The Kansas City Chiefs entered the season with a chip on their shoulders. They weren't competitive in their Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and they sounded determined to prove that the dynasty was far from over.
Eleven weeks later, that hard-fighting spirit seems nowhere to be found. Their once-explosive offense is a thing of the past, and even though there's plenty of talent there, it looks like there's no accountability or discipline. Those are the two main traits that often defined former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
Eric Bieniemy's Departure Still Hurts The Chiefs
While head coach Andy Reid continues to call plays, just like he did when Bieniemy was there, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has left plenty to be desired as his replacement. There's no push back or strong voice to share an input with Reid when things aren't going their way, and the Chiefs' coaching staff seems to be way too player-friendly. They need someone who can hold them accountable, especially with all the penalties.
Also, it's not like Bieniemy was only known for getting in the players' faces. The numbers don't lie, and the Chiefs haven't been as explosive or dominant on offense since his departure. From 2018 to 2022, with Bieniemy as the architect of the offense, they led the league in points per game (30.1) and yards per game (406.2).
The Chiefs went 64-18 in the regular season and 11-3 in the playoffs with Bieniemy, winning two Super Bowls in three trips to the biggest game. Also, he helped Patrick Mahomes post the best numbers of his career, including the most passing yards, passing touchdowns, and highest passer rating in the league during that span.
This team can't run the ball at all, but that was rarely an issue under Bieniemy's pass-heavy offense and RPO-based running attack. Mahomes is usually at his best when he plays in that type of offense, as it keeps defenses guessing and it opens up his signature deep shots down the field.
All in all, it's hard to believe Bieniemy wouldn't have done something to fix Jawaan Taylor's never-ending penalty issues or to get Isiah Pacheco back to his hard-hitting, aggressive running style. This team needs a spark, and there might not be someone there to challenge them and push their buttons anymore.
It's been years since Bieniemy left, and while his departure has always hurt this team, it has never been more evident than it is nowadays.