Week 12 Recap: Chiefs Stun Colts 23-20 In Overtime Thriller At Arrowhead

The Kansas City Chiefs finally won a close game when it mattered most, rallying from an 11 point deficit to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 23-20 in overtime in Week 12 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Harrison Butker nailed his fifth field goal of the night, a 27 yard game winner in overtime, to cap one of the wildest comebacks of the 2025 NFL season. 

Final Score And Key Facts

• Final score: Chiefs 23, Colts 20 (OT)

• Q1: Colts 7, Chiefs 0

• Total yards: Chiefs 494, Colts 255

On paper, Kansas City dominated, but red zone struggles, penalties and an early turnover forced them to fight from behind all afternoon.

How The Game Unfolded

First Half: Colts Strike First, Chiefs Settle For Threes

The Colts punched first after an early Patrick Mahomes interception that set them up deep in Chiefs territory. Daniel Jones hit Michael Pittman Jr. on a 6 yard touchdown to give Indianapolis a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. 

Kansas City moved the ball well but stalled in the red zone. Harrison Butker got them on the board with a 28 yard field goal early in the second quarter, but Jones answered with another scoring drive, finding tight end Drew Ogletree for a 4 yard touchdown and a 14-3 Colts lead. 

Mahomes responded with two more long drives, yet both ended in Butker field goals from 48 and 22 yards. The Chiefs went into halftime trailing 14-9 despite clearly outgaining Indianapolis.

Third Quarter: Colts Extend The Lead

After the break, Indianapolis leaned on their efficiency. Michael Badgley converted field goals from 32 and 23 yards on back to back drives, stretching the lead to 20-9. The Colts looked firmly in control while the Chiefs offense continued to settle for nothing or three instead of seven. 

Fourth Quarter: Chiefs Come Alive

The game flipped in the fourth quarter.

Kareem Hunt powered an 11 play, 56 yard drive and finished it by soaring over the goal line for a 2 yard rushing touchdown. On the crucial two point conversion, Mahomes hit Rashee Rice to cut the deficit to 20-17 and bring Arrowhead back to life. 

Kansas City’s defense then slammed the door. The Colts offense completely stalled and did not register a single first down after the third quarter, repeatedly punting the ball back to Mahomes. 

With the game on the line, Mahomes orchestrated a textbook 15 play, 87 yard drive in the final minutes. He shredded the Colts with underneath throws and a couple of chunk gains to Rice and Travis Kelce, setting up Butker for a clutch 25 yard field goal as time expired to force overtime. 

Overtime: Butker Ends It

In overtime, the Chiefs defense delivered again, stuffing Jonathan Taylor on a key third down and forcing a punt. Mahomes calmly marched the offense 81 yards on 12 plays, leaning on Hunt on the ground and Rice and rookie Xavier Worthy through the air.

Butker then stepped up and drilled a 27 yard field goal for his fifth make of the night, sealing the 23-20 comeback win and snapping Kansas City’s two game losing skid. 

Best Plays Of The Game

1. Laiatu Latu’s interception off Mahomes
Early in the game, Colts rookie pass rusher Laiatu Latu dropped into coverage and picked off Mahomes near the goal line, setting up the short field for Indy’s opening touchdown. It was a momentum turning play that gave the Colts early belief. 2. Air Kareem at the goal line
Kareem Hunt’s fourth quarter touchdown was straight from a highlight reel: he launched himself over the pile for a 2 yard score, igniting the Chiefs sideline and stadium. 

3. Mahomes to Rashee Rice for explosive gains
Mahomes repeatedly found Rashee Rice on deep and intermediate routes, including multiple gains over 30 yards that flipped field position and set up scoring opportunities. The Chiefs later released a highlight package of Rice’s 141 yard performance.

4. Butker’s back to back clutch field goals
Butker’s 25 yard kick at the end of regulation and 27 yard winner in overtime will sit near the top of his career moments. Under heavy pressure, he was perfect on all five attempts. 

5. Drue Tranquill stuffs Jonathan Taylor in OT
On a critical overtime third down, linebacker Drue Tranquill knifed through the line and dropped Jonathan Taylor for a loss, forcing the Colts to punt and giving Mahomes one more chance.

Standout Players

Kansas City Chiefs

• Patrick Mahomes, QB

• 29 of 46, 352 passing yards, 1 interception
  Mahomes did not throw a touchdown, but he completely controlled the game in the fourth quarter and overtime, attacking all levels of the field and refusing to force bad throws late. 

• 30 carries, 104 yards, 1 touchdown
  With Isiah Pacheco still out, Hunt carried the load. His physical running helped Kansas City dominate time of possession and his leaping touchdown run flipped the momentum.

• 8 catches, 141 yards
  Rice was Mahomes’s go to weapon all afternoon, winning on deep balls, crossers and key third down routes. His ability to separate and make contested catches changed the complexion of the game.

• 5 of 5 field goals (28, 48, 22, 25 and 27 yards)
  Butker was the difference on the scoreboard. On a day when the Chiefs repeatedly stalled in the red zone, his perfect night kept them alive and ultimately won the game. 

Indianapolis Colts

• Daniel Jones, QB

• 19 of 31, 181 yards, 2 touchdowns
  Jones was efficient early, throwing two precise touchdown passes in the first half, but the offense completely dried up in the final quarter and overtime. 

• Red zone touchdown and several key early catches
  Pittman set the tone with the opening touchdown and was Jones’s most trusted target during the Colts’ early surge.

• Interception, sack, multiple pressures
  Latu showed why Indianapolis invested in him, making the early interception of Mahomes and teaming with Pheldarius Payne for a crucial late sack. 

Injury Notes

Official postgame injury reports are still developing, but early indications include:

• The Chiefs briefly evaluated multiple offensive linemen during the game, and the coaching staff mentioned bumps and bruises across the line after a physical four quarters plus overtime.

Teams will update their full injury reports early in the week as they begin preparation for Week 13.

What This Game Means

• For the Chiefs:
  Kansas City improves to 6-5 and finally proves it can close out a one score game. The comeback can serve as a turning point in their season, keeping them firmly in the AFC playoff hunt and restoring confidence before a short week trip to face the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. 

There was everything you could want in a late season showdown: big plays, clutch kicks, a quarterback duel and overtime drama. If the Chiefs do make a run in the AFC, this comeback against the Colts will be remembered as one of the defining nights of their 2025 season.