How Chiefs Have Avoided Turnovers at League-Leading Rate

Kansas City’s NFL-low two turnovers – a pair of painful Patrick Mahomes interceptions on the goal line – have served as a nice complement to an aggressive attack with a lot more downfield and tight-window shots, compared to last season.

Since the calendar flipped to November last year, the Chiefs are now 14-1 when Patrick Mahomes is interception-free, their only loss in Week 1 to the Chargers. Conversely, when he throws at least one interception over that period, Kansas City is 0-4.

What’s more, the Week 5 loss at Jacksonville was extremely rare air for the Chiefs, who finished plus-one in turnover margin. Kansas City had won 39 straight, including five playoff games, when winning the turnover ratio. During Steve Spagnuolo’s tenure as defensive coordinator (2019-present), the Chiefs are now 42-2 (.955) when winning the turnover margin.

Credit the players and coaches for protecting the ball, too. The Chiefs and Steelers are the NFL’s only two teams that haven’t lost a fumble.

And in a game of centimeters, the Chiefs have dodged some precarious giveaway situations. On defense, they’ve also missed a few key takeaway opportunities. Here’s a closer look.

Week 3 in New York

Patrick Mahomes promised afterward he’d never do it again . After throwing a backward pass that hit the turf inside the Chiefs’ 10-yard line (by rule a live-ball fumble), the quarterback saved his team. With his brain a few steps ahead of his legs, he beat Bobby Okereke to the loose ball and prevented not only a giveaway but also a Giants touchdown. With the score tied 6-6 late in the first half, the momentum-saving play was gigantic in a 22-9 win, the Chiefs’ first victory of the season.

Most painful loss of year so far

The Chiefs got on their plane after a 31-28 loss lamenting not only 13 penalties but three near takeaways, the most painful of which was the late-game Bryan Cook interception in the end zone (erased by defensive pass interference on Chamarri Conner, who was playing Brian Thomas, not the ball). On the next play, Trevor Lawrence’s Stumble Six won the game.

In the first half, Lawrence’s deep pass ricocheted off intended receiver Tim Patrick, then ping-ponged off two more players. And after linebackers Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill collided like outfielders at Kauffman Stadium, the ball fell painfully incomplete.

Conner and Bolton also collided on another near-interception late in the first half.

Disaster averted against Lions

Midway through the second quarter with Detroit up 10-6, Aidan Hutchinson nearly wrecked the game. Singled up with tight end Noah Gray, the edge rusher sacked Mahomes and stripped the ball. Mahomes again saved the day, however, valiantly beating Hutchinson and Jack Campbell to recover his own fumble.

Unbelievable sequence against Raiders

The Chiefs were up 14-0 late in the first half – just like Jacksonville – and nearly threw another interception that could’ve gotten the Raiders back in the game.

After Jamal Adams blitzed off the edge to sack Mahomes, defensive tackle Jonah Laulu nearly intercepted a pass intended for Rashee Rice. On the next snap, Tristin McCollum tipped Mahomes’ pass but JuJu Smith-Schuster somehow caught it for a 19-yard gain – converting a third-and-14.

Kansas City eventually got in the end zone on Mahomes’ back-shoulder toss to Rice, taking a 21-0 lead into halftime.