Colts coach Shane Steichen made twice chose to kick in Sunday nightâÂÂs overtime loss to the Chiefs. Questioned about those decisions after the game, Steichen defended his process even though his team lost the game.
SteichenâÂÂs two choices came when the Colts won the coin toss and chose to kick off to start overtime, and then when the Colts settled for a game-tying field goal rather than trying to score a game-winning touchdown at the end of their only overtime possession.
On the choice to kick off after winning the toss, Steichen said he didnâÂÂt want to score first because it would be too easy for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to move the ball down the field if the Chiefs knew they were going to go for it on every fourth down.
âÂÂIf we go first with it, Mahomes gets four downs going the other way, so we wanted to play defense there and know we had four downs,â Steichen said. âÂÂIt can go either way in those situations, but we decided to kick off there, and we had a chance at the end. DidnâÂÂt finish it.âÂÂ
On the Chiefsâ opening possession, they kicked a field goal. That meant on the Coltsâ possession, a touchdown would win the game, while a field goal would tie it and give the ball back to the Chiefs. The Colts marched down the field and faced a fourth-and-8 at the Chiefsâ 15-yard line, and Steichen initially kept his offense on the field, appearing ready to go for the win. But after seeing how the Chiefsâ defense lined up, Steichen told his offense to take a delay of game penalty and settled for a field goal.
âÂÂIt was fourth-and-8, had a play called, had to love the look to run it there, and if not, we took the delay of game there and kicked the field goal there to tie it,â Steichen said.
That tied the game 30-30, and Mahomes proceeded to move the Chiefs into field goal range, where Harrison ButkerâÂÂs kick gave Kansas City the 33-30 win. Steichen thinks he made the right choices, even if he doesnâÂÂt like the result.