Turnovers continuing to haunt Chiefs, Mahomes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took the blame for his two turnovers against Tennessee, saying he pressed too much trying to make something happen.

That still leaves the Kansas City Chiefs with a big turnover problem, an issue this team hadn’t dealt with much in hosting the AFC championship game the past three seasons.

The Chiefs turned the ball over three times Sunday while losing 27-3 to Tennessee, and the Titans turned an interception of Mahomes and his fumble into 10 points late in the first half.

“It’s kind of been one thing here and there each and every week,” Mahomes said. “It’s not like a whole overarching one thing, and today it was probably me. I just pressed a little bit too early in the game and then we got down we were in the mode where (we had to go) no-huddle, which you don’t want to be in in the NFL.”

Kansas City (3-4) has one more turnover this season (17) than the 16 giveaways in all of 2020. Mahomes has 11, including nine interceptions, for the most the 2018 NFL MVP has had in a single season, counting the playoffs. That ties him with Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence for most in the NFL.

Mahomes had only nine turnovers in 17 games in 2019 and 10 in 18 games in 2020. He also has been picked off at least once in six straight games.

“We got to eliminate the turnovers and the penalties,” Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. “Again, these are things that we haven’t — haven’t been common to us. I’m seeing things that I haven’t seen before. And we just got to fix it. And the players, they know that.”