Luck threw for 205 yards Sunday , and his 7 - yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne on third - and - goal late in the fourth quarter gave the Colts a 20 - 13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs .
victory
luck throw 205 yard sunday his 7 yard touchdown pass reggie wayne goal late fourth quarter give colts 20 13 victory kansas city chiefs
Luck threw for 205 yards Sunday , and his 7 - yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne on third - and - goal late in the fourth quarter gave the Colts a 20 - 13 <m> victory </m> over the Kansas City Chiefs .
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Colts beat Chiefs 20 - 13 to clinch playoff berth
December 23 , 2012 6 : 11 PM
The expectations placed upon Andrew Luck almost seemed unfair .
Being the heir to Peyton Manning in Indianapolis is heady stuff for a rookie taking the reins of a franchise that won two games last season .
Now , after guiding the Colts back to the playoffs - and breaking Cam Newton's single - season passing record for a first - year player - it's safe to say Luck exceeded just about all of them .
Luck threw for 205 yards Sunday , and his 7 - yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne on third - and - goal late in the fourth quarter gave the Colts a 20 - 13 <m> victory </m> over the Kansas City Chiefs .
That put them into the playoffs without worrying about anybody else .
''Would we have done it without him ? '' Colts interim coach Bruce Arians asked .
''No . ''
Luck broke Newton's record of 4 , 051 yards passing in the second quarter .
But it was extending his own rookie record for fourth - quarter comebacks to seven was more important .
The Chiefs had rallied behind Jamaal Charles' 226 yards rushing to tie the game 13 - 13 heading into the fourth quarter .
The Colts' defense stuffed quarterback Brady Quinn on fourth - and - inches to give Luck a chance .
That's all he needed .
After a miserable stretch in which he connected on 1 of 13 passes , the fabulous freshman calmly led Indianapolis ( 10 - 5 ) downfield .
He completed a key pass to T . Y . Hilton on third down and made two nice throws to Wayne before hitting the veteran in the back of the end zone .
''We had so many opportunities all game , especially on third down , that we squandered , '' Wayne said .
''We wanted to get that done .
That was the opportune time to do it . ''
Darius Butler returned an interception 32 yards for the Colts' other touchdown , helping them join the 2008 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to win at least 10 games after losing 14 or more the previous season .
Most of those wins have come under Arians , who has filled in admirably while Chuck Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia .
Pagano is expected to rejoin the Colts this week .
''Mission accomplished .
That's all I can say , '' Arians said .
''Without getting emotional again , knowing that ( Pagano ) is going to be back Monday , the work week shouldn't be as stressful . ''
Charles' big day included an 86 - yard touchdown run on the first play of the second half .
It was his second 200 - yard game of the season , and came one week after he managed 10 yards on nine carries against Oakland .
''It was fun today , competing out there and doing it while we were trying to come back , '' Charles said .
''It was fun going out there and putting out a performance like that . ''
Charles joined the Titans' Chris Johnson and former Lions great Barry Sanders as the only players with three runs of 80 or more yards in a season .
His third career 200 - yard game also set a franchise record , which he had shared with Larry Johnson .
Peyton Hillis added 101 yards on the ground for the Chiefs ( 2 - 13 ) , who had 352 yards rushing in a losing effort - the first time that's happened in NFL history .
A big reason why was Quinn , who was just 10 of 22 for 162 yards with two interceptions .
''This game was without a doubt , 100 percent on my shoulders , '' he said .
''You can't play the way I played today and win a football game . ''
His trouble began with the Chiefs' fifth offensive play , when he threw woefully behind Dexter McCluster - who wasn't even looking for the ball .
Butler picked off the pass in stride , taking it untouched to the end zone for a 7 - 0 lead .
Kansas City managed a field goal by Ryan Succop , but he missed his next try and the Colts went the other direction to set up the first of Adam Vinatieri's two field goals .
Charles fumbled in the red zone later in the second quarter , and the Colts moved into Vinatieri's range for a 36 - yard field goal and a 13 - 3 halftime lead .
Charles electrified a sparse crowd on the first play of the second half .
He angled to the left and then found room down the sideline , cutting back toward the middle of the field and winning a foot - race with the Indianapolis defense for an 86 - yard touchdown run .
The Chiefs were in position to take the lead later in the third quarter , but Quinn was picked off by Vontae Davis in the end zone .
The defense forced a three - and - out and Kansas City was driving again before settling for Succop's tying 47 - yard field goal .
The Chiefs got the ball back again late in the fourth quarter , but Quinn was stuffed on a quarterback sneak on fourth - and - inches from the Indianapolis 27 .
That turned the ball over to Luck , who completed an 11 - yard pass to T . Y . Hilton to convert a third down before he and Wayne won it .
''At times it looked a little bleak , '' Arians said .
''Guys hung in there , made plays when they had to make them .
Offensively we struggled , and then put together a drive , like we have all year . ''
Notes : Chiefs WR Terrance Copper ( left knee ) and DT Tyson Jackson ( left foot ) left with injuries . . . .
Wayne had five catches to become the fifth player in NFL history with four 100 - catch seasons .
He also became the 14th player to reach 13 , 000 yards receiving .