USATSI

If there’s a theme for this postseason, it’s taking care of the football. 

The final four, the Chiefs, Bills, Eagles and Commanders have one thing in common this postseason. They have ZERO turnovers. It’s the first conference championship weekend ever featuring teams with zero turnovers in the postseason.

By the time Sunday rolls around, it will have been 21 days since the Commanders turned it over (Week 18), 35 days for the Eagles and Bills (Week 16) and 70 days for the Chiefs (Week 11). 

Last turnover among final four teams

Days Since (as of Sunday, Jan. 26)Commanders

Week 18

21

Eagles

Week 16

35

Bills

Week 16

35

Chiefs

Week 11

70

This quartet has zero turnovers and 15 takeaways these playoffs. On the flip side, mistakes and giveaways have stained postseason exits for several teams. The four highest-paid quarterbacks in the initial playoff field combined for 13 turnovers in their playoff exits. 

Justin Herbert had more interceptions in his playoff loss (four) than the regular season (three), something that had never happened before. Jared Goff had four turnovers on Saturday and Jordan Love became the first quarterback in Packers playoff history with no touchdown passes and three interceptions in a game. Finally, Lamar Jackson had two first-half turnovers on Sunday night as mistakes ultimately doomed the Ravens.

Baltimore was the more dominant team, but it wasn’t enough. Overall, this was the second time ever in the divisional round that teams were 0-4 when outgaining their opponents (2015). 

There’s never been a more clear divide in the difference between taking care of the football, and not, in the playoffs. Teams are 7-0 when winning the turnover battle this postseason, the best record entering Conference title games in the last 15 seasons.

Managing the game has never been more important, even for superstar quarterbacks. Three of the four lowest interception rates in playoff history (minimum 200 attempts) belong to Josh Allen (0.9%), Jalen Hurts (1.0%) and Patrick Mahomes (1.1%). Only Alex Smith, the self-proclaimed president of the “game manager club” has a lower rate (0.8%). Jayden Daniels rounds out the quarterbacks left in the field, and he’s been virtually perfect this postseason.

Led by Washington, the four remaining teams are also among the best teams at extending drives, maximizing scoring opportunities and they have quarterbacks who can create with their legs. They all rank top five in fourth-down conversion rates this postseason.

Here’s a look at how each team is playing clean football entering Sunday’s games

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are looking for revenge vs. the Bills on Sunday and if their recent play is any indication, they are locked in. They have not turned the ball over since their Week 11 loss to the Bills. It’s the longest streak without a turnover by any team in the Super Bowl era, including playoffs (eight games). There have been 280 turnovers throughout the NFL since Week 12. None by Kansas City. The Chiefs have 486 offensive snaps since their last giveaway. 

Most consecutive games without a turnover – Super Bowl era (regular and postseason)

2024 Chiefs

8

2010 Patriots

7

2017 Chiefs

6

Patrick Mahomes’ evolution from gunslinger to game manager (in a good way) has Kansas City on the verge of the first Super Bowl three-peat ever. He has just two turnovers and one interception during the Chiefs’ eight-game win streak in the postseason. He went an NFL playoff-record three straight games without a sack or turnover between the 2022 and 2023 Super Bowl runs. 

Buffalo Bills

If any team can rival the Chiefs in terms of taking care of the ball, it’s Buffalo. They had eight turnovers during the regular season, tied with the 2019 Saints for the fewest by any since 1933, when turnovers were first tracked. The Bills have still not lost the turnover battle this year, the only team since 1933 to go their first 19 games without doing so. They’ve won 23 straight games with a turnover margin of at plus-three or better, which was clearly the difference on Sunday.

Josh Allen is playing the cleanest football of any quarterback in NFL history. He has a sack, fumble or interception on 4.2% of his plays this season, including playoffs, the lowest rate by any quarterback with 500+ plays in a season since the merger. Impressive for a guy who was ripped for committing 22 turnovers last year and an NFL-high 102 in his first six seasons. 

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles formula is simple. Take care of the ball and win with Saquon Barkley and defense. Jalen Hurts has cut his turnover total in half (10 vs. 20) compared with 2023. He has only one giveaway in the last eight games. He’s not putting up video game numbers in the passing game, but clearly the Eagles don’t need that to win. 

Washington Commanders

It will be fascinating to see which team blinks first in the turnover battle in the NFC Championship game. Four teams in playoff history have at least six takeaways and zero turnovers through two playoff games. The 2024 Eagles, 2024 Commanders, 2004 Patriots and 1998 Broncos. The Patriots and Broncos both won the Super Bowl.

You would not know Jayden Daniels is a rookie by his play this postseason (or entire season for that matter). He has more wins (two) than negative plays (one sack, fumble or interception) in the playoffs. He has racked up 654 total yards, four touchdowns and zero turnovers during this run and he’s only been sacked once. In fact, the Commanders have only punted once.

They epitomize what’s gotten the final four teams to this point. They maximize scoring opportunities and are very tough to stop with four downs thanks to a quarterback who makes great decisions and creates with his legs. They have the best fourth-down conversion rate (81%) by any team on record (since at least 1991 among teams with 20+ attempts) and they’ve scored 150 points after fourth-down conversions this year, the most by any team on record.

I expect to be mesmerized by each team’s ability to hold onto the football this weekend. The four quarterbacks have zero turnovers on 435 snaps up to this point. Just absurd. Quarterback plays and turnovers are usually the biggest difference between winning and losing, and it’s never been more true than right now.