Patrick Mahomes looking to eliminate “one dumb play per game”

Turning the ball over is an inevitable byproduct of trying to make plays. The Denver Broncos, for example, are tied for the fifth-fewest giveaways in the league this season with 12.

At 3-9 on the year, they also have the league's third-worst record. I'm sure Broncos fans would trade a few more turnovers for a few more wins.

Avoiding turnovers at all costs likely means your offense isn't aggressive enough, or your quarterback isn't good enough. Neither of these statements describes the Kansas City Chiefs, who enter their matchup against the Broncos ranked in the bottom half of the NFL with 16 turnovers this season — including 12 in their last seven games.

To make matters worse, the Chiefs' defense hasn't been securing many takeaways, leaving Kansas City tied for the sixth-worst turnover differential in the league.

Patrick Mahomes, who's been historically adept at avoiding turnovers in his young career, believes he can do more to dig his team out of the turnover margin cellar.

"Yeah, we just have to continue to get better at it," Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday. "I have the interceptions, like I said last week, there's like one dumb play a game. I got away with it this last week – I tried to throw the ball out of the ball to JuJu (Smith-Schuster) and they dropped it."

The Kansas City defense could stand to lend its offensive counterpart a hand. The Chiefs have forced just 12 turnovers this season, but Mahomes is confident their production will improve.

"They're around the football, so I know the turnovers are coming," Mahomes said of his defensive teammates. "And when they do, I think we can even be a better team."

Despite their turnover woes, Kansas City is one of a small handful of legitimate Super Bowl contenders in NFL. A small reversal of fortunes could be the late-season boost to push them over the top.