Bringing Back Bienemy - Was It Wise?

Changes came quickly after the Kansas City Chiefs finished their season with a 6-11 record and a noticeable decline in productivity by the offense. Former offensive coordinator Matt Nagy parted ways with the team, and KC reunited with other former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. I already looked at Nagy and Bieniemy's relative effects on the Chiefs' offenses throughout the years just weeks ago. Now, Bieniemy is back, but where has he been, and what does it mean for the Chiefs' future?

Chiefs Kingdom wasn't alone in noticing Eric Bieniemy's success as the OC under Andy Reid from 2018-2022. It led to Eric taking a job as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. While there, he and head coach Ron Rivera were unable to get a Sam Howell-led offense over the hump despite marginal statistical improvement. Washington let both coaches go after a single season, and Bieniemy took a job - again as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator - with the UCLA Bruins. This was his first return of sorts, as his success with UCLA as their running backs coach from '01-'05 preceded his first NFL coaching job.

Bieniemy's brief stint in UCLA went poorly, and in '25 he joined the Chicago Bears as the running backs coach. Here, he found his stride again and helped Chicago become the third-most-productive rushing attack in football. Bieniemy excelled this season at helping first-year head coach Ben Johnson maximize productivity from Bears running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. As told by Ron Kopp Jr. over at Arrowhead Pride, 7th-round pick Monangai's 783 rushing yards would've led KC in rushing over either of the last two seasons despite the rookie being second on his own team this year. Recreating this success in Kansas City could be key to getting this Chiefs dynasty back on track.

Both of KC's leading rushers from last season are unrestricted free agents. Bieniemy just led the Bears' latest 7th-round draft pick to be more productive than any Chiefs running back since 2023. KC will also be drafting ninth overall - their earliest draft pick since picking first overall in 2013. Mel Kiper Jr. likes KC drafting Notre Dame's stud running back Jeremiyah Love with that pick. Many mock drafts have him landing right around that #9 spot. With or without spending that huge draft pick on a running back, I'm predicting that Bieniemy's return makes a big, positive difference for the Chiefs' future.

It's possible that Monangai and Ben Johnson are just a great combo that helped Bieniemy look good in his role in Chicago. However, Chiefs Kingdom lived through the jarring and obvious influence Eric makes. To finish in the top six in the NFL in points and yards per game in each of his five seasons as the offensive coordinator is no accident. I'd be scared about drafting virtually any running back in the top ten, so I'd prefer to see Bieniemy find his next Monangai later in the draft. He's clearly proven that as a trustworthy strategy. Either way, Chiefs Kingdom will remember Eric's return as a big step in the right direction.

How Third Down Doomed KC in 2025

I didn't think 6-11 was on the board for the Kansas City Chiefs this year. What went wrong? Actually, a quick look through the season stats indicates that they kinda got worse at everything. In the regular season prior to the one that just concluded, KC had an average offense and a really good, possibly great, defense. The 2024 Chiefs also had a +6 turnover differential. In 2025, the Chiefs defense was diminished but still strong, their turnover differential dropped to -1, and flaws on offense ultimately prevented them from achieving sustained success.

The Chiefs defense finished 10th in yards allowed per game and 6th in points, after ranking 9th in yards and 4th in points last year. They stayed strong despite finishing 2025 with the fourth-fewest sacks of any team in the league. Kansas City also allowed the fourth-highest third down conversion rate in the NFL. They struggled with this in 2024 also, however, so none of this can be the primary reason for coming short this season. The sad truth revolves around the regression of KC's offense.

Over their three straight seasons of reaching the Super Bowl, the Chiefs ranked third, sixth and second in the league in third down conversion. This season, they ranked 22nd. This helped turn an offense that ranked 16th and 15th in yards and points per game in '24 into the offense that finished 2025 at 20th and 21st in yards and points. Ranking 22nd or lower in both third downs converted and opponent's third downs converted is a lack of success experienced only by the Chiefs and two other teams this season.

