INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts (7-2) are set for their international showdown on Sunday morning as they take on the Atlanta Falcons (3-5) at Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network and locally on FOX59.

Unfortunately for the Colts, they'll enter the game very shorthanded on the defensive line.

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (neck) didn't practice this week and was ruled out on Thursday before the team took off for Germany. He was later placed on Injured Reserve, forcing him to miss at least the next four games.

Aside from Buckner, defensive ends Samson Ebukam (knee) and Tyquan Lewis (groin) are out for their third straight game, as is wide receiver/return specialist Anthony Gould (knee) for a second consecutive week.

Cornerback Sauce Gardner, whom the Colts traded for on Tuesday, cleared the concussion protocol this week and is good to go. Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Gardner will shadow Falcons' top wide receiver, Drake London, on Sunday.

The Falcons are a bit banged up as well. Left guard Matthew Bergeron (ankle), linebacker Leonard Floyd (hamstring), and offensive tackle Storm Norton (IR-foot) are all out, while right guard Chris Lindstrom (foot), cornerback Mike Hughes (neck), and defensive tackle LaCale London (shoulder) entered as questionable. Lindstrom is active, while the others are inactive.

Here are the inactive players for both teams:

• DE Samson Ebukam (knee)
• RB DJ Giddens
• WR Anthony Gould (knee)
• DE Tyquan Lewis (groin)
• S Reuben Lowery III
• TE Will Mallory
• OT Luke Tenuta

With Buckner out, expect to see much more of Neville Gallimore and Adetomiwa Adebawore in his absence. Likewise, at defensive end, JT Tuimoloau and Durell Nchami will primarily fill in for Ebukam and Lewis.

On Saturday, the Colts signed wide receiver Laquon Treadwell to the active roster from the practice squad. They also elevated Nchami and defensive tackle Tim Smith from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday's game.

• OL Joshua Gray
• OL Andrew Stueber
• G Matthew Bergeron (ankle)
• DL LaCale London (shoulder)
• DE Leonard Floyd (hamstring)
• CB Mike Hughes (neck)
• S Jordan Fuller

The Falcons avoided being seriously hamstrung. With Lindstrom active, it gives Atlanta at least one of their starting guards, as Bergeron is out. Defensively, the Falcons will be without defensive starters Floyd and Hughes.

Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL. 

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