KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs’ postseason aspirations are seemingly handcuffed to their ability to hold on to the football.
When coach Andy Reid’s bunch doesn’t turn the ball over, they’re the “same ol' Chiefs.”
That's according to running back Darrel Williams, who scored twice and racked up 89 yards from scrimmage in Kansas City's 31-13 win Sunday at the Washington Football Team.
“We’re moving the ball,” Williams said.
And he’s right.
Despite three turnovers Sunday, including Patrick Mahomes’ latest gaffe interception, the Chiefs drubbed Washington's defense for 499 total yards.
With Week 6 nearly complete, the Chiefs are one of five teams to score on more than 50% of their drives. Buffalo, Dallas, Arizona and the Los Angeles Rams — none of whom have more than one loss this season ahead of the Bills’ game Monday night at Tennessee — are the other prolific-scoring teams.
Also through six games, the Chiefs (3-3) have shown us their propensity to give the ball away, keeping opponents in games and limiting their overall production.
Kansas City leads the NFL with 14 turnovera committed in 2021.
"It needs to change,” Reid said. “... I think those are fatal flaws. They kill drives.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whose eight interceptions are tied for the second-most in the NFL this season, seems less apt to call the giveaways a ceiling-stopper for his group.
"The interceptions are on the stat sheet, but if you're getting wins ... no one really cares,” Mahomes said, joking that his second-quarter duck pass would be bound for NFL lowlight reels like ESPN’s "C’mon Man."
#Chiefs Andy Reid: "We’re doing a phenomenal job per series of scoring, one of the best in the history of the game, but you turn the ball over and you’ve got a problem. That’s the reality of it.
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladd0) October 13, 2021
Though coy at this moment, Mahomes knows the team’s current rate of turnovers is unsustainable.
He told Reid "We're going to get it right" as the team headed into halftime down 13-10 against an inferior Washington team.
Kansas City outscored Washington 21-0 in the second half and, importantly, didn't commit any turnovers.
