The Kansas City Chiefs know they have turnover issues. They said this about it Monday

The Chiefs have nobody to blame for their 1-2 start but themselves.

Their two-game losing streak is ripe with self-inflicted wounds on both sides of the ball, with the most egregious being six turnovers by the offense over the past six quarters.

“We are who we are right now because of the turnovers,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said Monday. “We’re a 1-2 team, and so we have to correct everything, make sure we get back on track and getting this thing going in the right direction moving forward.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions during Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. And wide receiver Tyreek Hill and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire each lost fumbles.

Bieniemy said the importance of ball security is emphasized daily during practice, and this week won’t be different. But the Chiefs’ coaching staff also doesn’t want players dwelling on the past: They want their natural game-breaking abilities to override any fears of committing such gaffes.

“We don’t want our players going out there afraid of turning over the ball,” Bieniemy said. “We just need to make sure that we’re focused in those intense moments, where we don’t lose sight of ball security.

“We’ve got to make sure we have two hands on it in traffic, two hands on it on the way down. On top of that, in certain situations we want to make sure we’re securing the catch. We never just want to go in there and throw to put ourselves in a predicament, where that (opposing) team has an opportunity to put hands on the ball ...”

The Chiefs’ turnovers, combined with some defensive issues, have come at inopportune times.

In Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, Edwards-Helaire lost a fumble while the Chiefs were driving late in the game for a potential go-ahead score.

Mahomes’ second interception against the Chargers occurred with less than two minutes remaining in a game tied at 24. The Chargers scored the game-winning touchdown on their ensuing possession.

“We need to take care of the ball better, a lot better,” Bieniemy said. “And, if we’re taking care of the ball better, obviously we’re giving ourselves a chance to win when it’s all said and done.”

As for defense, the Chiefs continued to have issues against the Chargers: defending in the red zone, an inability to generate takeaways and allowing explosive plays late in the game.

The Chargers scored a touchdown in four of five red zone trips, including the game winner on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to Mike Williams.

“I thought what killed us with some of the red zone stuff was second-and-long,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said Monday. “We had a second-and-12 and second-and-10 that they were successful on.

“And then obviously not closing the game out. Giving up 10 points in the fourth quarter is not where we want to be.”

Most Sundays, Mahomes is elite enough to help overcome many of the team’s defensive shortcomings. But the Chiefs’ overall deficiencies are magnified when he and others on offense are contributing to the team’s mistakes.

Bieniemy said he will rely on players like Mahomes to lead by example because, even with their issues, the Chiefs were actually in position to win both of these past two games.

Well, if not for the matter of giving the ball away at the worst possible time.

“The good thing is that we’re giving ourselves a chance to still be in play when the game is on the line,” Bieniemy said. “And if we eliminate just those mistakes, we will be sitting in a different position.”