Fans could feel it when they watched this season, too. It was a gut-punch every time the team looked good for lengthy periods of time, only to make it all futile by allowing a long third down conversion or failing to convert a dang 3rd and 2. If change is what the Chiefs offense needs, that's good, because change is coming. Former offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is not expected to return, and the rumor mill about his replacement is already in full gear. That means I'll be returning when we get more news to share my thoughts on it all while the playoffs go on without us. Enjoy it all Chiefs Kingdom, and I'll be back soon.

Chiefs' Stinker Season Reaches Clunky Conclusion

One of the most disappointing seasons in Kansas City Chiefs history comes to a fittingly dreary conclusion today when the Chiefs face the hapless Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs are already locked into their worst record since 2012, when Romeo Crennel and Matt Cassel led the way to a 2-14 season. Watching Patrick Mahomes writhing around and clutching his knee in that Colts game will unfortunately live with me forever. Even with Mahomes on the field, Kansas City simply wasn't a playoff-caliber team in 2025. After ten straight seasons with at least ten wins, I'm now hoping for KC to lose their last game on the schedule just to improve their draft position.

How did it all go so wrong? Winning a Super Bowl and losing the next one may have altered the perception of this offense, but it hasn't been good for three seasons. KC ranked 15th or lower in points scored per game each of the last three seasons after six straight seasons in the top six. What was the difference? Eric Bienemy left, and Matt Nagy took over as offensive coordinator. 

I spent three seasons wondering what the problem was and when we would be elite again, thinking that the return of injured or suspended players on offense would spark the resurgence of this once-great offense. Meanwhile, Bienemy just found his groove leading the running backs room for the Chicago Bears. The Bears rank 3rd in yards per game and ninth in points per game this season. While he's due for a promotion of some sort, or at least a ton of positive recognition, Matt Nagy seems destined for departure of the state of Missouri - much like the Chiefs themselves. I'm predicting a 23-17 defeat at the hands of the lowly Raiders today, assuming that the Raiders are so dismal that they cannot succeed in failing when failure is their most beneficial outcome. Enjoy this week of football in whatever way suits you best, and I'll be back next weekend for one big wrap-up to this stinker of a season.

Kansas City Chiefs Something Something Bad Christmas Pun!

Our Kansas City Chiefs are one victory away from making their place in the playoffs official. The visiting Miami Dolphins are kinda-sorta-not-really in the hunt if about 12 things go right and they win out, but on paper, they're an objectively sub-par opponent. The Dolphins rank in the bottom three in the league in yards per game, points per game, giveaways and turnover differential. They hold opponents to 24.4 points per game, which is the league's sixth-highest average. The Dolphins allow the 9th-highest average yardage per play this season, but hey, our Chiefs are #8. If you're looking for something to fear today, KC's defense allowing big plays would be #1. Speaking of numbering things, here are my three quick predictions for what I hope to be our final real regular season game for our Chiefs this season:

1. Those giveaway stats for Miami are just damning. KC has 14 picks this year, and the Dolphins have already given the ball away 26 times. A determined, focused Marcus Peters could feast today. I predict that KC will win the turnover battle by at least two, which will making winning at Arrowhead really tough for the 'Phins.

2. The aforementioned inability to stop teams from scoring is another key to what makes Miami an objectively bad team this season. The obvious choice to pass to Tyreek Hill whenever a cornerback plays press coverage without safety help will bring us more holiday cheer today, even if it's not Hill who gives us that gift himself. He could pull safeties down to double him, which will leave other parts of the field open for KC's other playmakers. I predict a Chiefs passing gain of over 50 yards today from either Hill, Kareem Hunt on a wheel or screen route, or Travis Kelce deep over the middle.

3. The Alex Smith-Matt Nagy duo definitely got this KC offense back on track after Andy Reid seemingly derailed it throughout that pitiful mid-season skid. KCChiefs.com's BJ Kissel pointed out that this new play-calling hierarchy averages 439 yards and 29 points per game, which is third-best and fifth-best in the league over that stretch. KC will be determined to keep their mojo offensively, but justified conservatism may limit their numbers today. This is a terrible time to get any more Chiefs injured, so if KC jumps out to an early lead, we could see some serious clock-milking. This is the correct decision at this time of the season, fantasy leagues be damned. So, I'll predict a 24-16 victory for our Chiefs, with somewhere between 360-440 total yards of offense. Enjoy your holidays, Chiefs Kingdom. We should soon be celebrating Christmas as champions of the AFC West.

