KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A frozen Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium revealed a cold, hard reality; the Chiefs have exceeded expectations by earning a spot in the AFC playoffs.
However, a 23-7 loss to the AFC South Champion Colts at home raises concerns looking ahead to the postseason. The Chiefs loss allowed Denver to clinch the AFC West title. The Broncos beat Houston 37-13, clinching the division title, the no. 1 seed in the playoffs and a first round bye.
In what could be a playoff wild card preview, Jamaal Charles scored on a 31-yard run on the Chiefs’ opening drive. But they never reached the end zone again. The Colts (10-5) took advantage of four Kansas City turnovers and scored 23 unanswered points. Andrew Luck threw for 241 yards and a touchdown. Charles finished with 106 yards rushing and 38 yards receiving for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs (11-4) lost their last three home games. They finish the regular season next Sunday at San Diego. There’s a very strong possibility the Chiefs will travel to Indianapolis for a rematch against the Colts in the opening round of the playoffs on January fourth or fifth.