The Indianapolis Colts erased a 28-point deficit in the second half of the AFC wildcard game to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, 45-44.
Multiple milestones and records were set in the game between the two teams.
The comeback by the Colts ties for the second largest comeback in NFL history.
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 443 yards and four touchdowns in the win. He also had three interceptions. Luck’s 443 yards passing was 5th all-time in NFL playoff history.
Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton had two touchdowns and 224 yards, which is the third most for receiving yards by a single player in playoff history.
The Colts and Chiefs also combine for a total of 1,049 yards in the game, which is a new playoff record.
The two teams also combined for 58 first downs, which is the most for a regulation playoff game.
Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith threw for 378 yards and four touchdowns against the Colts defense.
Despite having the 31-10 lead at halftime, the Chiefs missed running back Jamaal Charles in the second half after he was unable to return to the game due to concussion-like symptoms from a hit he took in the first quarter.
The Colts took their first lead of the game with 4:21 left in the fourth quarter when Hilton caught a pass from Andrew Luck that resulted in a 64-yard touchdown and a extra point kick made by Adam Vinatieri.
The Chiefs had a chance to regain the lead but managed to find themselves in a 4th-and-11 situation with exactly two minutes remaining in the game.
Smith threw a pass near the sideline in one-on-one coverage to receiver Dwayne Bowe, who caught the pass but stepped out of bounds ending the drive and turning the ball over on downs. The Colts ran out the clock and extend their winning-streak to four straight games.
The Chiefs have now lost eight straight postseason games, breaking the record the Chiefs shared with the Detroit Lions for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history.
The Chiefs end the 2013 season at 11-6 overall and 7-6 in AFC games.
The Colts move to 12-5 and will play a divisional road game next week against either Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos or Tom Brady’s New England Patriots.
Sports Minded 