There was a moment during the Chiefs’ comeback win against the Colts where it seemed Indianapolis was burying the playoff hopes of the Chiefs Kingdom. Entering the fourth quarter, the Colts held an 11-point lead, and Patrick Mahomes’ offense just couldn’t punch in a touchdown. However, the 23-20 overtime victory ultimately gave credit to the entire Chiefs team. The defense contained the league’s best offense to only two field goals in the second half and forced three consecutive three-and-outs in the final quarter.
The Chiefs dominated the box score, running 91 plays to the Colts’ 50, holding a time of possession advantage of 42 minutes to 25, converting 33 first downs to 10, and accumulating 494 total yards to 255, including limiting Offensive Player of the Year candidate Jonathan Taylor to just 64 total yards. The Colts’ defense deserves credit for keeping them in the game, but fatigue eventually took its toll.
Patrick Mahomes Sets Untouchable Comeback Record
The comeback served as yet another reminder, as if one were needed, that regardless of the score or the time on the clock, you can never count out Patrick Mahomes. This was not only Mahomes’ largest 4th-quarter comeback (down 11 points), but with the victory, Mahomes now boasts an unheard-of winning record (20-18) in games when the Chiefs have trailed by 10 or more points at any time. No other quarterback in NFL history with a minimum number of starts has a winning record in such games.
Mahomes also maintains a perfect 7-0 record in regular season overtimes. While he is still far from Tom Brady’s NFL record of 46 comebacks, given the number of seasons he has left and the way he performs when trailing, there is little doubt he will eventually break that mark before calling it a career.
Despite throwing an interception on the Chiefs’ first drive (which led to a Jonathan Taylor touchdown), it was an historic game for Patrick Mahomes. Even without a passing touchdown for only the second time this season (Week 9 vs. Bills) and 11th time in his career, he passed for 352 yards, recording his 50th game with at least 300 passing yards in his career. He is now the third quarterback all-time to reach 50 games with at least 300 passing yards in his first 11 seasons, joining Drew Brees (57 games) and Matt Ryan (53).
He also became the fastest player to reach 35,000 regular-season passing yards in NFL history in just 123 games, surpassing Matthew Stafford (126 games). With the win against the Colts, Mahomes has now defeated all 31 teams he has faced in the league, continuing to prove why he is the ultimate winner in the NFL. Despite all the gossip surrounding the Chiefs’ season, the team will not surrender until the final week, and this crucial victory significantly increased their playoff chances.
Chiefs Face Must-Win Games to Save the Season
The Chiefs must be nearly perfect over their six remaining games to secure a playoff spot. It begins with a short week, as the Chiefs play the Dallas Cowboys this Thursday on Thanksgiving, a must-win game for both teams to keep their season alive. This is followed by a couple of home games against two other AFC teams in a similar desperate situation: first, the Houston Texans, and then the divisional rival Los Angeles Chargers.
The schedule then eases slightly with the “easiest” game of their stretch against Tennessee, before their most important game: a Christmas Day rematch in Week 17 against the Broncos. They finish the season in Las Vegas against the Raiders, but by then, even a victory might not be enough, forcing them to depend on the results of other teams.
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