Sauce Gardner eagerly awaits taking the international stage for his Colts debut against Falcons
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Sauce Gardner spent Monday studying video of the Cleveland Browns. By Tuesday, he had moved on to the Atlanta Falcons. On Sunday, he's expected to be on the field — with the Indianapolis Colts in Berlin.
It's been a whirlwind week for the two-time All-Pro cornerback, who was dealt by the New York Jets to the Colts at the trade deadline on Tuesday. He flew to Indy that night, and the team was set to fly to Europe on Thursday.
In between, he's been getting acclimated to a new city, new coaches and a different opponent. And now that he's cleared the concussion protocol, he's set to make his Colts debut on the international stage.
“I've barely slept, so I'm looking forward to that flight,” Gardner said Thursday in his first public comments since he was traded. “It's like every single minute that I've had here in Indianapolis, I'm doing something. Whether it's with the trainers, whether it's filling out paperwork, practice, watching film. Obviously, it's midseason so it's been like the craziest 48 hours.”
Gardner seems at peace with how things ended up.
Though he said he never requested a trade, Gardner welcomed the move that sent him from a team vying for next year's No. 1 draft pick to one that leads the AFC South, appears poised to snap a four-year playoff drought and delivered a loud, clear message that it's all-in for a Super Bowl run.
Coach Shane Steichen is trying to tamp down expectations by making sure the Colts (7-2) remain focused on this week's challenge — beating the Falcons (3-5).
“It boosts the confidence in everybody, and our team is in a good spot,” Steichen said of the trade. “But my message to the guys is the same every day. We've got to get better every day and focus on today and not worry about the future."
If the Colts (7-2) needed a reminder of what can happen when they're not ready, they could just look at the video from last weekend's six-turnover, 27-20 loss at Pittsburgh.
Two days later, everything changed — and not just in Indy.
“Great job by those guys going to get him,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “Sauce is a really good football player. I got a chance to call him and congratulate him (Tuesday). He's excited. He hadn't gotten there yet so hopefully he'll figure it out if he doesn't have a passport.”
Atlanta has lost three straight, and star running back Bijan Robinson hasn't rushed for more than 40 yards or scored a touchdown in any of those defeats. His job is unlikely to get any easier Sunday against one of the league's top run defenses.
The good news for the Falcons is that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is off the injury report this week after throwing three TD passes — all to Drake London — in last week's loss.
The bad news: He'll be facing Gardner, a two-time All-Pro who wants to prove he's still a game-changing cover cornerback.
“It was less about the Jets wanting to trade me and more about the Colts wanting me to be here,” Gardner said. “I'm not looking at this like I'm the missing piece. I think I'm creating an additional piece and I know I'm going to bring a lot to the table.”
Two years ago, when the Colts played in Frankfurt, Germany, left tackle Bernhard Raimann was dubbed Indy's unofficial ambassador for the trip because he grew up in Austria. Back then, he was fielding questions from teammates about everything from food choices to places to visit.
This time, Raimann said he hasn't taken nearly as many questions.
The Falcons also have international experience, going 1-2 overseas and losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London two years ago. For Morris, leading his team in Berlin's Olympic Stadium has special significance.
“Obviously, we're going to a very important Olympic spot, you know, where Jesse Owens won a gold medal in front of Hitler,” he said. “I mean, it's just crazy to think about that, the you're playing in that exact same stadium.”
In addition to dealing with Gardner and the Colts' strong run defense, the Falcons could be short-handed along the interior of the offensive line.
Morris said left guard Matthew Bergeron is considered week to week with an ankle injury. If Bergeron can't play, Morris said Kyle Hinton would probably replace him.
Neither Bergeron nor right guard Chris Lindstrom practiced Wednesday. Lindstrom has a foot injury and is listed as day to day, making it more likely he will play this week.
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