The Colts came closer in Week 2, but the result still stung the same way. Indianapolis fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 33-30 in overtime, and even in a game where the effort was better than it was in Week 1, the final accounting still leaned ugly for Shane Steichen’s team.
There was plenty to question about how the Colts handled overtime, too. When Indianapolis had the ball, the play-calling invited second-guessing, and the team seemed content to settle for a field goal rather than push hard for the touchdown. That kind of caution could come back around later in the season.
Still, the Colts are 0-2, not finished. They need a postseason push, and they at least showed enough fight against Kansas City to keep some hope alive after two weeks.
One of the biggest bright spots came from undrafted free agent Gushiken, who might have played his way into a bigger role at slot cornerback starting in Week 3. He made two major plays late and brought more physicality than Justin Walley. The sample is small, but Gushiken showed the kind of athleticism that can matter if he keeps developing.
At receiver, Downs gave Indianapolis something real to build on. With Alec Pierce leaving again after hurting his ankle or heel, Downs was the Colts’ best pure wideout.
He caught seven passes for 72 yards and came through with some of his best grabs in tight coverage. In the final year of his rookie deal, he suddenly has a real chance to prove he can be a reliable WR2.
The defensive side, though, had more trouble than answers. Cornerback Justin Walley was better than he was in Week 1, but that still wasn’t enough to escape criticism.
He struggled early, lacked the strength to fight receivers physically, and didn’t look like he had the technique to make up for it. Even with Gushiken playing better, Walley stayed on the field at times in the second half, including snaps outside instead of in the slot.
The argument here is simple: Walley should be on the bench in Week 3.
Linebacker CJ Allen also lands in the loser column. After sitting out Week 1, he finally got on the field, but he was buried in the inside linebacker rotation and didn’t provide much when he did play.
As the team’s first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, he has not lived up to that billing so far. The coaching staff can talk about learning and progress, but Allen needs to start showing it on the field, and soon.
The broader concern is hard to miss. Even with the overtime caveat, Indianapolis still gave up more than 500 yards for the second straight week and allowed 6.7 yards per play. For all the respect Anarumo gets, he has been statistically strong for most of the last decade, but he still hasn’t shown he can develop the Colts’ current players.
In Other News...
Colts Fans Wont Love What Mahomes Said After That Overtime Call
The Colts left Kansas City with a 33-30 overtime loss that will linger, and not just because Harrison Butker ended it with a final field goal. The game swung on a crucial fumble call against Indianapolis that was overturned after replay review, a ruling that changed the tone of the night and gave the Chiefs a break they needed as Patrick Mahomes kept the offense moving.
Mahomes certainly noticed the break, and he did not try to hide how much it helped. After the game, he addressed the reversal with relief and a little humor, a reaction that Colts fans probably wont appreciate given how much that sequence shaped the outcome. On the field, he was sharp enough to capitalize, finishing 32 of 47 for 382 yards and three touchdowns to help Kansas City escape with the win. [Read more 🡒]
Mahomes Weighed In On The Colts Call Everyone Is Arguing About
The overtime sequence between the Chiefs and Colts had enough drama on its own, but Patrick Mahomes added another layer afterward by weighing in on the officiating decision that had plenty of people talking. The Chiefs quarterback said he was relieved the play was not ruled a fumble against Kansas City, knowing full well how quickly a controversial call can take over the conversation once fans get on social media.
Mahomes also pointed to the bigger issue any time a game ends with a disputed judgment call: teams still have to settle it on the field. For the Colts, that leaves the frustration of a heated moment hanging around longer than they would like, especially in a game that turned on a decision everyone seemed to have an opinion about. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Were Nearly Burned By A Brutal Overtime Rules Mistake
The Colts came dangerously close to turning a routine overtime coin toss into a self-inflicted mess before the extra period even began. Captain Cam Bynum initially said defer, a choice that is not available in overtime, and the moment briefly gave Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs a chance to press their case with the referee before the situation was sorted out.
In the end, the ref went back to Bynum to clarify the decision, and the Colts settled on starting on defense, which meant kicking off to begin overtime. Mahomes later acknowledged he was trying to take advantage of the miscue, a small but telling reminder that in the NFL, even the rules at the coin toss can become part of the strategy. [Read more 🡒]