KANSAS CITY – Four consecutive three-and-out possessions led the Colts to squander an 11-point fourth quarter advantage and lose in overtime, 23-20, to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Colts did not trail in the game until Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker connected on a 27-yard field goal in overtime. The Colts possessed the ball three times in the fourth quarter, and then once in overtime, and went three-and-out on all four drives.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Colts had a 20-9 lead; they had two drives end with a field goal inside the Chiefs' red zone in the third quarter, too.
That lead was built quickly when defensive end Laiatu Latu tipped a Patrick Mahomes pass to himself for his third interception of the season – the most by a Colts defensive lineman in franchise history and tied for the third-most by any defensive lineman in NFL history. More importantly, the interception gave the Colts' offense the ball on the Chiefs' three-yard line; after running back Jonathan Taylor was stuffed for a loss of three, quarterback Daniel Jones zipped a pass to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for a six-yard touchdown.
The touchdown was Pittman's seventh of the season, which set a new career high for the six-year veteran.
Kansas City responded with its first of two clock-churning drives in the first half, though both eight-plus-minute drives ended in field goals. A facemask penalty on right tackle Jawaan Taylor wiped out a Travis Kelce rushing touchdown on this first one, and the Colts' defense held strong to force a Harrison Butker chip shot field goal.
The Colts' ensuing possession was defined by a 48-yard catch-and-run throw from Jones to wide receiver Ashton Dulin, which moved the ball on a third-and-one all the way to the Chiefs' five-yard line. Jones, then, hung in a tight pocket and delivered an accurate throw to tight end Drew Ogletree in the back of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown, with Ogletree impressively getting both feet down.
The Chiefs were able to muster another eight-minute drive after, but tight coverage downfield led to back-to-back short sacks by defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and linebacker Austin Ajiake, which forced another Butker field goal.
After the Colts were not able to put a two-minute drive together, Kansas City – aided by several chunk gains, a facemask penalty on cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. and a roughing the passer flag assessed to Latu – moved the ball near the goal line, but again the Colts forced a short Butker field goal, sending the game to halftime with the Colts leading, 14-9.
Coming out of halftime, the Colts forced the Chiefs into their first three-and-out – and first punt – of the game, and responded with an efficient march into the Kansas City red zone. A third-and-four pass fell incomplete from Jones to wide receiver Josh Downs, though, leading to kicker Michael Badgley connecting on a 32-yard field goal to put the Colts up by eight midway through the third quarter.
The Colts added another field goal after a third-and-goal from the five pass from Jones to Pittman fell incomplete, with Pittman being whistled for offensive pass interference. Badgley connected from 32 yards to put the Colts up, 20-9, late in the third quarter.
A 42-yard Mahomes strike to wide receiver Rashee Rice set up Kansas City in the Colts' red zone on the ensuing possession, but linebacker Zaire Franklin knocked the ball out of running back Kareem Hunt's hands on the 11-yard line, with Ward falling on the loose ball at the Colts' six-yard line. The fumble turned what could've been a third-and-four on the Colts' 11-yard line into a Colts possession.
The Colts' offense went three-and-out, and Kansas City took possession back at their own 44-yard line with just under 14 minutes left. The Chiefs marched downfield on and 11-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a Hunt two-yard touchdown; Mahomes found Rice to convert a two-point try, which brought the score to 20-17 with 8:37 left.
The Colts went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, with a blitz forcing Jones to throw quickly and incomplete on a third-and-three. The ensuing punt gave the ball back to the Chiefs on their own 11-yard line with just under seven and a half minutes left.
But the Colts' defense forced a three-and-out of their own, with a Grover Stewart sack of Mahomes and tight third down coverage – including by cornerback Kenny Moore II on Kelce – getting the ball back to the Colts.
The three-and-out trades continued when Jones threw incomplete twice before a five-yard connection to Pittman; the Colts punted, and Kansas City took possession at their own six-yard line.
The Chiefs quickly moved the ball near midfield, and Mahomes completed a 19-yard pass to Rice on a fourth-and-three to get the ball to the Colts' 24-yard line. Kansas City then moved the ball to the two-yard line with about a minute left; a Germaine Pratt tackle for a loss and a Mahomes incompletion brought up a third-and-goal from the three-yard line with 20 seconds left.
Latu and defensive end Kwity Paye combined for a sack, which brought out Butker, who connected on a game-tying 25-yard attempt as regulation ended.
In overtime, the Colts won the toss and elected to receive, taking over possession at their own 33-yard line. Taylor was stuffed for a loss of two on a third-and-one run, leading to the Colts' fourth consecutive three-and-out.
A third-and-seven 30-yard completion from Mahomes to wide receiver Xavier Worthy keyed Kansas City's game-winning drive; Mahomes then found Rice for a 21-yard gain to get the Chiefs into field goal range. Hunt ran the ball down to the Colts' 11-yard line,
Butker connected on the game-winning 27-yard field goal just after the two-minute warning in overtime.
