Indianapolis Scores Late to Drop Kansas City
By: Matthew Tritten
Updated: December 23, 2012
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) In a season that was lost weeks ago, the Chiefs continue to find ways to lose, and Sunday was no different.
Indianapolis (10-5) beat Kansas City (2-13) 20-13 to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
The Chiefs ran all over the Colts racking up 352 rushing yards, 226 belonged to Jamaal Charles and 101 to Peyton Hillis, but were held scoreless in the fourth quarter of a tie game.
Andrew Luck threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne in the back of the end zone with just over four minutes left in the game.
Kansas City had a chance to answer on their final drive, but an incomplete pass, a rush for two yards followed by a two yard loss led to a punt and the end of the game.
The Chiefs are the first team in NFL history to pick up 350 yards or more on the ground and still lose the game.
"You don't win if you do things that cause you to lose," head coach Romeo Crennel said after the game. "And we do the things that cause us to lose."
The Colts defense, a unit that is last in the NFL in takeaways, started early when Darius Butler intercepted Brady Quinn's second pass of the game and returned it 32 yards for the first score of the game.
Late in the second quarter, Charles fumbled inside the red zone and Joe Lefeged recovered ending the threat.
Indy had one final turnover when Quinn was intercepted by Vontae Davis in the end zone on Kansas City's second drive of the third quarter.
Quinn finished the game 10-22 for 162 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
Afterward, the quarterback took responsibility for the loss.
"Our defense played lights out, our offensive line and running game was there," Quinn said. "Everyone did a fantastic job blocking and taking advantage of the looks they gave us. Special teams even gave us great field position. Without a doubt this is on me 100-percent."
Luck put his stamp on the game setting two records while in Kansas City.
The quarterback broke Cam Newton's record of 4,051 passing yards in a season by a rookie, and re-set his own mark for comeback wins by a first-year QB upping the record to seven.
The Chiefs wrap up the season December 30th against the AFC West Champion Denver Broncos.
Denver took the first meeting in Kansas City 17-9.
