KC Chiefs May Be Missing Eric Bieniemy More Than Anyone Expected

Over the past several years, the Kansas City Chiefs have established a firm reputation as one of the NFL's top teams. The Andy Reid-led offense scored plenty of points, and the on-field duo of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce seemed unstoppable.

But this year, something is different. Despite the club retaining its leadership core, Kansas City isn't the same team. Beyond the 8-5 record—this is the NFL, where anything can happen on any given Sunday—the offense just hasn't clicked. And while you could look at the lackluster receivers' room as the main culprit, what about the sloppiness that's plagued the team?

Maybe Eric Bieniemy, who left town this past offseason, is the missing link. And before you say that Reid is calling the plays, this is less about scheme and more about attitude.

Let's check it out.

Kansas City Has Been Sloppy

The instant retort to any Bieniemy-based take is that Reid drives the bus on offense. And while that's largely true—the head coach has allowed his assistants to call plays at various points, but he's usually spoken about when that's happening—the former Chiefs' offensive coordinator could have created another gap when he left for Washington.

During Bieniemy's early days with the Commanders, some players suggested that he was being too intense. That also prompted former star running back LeSean McCoy to suggested that Bieniemy's primary skills were discipline and keeping players accountable.

And, for his part, the Commanders' coordinator stuck to his guns.

"I'm always going to be loud, always going to be vocal, always going to demand from my leaders," Bieniemy said, according to ESPN's John Keim. "If I ain't doing my job, my ass gets fired. It's my job and my responsibility to make sure I'm getting our guys to do what I'm expecting them to do."

With that in mind, let's return to the Chiefs.

This year, Kansas City has largely shot itself in the foot. Penalties have left the offense playing from behind the chains, and some notable errors have bubbled to the surface at game-changing moments. And while it's not exactly the same, drops have also plagued the receiving corps.

Does that mean that the offensive coordinator would be out on the practice field teaching wide receivers how to catch the ball? Is he directly responsible for making sure Kadarius Toney knows where the line of scrimmage is? Of course not. And, as we've all heard before, correlation doesn't equal causation.

But, at the same time, consider that complacency can be an issue after you've reached the top of the mountain. And, if we take NBA coach Steve Kerr at his word, one of the best ways to fight off that force is by setting a high standard of performance and pushing to reach it.

Based on what we know of Bieniemy, it sounds like one of his main skills is doing just that.

That's not to say that Reid simply rolls out of bed and lets the players do whatever they want. It would be naïve to suggest that one of the most successful coaches in modern football doesn't set standards. But, at the same time, the head coach is noted for his even keel and refusal to raise his voice.

And, while there's no way to know what happens behind the closed locker room doors, maybe the Chiefs are missing someone who will lay into them rather than the referees.

Beyond That, Chiefs Have a Problem

But even if Bieniemy's departure is a piece of the puzzle, it's not the entirety of the Chiefs' problems.

Kansas City's brass decided to roll with the receivers on the roster rather than bringing in an external solution [Mecole Hardman arrived for peanuts, but he's barely played since returning to Arrowhead], banking on the combined strengths of Rashee Rice, Toney, Skyy Moore and Justin Watson. Whether that was a cost-cutting measure or a genuine endorsement of Mahomes' ability to elevate those around him, the end result is the same.

The Chiefs have lacked a legitimate pass-catcher beyond Kelce all season. Rice has stepped up in recent weeks, but the undeniable fact is that the club's offense is playing a game of tight margins. Without reliable weapons (Rice, for all his promise, is a rookie and has struggled with drops), the reigning Super Bowl champs are walking a tightrope, where one misstep can lead to a loss. And, no matter how much talent is on your roster, things will go wrong in NFL games, whether that's through a missed call, a dumb penalty or something else.

Having a team that can't overcome those setbacks is a recipe for disappointment.

Winning consistently in the NFL is tough, and the Chiefs have made things tougher on themselves with their personnel decisions. And while it's easy to focus on the receivers' room, maybe replacing Bieniemy with Matt Nagy deserves a bit of scrutiny, too.