The Atlanta Falcons fell to the Indianapolis Colts in a back-and-forth battle at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The Colts beat the Falcons 31-25 in overtime in a game that captivated the crowd in the German capital.
Falcons start out strong; kept pushing
Jonathan Taylor capped a career day with an 8-yard touchdown run in overtime to give the Indianapolis Colts a 31-25 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the first regular-season NFL game played in Berlin, Germany.
Taylor rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns, finishing his performance by bouncing outside for the game-winner after running into traffic up the middle. The score pushed him past Hall of Famer Edgerrin James for the most rushing touchdowns in Colts history with 65.
The finish came after Colts kicker Michael Badgley tied the game with a 44-yard field goal with 25 seconds left in regulation. Atlanta briefly led 25-22 on Tyler Allgeier’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1:44 remaining before Taylor’s 83-yard scoring dash — the longest run in the NFL this season — put the Colts (8-2) back on top moments earlier.
It was Taylor’s third career 200-yard rushing game and his second with at least 200 yards and three touchdowns, joining Jim Brown, Adrian Peterson, and Derrick Henry as the only players in NFL history to reach that mark twice. His single-game career high remains 253 yards, set in 2020.
Allgeier finished with 57 yards on 11 carries, and Bijan Robinson added 84 yards on 17 attempts, but the Falcons (3-6) dropped their fourth straight game. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed 12 of 28 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown.
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones went 19 of 26 for 255 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked seven times, fumbled three times, and lost one.
Atlanta led 14-13 at halftime and extended the margin to 17-13 on Zane Gonzalez’s 43-yard field goal early in the third quarter. Indianapolis responded with a 34-yard field goal from Badgley to pull within one early in the fourth.
Penix found Drake London for a 16-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to give Atlanta a brief 14-13 lead. Earlier, Taylor opened the scoring on a 1-yard run following a fumble recovery deep in Falcons territory.
The Falcons answered with Allgeier’s first touchdown and a Gonzalez extra point before the Colts countered two plays later on Jones’ 37-yard strike to Alec Pierce. Jessie Bates intercepted Jones just before halftime to stall another Colts drive.
Falcons: Sam Roberts and Dee Alford were questionable to return after first-quarter injuries. Host the Carolina Panthers next Sunday.
Colts: London returned after being evaluated in the medical tent following his second-quarter touchdown. Bye week, then visit the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12.
Falcons-Colts: Why it matters
Sunday’s game marked the NFL’s first regular-season contest in Berlin, staged on the 36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The venue, Olympiastadion, stands in what was once West Berlin and holds deep historic significance. It’s the same arena where American track star Jesse Owens won four gold medals during the 1936 Olympics, defying Adolf Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy. Falcons coach Raheem Morris prepared a video for players highlighting Owens’ legacy ahead of the trip.
For the Falcons, entering this game on a three-game losing streak, the international setting offers not just a fresh location but also a chance to reset momentum.
The Colts, sitting at 7-2 coming in, are aiming to maintain their strong positioning in the AFC, and yet Atlanta has shown resilience in spite of its struggles.
NFL in Berlin: What you should know
The matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts at Berlin’s Olympiastadion Berlin marks the first time the National Football League has staged a regular-season game in Germany’s capital, underscoring the league’s global ambitions and the growing European appetite for American football. The stadium itself was built for the 1936 Olympics and has hosted landmark sporting events ever since, adding historical gravitas to the event.
Germany has become a key target for the NFL’s international expansion, with this game emerging from a broader effort to engage new markets, boost the league’s global footprint and capitalize on enthusiastic local fan bases. The fact that Berlin is now joining Munich and Frankfurt as host cities underscores that Germany is no longer simply a stop-over but a foundational market for the league.
For Atlanta, this game carries added significance: the Falcons hold official commercial rights in Germany, making the trip not just a contest on the field but a strategic step in connecting the franchise with German fans and building long-term brand presence.
