-high three touchdown receptions in the 24-23 loss to the Patriots on Sunday.

“He’s going to affect some of the things you are going to do, but it’s probably going to affect them a little more,” Morris said. “How they want to pay more attention to Drake and things of that nature.”

London plans to play his game.

“It really doesn’t change their approach or anything like that,” London said. “I obviously respect his game and who he is. But I have the same mentality every game no matter what.”

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is aware of the big trade-deadline transaction.

“We know he’s a good corner, a lengthy corner,” Penix said. “He can do it all at his position. He has all of intangibles. At the end of the day, we just have to go out there and execute. Play our game.”

The Colts also feature perhaps the top running back in the NFL in Jonathan Taylor, who leads the league in rushing yards (895), rushing touchdowns (12) and yards per carry (5.7 yards).

The Falcons’ run defense has struggled over the past three games.

“We have to try to get the football back from those guys,” Morris said. “Go out there be able to stop the run. They’ve got a unique and great running back (who’s) having a great season. We have to find a way to (stop the run) and make them one-dimensional.”

Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, a three-time Pro Bowler, will not play. He was left home with a neck injury.

“DeForest Buckner is a great player,” Morris said. “Anytime that you’re missing a player like that obviously some significant changes go into it.”

Neville Gallimore and Adetomiwa Adebawore are listed as Buckner’s backups on the Colts’ depth chart.

“I’m sure they’ll be prepared and have people trying to fill that role,” Morris said. “Things that he can do and how he can do it. They have a lot of really good players around him. They’ll try to make it up. It definitely affects our game plan. He is a great player.”

With Buckner, the Colts give up 87 yards rushing per game, which ranks fourth in the NFL.

The Falcons average 116.5 yards rushing per game, which ranks 15h in the league. However, they have not rushed for more 71 yards over their three-game losing streak.

“We’ve got to get that going,” Morris said of the rushing attack. “That’s to key to our lives. Keys to how we want win. It’s what we want to do when we go out there.”

After rushing for 210 yards against Buffalo on Oct. 13, the Falcons have been held to 62 yards (San Francisco on Oct. 19), 45 (Miami on Oct. 26) and 71 (New England on Nov. 2).

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has a plan.