Berlin –
When Indianapolis Colts kicker Michael Badgley made a last-gasp field goal to send Sunday’s game to overtime, the crowd in Berlin understood the significance, even if many were watching live for the first time.
The reaction of the 72,203 fans at Berlin Olympic Stadium during the venue’s first regular-season NFL game — between the Colts and the Atlanta Falcons — showed how far the sport has come in Germany since its initial foray into the country at the same venue 35 years ago.
The Colts, arguably the NFL’s top team this season and the nominal “home” team on Sunday, were trailing after a Falcons touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:44 on the clock.