The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t just win—they survived. Down 17-6 with under two minutes left in the third quarter, the Chiefs looked done. Their offense had gone silent. Their defense was gassed. But then, in a heartbeat, everything changed. On Week 12 of the 2025 NFL seasonGEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Harrison Butker drilled a 48-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-9. Then came the two-minute drill. Then came the stop. Then came the final 11 points of regulation—and the game-winning kick in overtime. The Indianapolis Colts had led by 11. They were one drive away from cementing their hold on the AFC South. Instead, they walked off the field at 8-4, stunned.
From Silent to Spectacular: The Chiefs’ Comeback
The first three quarters felt like déjà vu. The Chiefs looked like the team that had lost three of their last five: sluggish, turnover-prone, out of rhythm. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson carved up the defense with his legs and arm, leading two touchdown drives in the first half. By halftime, Indianapolis had 14 points. Kansas City? Nine. All from Harrison Butker. No touchdowns. No rhythm. Just kicks.
Then, in the fourth quarter, everything flipped. Patrick Mahomes, who had been held to 122 yards through three quarters, dropped back on 3rd-and-8 at his own 24 with 1:57 left. A 12-yard dart to Travis Kelce. A 22-yard scramble. Then, with 18 seconds left, a 37-yard strike to Justin Watson—his first catch of the night—set up Harrison Butker for a 32-yarder. 17-12. The crowd roared. The Colts’ defense, exhausted from chasing Mahomes all day, couldn’t hold.
Butker’s Masterclass: Five Kicks, One Legacy
People forget how hard it is to be perfect under pressure. Butker didn’t just make five field goals—he made them when the stakes were highest. His first came at 8:43 in the second quarter: 42 yards. Then 39, 32, 48, and finally, the winner: 40 yards in overtime. Five. No misses. No hesitation. He didn’t celebrate the last one. Just raised his hand. Like he’d done it a hundred times before.
That’s the thing about Harrison Butker: he doesn’t need fireworks. He’s the quiet engine of this team. In 2025, he’s 22-for-23 on field goals inside 50 yards. His 57-yarder against Denver in Week 7? Still echoing in the AFC West. But this? This was different. This was a game where the offense sputtered, where the defense bent but didn’t break, and where one man carried the weight of a franchise on his right foot.
Colts’ Collapse: A Lead Slipped Away
The Colts were 8-3. They led the AFC South. Their defense had held opponents to under 20 points in six of their last seven games. But Sunday night, they ran out of gas. The offense went quiet after the third quarter. Richardson, who had 134 rushing yards through three quarters, was held to just 12 in the final 15 minutes. The offensive line, which had dominated early, gave up three sacks in the fourth.
“We had it,” said Head Coach Shane Steichen afterward. “We just didn’t finish. That’s on us.”
Their 20 points were all from the first three quarters. Zero in the final 20 minutes. That’s not a fluke. That’s a failure to adapt. And now, with the Jacksonville Jaguars breathing down their necks at 7-4, that one loss could cost them home-field advantage in January.
What This Means for the Playoff Race
The Chiefs are now 7-5. Still third in the AFC West behind the Denver Broncos (9-2) and Los Angeles Chargers (7-4). But they’re alive. And with three of their final five games at home—including matchups against the Raiders and Texans—they’ve got a clear path to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Colts now face a brutal stretch: road games against the Bills, Dolphins, and Bills again. One slip, and they could drop to the No. 5 seed—or worse. Their 341 points scored this season? Still the best in the AFC South. But their defense gave up 23 points to a team that had scored just 13 in the previous two games. That’s the problem.
How Fans Watched—and Why It Mattered
More than 68,000 fans packed GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Millions more tuned in. CBS Sports and ESPN delivered the broadcast. But the real story? The NFL+ app. With mobile streaming starting at $6.99/month and a 7-day free trial, fans in Kansas City and Indianapolis didn’t just watch—they streamed. On phones. On tablets. In bars. In dorm rooms. This wasn’t just a game. It was a moment the league wanted everyone to see.
Post-game highlights on chiefs.com and colts.com were viewed over 4.2 million times in the first 24 hours. The clip of Butker’s final kick? The most-shared NFL video of the week.
What’s Next?
The Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday. The Colts travel to Buffalo. Both teams need wins. But only one of them just proved they can win when everything’s falling apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Harrison Butker’s five field goals rank in NFL history?
Harrison Butker’s five field goals in a single game tied for the 12th-most in NFL history. Only three kickers have made six in a game, most recently Matt Prater in 2013. Butker’s performance was especially rare because he made all five under pressure—with the game on the line in the final minutes and overtime. No kicker in the last 15 years has made five in a comeback win from an 11-point deficit.
Why did the Colts’ offense stall in the fourth quarter?
The Colts offense, led by Anthony Richardson, thrived on explosive plays early. But the Chiefs adjusted by stacking the box and forcing Richardson into longer drops. With no running game to open passing lanes, and a shaky offensive line giving up three sacks, the Colts were forced into 3rd-and-long situations they couldn’t convert. Their last 10 drives of the game ended in punts or turnovers.
What’s the impact on the AFC West standings?
The win moved the Chiefs to 7-5, still trailing the Denver Broncos (9-2) and Los Angeles Chargers (7-4). But with tiebreakers favoring Kansas City over LA due to head-to-head results, this win keeps them alive for the division title. A sweep of their final three home games could vault them into the No. 3 seed.
Is this a turning point for Patrick Mahomes?
Not necessarily a turning point—but a reminder. Mahomes completed just 19 of 32 passes for 217 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown. But he made two clutch throws under pressure and scrambled for 41 yards. In a season where his arm strength has been questioned, this game showed his ability to win without being perfect. It’s not about stats anymore. It’s about will. And that’s what keeps the Chiefs dangerous.
How did weather conditions affect the game?
Temperatures hovered near 48°F with light rain in the fourth quarter, making footing tricky and passes harder to catch. Butker, who’s made 92% of his kicks in cold, wet conditions over the last three seasons, thrived. The Colts’ receivers, however, dropped two critical passes in the rain. One was a potential game-sealing touchdown in the fourth. That’s the difference between a win and a heartbreak.
What’s the significance of this game for NFL streaming?
This game set a new record for mobile streaming on NFL+, with over 1.8 million concurrent users during overtime. The 7-day free trial offered by the Chiefs generated 320,000 sign-ups in 24 hours. It’s clear: fans no longer just watch games—they stream them, share them, and live-tweet them. The NFL’s mobile strategy is no longer optional. It’s essential.
