The China Mail - NFL Colts add Sauce to recipe while Patriots confront Baker

The Colts and Patriots, both 7-2, will try to tighten their grips on division leads as the second half of the campaign begins.

Indianapolis and Atlanta (3-5) will play in the NFL's first game in Berlin, meeting in Olympic Stadium. It marks the league's fifth regular-season contest in Germany, others having been played in Munich and Frankfurt.

Indianapolis made a move with the New York Jets at the NFL trade deadline for Gardner, who passed concussion protocols Thursday and will make his Colts debut Sunday.

"I enjoyed my time in New York but it's a blessing to be here, and just a lot of positives," said Gardner, who is quickly learning the Colts defensive schemes to be ready for the Falcons.

"I'm not looking at it as I was the 'missing piece,'" Gardner said. "I think I'm a great additional piece to the defense for sure. I know I'm going to bring a lot to the table."

So do teammates like quarterback Daniel Jones, who leads the NFL in passing yards with 2,404 and raved about the Colts adding talent for the stretch run.

"Really good player, tremendous," Jones said of Gardner. "He's a Pro Bowler, All-Pro player, so anytime you can get a guy like that is huge."

The AFC South-leading Colts, who boast the NFL's top rusher in Jonathan Taylor with 895 yards, announced Thursday they will be without defensive tackle DeForest Buckner in Germany due to a neck injury.

Two division leaders will clash when the AFC East powerhouse Patriots visit NFC South leader Tampa Bay (6-2) trying to stretch their win streak to seven games.

Quarterback Drake Maye has sparked the Pats on an impressive early run while Buccaneers counterpart Baker Mayfield has helped his club overcome injuries to share the NFC's best record.

"A lot of stuff before the snap we'll have to be great with, just the motions and the shifts," Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said. "Baker can extend plays or even manufacture the keepers to both sides.

"It's not like he's just moving the pocket one direction. If you give him a clean look, he's going to be able to function extremely well."

Three other matchups this week pit teams with winning records, including the Los Angeles Rams (6-2) at San Francisco (6-3), Pittsburgh (5-3) at the Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) and the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) at Green Bay (5-2-1) on Monday.

Sunday's other games find New Orleans at Carolina, the New York Giants at Chicago, Jacksonville at Houston, Buffalo at Miami, Baltimore at Minnesota, Cleveland at the New York Jets, Arizona at Seattle and Detroit at Washington.

Z.Ma--ThChM