Sometimes when I’m on 610 Sports with Danny Parkins and Carrington Harrison I’ll jokingly say that turnovers are the key to the game. Except I’m not really joking. They are. Danny will then say well of course turnovers are important. They’re a key to every game.
The first thing I noticed about the Chiefs loss to the Titans was their plus-two turnover differential. The Chiefs don’t lose that game very often. In fact, they never have under Andy Reid:
KC lost with a turnover margin of +2 to the @Titans. Entering today, the Chiefs were 21-0 under Andy Reid with a TO margin of +2 or better
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 18, 2016
While the Chiefs did some characteristic things (one good spurt from the offense and that’s about it), the turnovers tell the story of an uncharacteristic loss for the Chiefs. This was an unusual loss.
The @Chiefs: up 14 pts in 1st qtr for 1st time this season. Over last 15 seasons, home teams w/ 14-pt lead are 45-0 in sub-30 degree weather
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 18, 2016
This loss was clearly more the exception than the rule - that’s important for my future sanity in these next couple of weeks - but it will hurt the Chiefs first round bye chances just the same.