Colts most to blame for heartbreaking Week 2 loss to Chiefs on Sunday Night Football

The Indianapolis Colts came very close to a monumental victory in Week 2. Indy could not hold off Kansas City in an overtime thriller on Sunday Night Football. The Colts gave the Chiefs everything they had, forcing overtime and nearly authoring an impressive win. Instead, the Colts suffered another loss to start the 2026 season that has the team feeling down.

Cam Bynum made it clear that urgency is high now that the Colts are 0-2 to start the season.

“Every game is a must-win, especially now, us losing two straight. Nobody wants to continue losing. So I think, no matter if it's a division game, no matter if it's out of division. Whatever game we step out there, it's a must win. But we know the weight of a division game. Those are worth two games. I think, obviously, the level of urgency to win just because we lost two straight is at 100 already,” Bynum said after the game.

It is hard not to think about how different the perception of this team would be if they'd only won the game. But now that this huge opportunity has passed, it is time to hand out some blame.

Here are the Colts most to blame for blowing a huge opportunity to upset the Chiefs in Week 2.

Keenan Allen looked terrible on Sunday Night Football, but Alec Pierce injury could save him

Allen has not looked like the player that NFL fans have grown to love over the past decade.

The veteran wide receiver made plenty of mistakes in Week 2 and clearly looked distracted. He finished the contest with one reception for five yards on just five targets.

Of course, Allen probably was distracted by the possibility of an upcoming suspension. Allen could face a suspension from the NFL of at least three games following his recent drunk driving arrest and subsequent charges.

The combination of Allen's quiet start to the season and his off-the-field issues make this whole experiment look dubious. Unfortunately, the Colts may feel forced to hold onto Allen until the last possible moment.

Alec Pierce suffered a heel injury in Week 2 after undergoing offseason surgery on the same leg earlier this year. Pierce's X-rays were already ruled as negative, but he was seen leaving the locker room on crutches and in a walking boot. Further tests are needed to determine how long he'll be out of action.

As a result, the Colts may be suddenly desperate to get anything they can from Allen while Pierce gets healthy.

But make no mistake, Allen's no-show against the Chiefs contributed to the Colts losing Sunday's game. He'll need to earn back his credibility in Indy before that loss is forgotten or forgiven.

The Colts defense could not stop a cold against the Chiefs

Indy has made some big investments in their defense over the past few seasons. That didn't help the Colts put up much of a fight on Sunday night.

The Colts allowed a whopping 523 total yards of offense in Week 2. Patrick Mahomes looked incredible, Kenneth Walker III was reliably good, and Travis Kelce turned back the clock for one game. Kansas City scored 33 points on offense, though only 27 of those points came in regulation. Still, the Colts were clearly incapable of putting up much of an obstacle for the Chiefs.

So what exactly is wrong in Indy?

Remember, the Colts have Sauce Gardner, Cam Bynum, and Charvarius Ward locking down the secondary. They also have some young talent in the front seven, though some young players like CJ Allen aren't even in the starting lineup.

At this point, it isn't that important to decide if the players or coaches deserve more blame. Instead, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to make their defense function properly.

If the Colts can't tighten up on defense, then this season could already be over.

Should Shane Steichen have gone for the win in overtime?

One of the most consequential moments of the game came during overtime. Unfortunately, it ended up costing the Colts the entire game.

Indianapolis had the ball on the Kansas City 15-yard line on a fourth-and-eight. There were three minutes remaining in overtime. If the Colts scored a touchdown, they would win the game. Otherwise, they would be forced to give the ball back to Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Steichen opted to take a penalty and kick a field goal instead of going for the win. He explained his rationale for that decision after the game.

“I was trying to finish the game with (Jonathan Taylor) with the ball in his hands. Obviously, ran it on first down, ran it again on second down. We got a third and long, (Daniel Jones) scrambled… It was fourth-and-eight, had a play called, had to love the look to run it there. If not, we took the delay of game and kicked the field goal,” Steichen said.

It is easy to see where Steichen is coming from. After all, Taylor had 24 carries for 92 rushing yards and two touchdowns. If anyone could deliver a big play during a clutch moment, it would be him.

That said, the Colts had their opportunity for a win right there. It is frankly shocking that an offensive coach like Steichen would not go for the win in that situation.

Indy could have come out of this game energized after a huge win. Instead, they look like one of the league's most vulnerable teams whose head coach will not bet on them when it really counts.

This game could be remembered as one defining moment that ended the Steichen era in Indy if his team cannot turn the season around.