Doug LaCerte has a Facebook page and occasionally tweets @DLaC67.

Will KC Get Healthy Against Struggling Jets?

It certainly feels like this season's gone off the rails here in KC, but can the Chiefs get back on track against a sub-par team today? It's hard to tell. The 4-7 New York Jets hold opponents to fewer yards per game than the Bills, Giants, Cowboys or Raiders - as in the last four teams to embarrass your Kansas City Chiefs. Their dead-even turnover differential is the same as the Giants and six worse than the Bills, but really, this game isn't about the Jets. It's all about which Chiefs team shows up at MetLife Stadium today. After several weeks of genuinely surprising ineptitude, I really don't know how accurate these three predictions will be.

1. We'll talk more this week about Andy Reid's decision to give up more of the play-calling responsibility to offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, but I think it's a great idea to change things up when the entire offense is being engulfed in this black hole of conservative-but-confusing coaching. Let's remember that the Chiefs have three legit talents on offense that should stretch the field and keep defenses guessing. I'll predict that KC will have a somewhat better time doing that and score more points than the Oddshark.com's prediction of 18.2 points.

2. The Chiefs have coughed the ball up in every game since playing Oakland in Week 7. I predict more conservatism - which isn't necessarily a good thing - for KC's offense, which will lead to zero interceptions for the Chiefs today.


3. This is not an intimidating opponent. The Jets are no better than 15th in total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and points per game, or total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and points per game allowed. They're simply not good at any general aspect of the game, meaning this talented-but-streaky Chiefs squad should be able to take care of business today. Reid deserves credit for ceding some play-calling duties when the team is struggling so profoundly. It's helped in the past, and I'll have faith that it works again today. I predict that the Chiefs overcome an inferior team today, barely, and beat the Jets in a close one. KC wins, 20-17, but their future remains uncertain.

Doug LaCerte procrastinated on this article too much to say anything clever about his Facebook page or using Twitter @DLaC67.

Meet the Gang, Part 5- New Hope and New Help for QB

What separates the Chiefs from the two teams fighting to call themselves champions today? Lots of stuff. It may actually be simpler to count the things we have in common, but what is perhaps the biggest difference? The defense in KC isn't elite yet, but it certainly showed signs of improvement and clutch holding power. This is a good enough defense right now to be competitive if matched with even an average offense. So the offense is the problem- but, not all of it. KC ranked 5^th league-wide in total rushing yards this year, with Jamaal listed in the top five for season rushing yards, average yards per carry, average yards per game and total yards from scrimmage. Clearly, Jamaal has what it takes to be a winner and push the Chiefs toward the playoffs. #25 can only let this team down by getting injured.

So, the defense has hope and the running game is great- obviously not KC's biggest flaws. That narrows it down to the passing game. Neither team in this year's Super Bowl had incredible passing stats in the regular season; Baltimore and San Fran ranked 15^th and 23^rd in total passing yards, respectively. The Chiefs rank dead last, though. Anyone who watched the games each Sunday can clearly see that Kansas City needs to evolve on the offensive side of the ball. Compared to watching a game with at least one competent passing attack, the Chiefs' Sunday viewing experience felt downright juvenile. The rest of the league enlisted field commanders with rifle arms to bomb the opposition. Meanwhile, the Chiefs were playing around with Nerf guns and Super Soakers. While everyone rode around the neighborhood on their shiny, new ten-speeds, KC was pedaling away on one of those plastic, tricolor Playskool bikes.

Let me get to the point before my metaphors get any weirder. The QB crippled the Chiefs' chances to succeed last year. The last team to rank last in passing yards and still make the playoffs was the Ravens in '03. That Baltimore squad still ranked 8^th in overall offense, and its legendary defense featured several future-Hall of Famers like Ed Reed and the man of the hour, Ray Lewis. In the nine seasons that followed, teams that ranked last in passing yards averaged 4.4 wins per year and never recorded a winning season. Recent changes for the Chiefs will help them to avoid this fate.

Kansas City started the season by limiting their offense in order to cater to a limited QB. Whoever starts at quarterback next year will be an upgrade, but he'll need to deal with the struggles of learning a brand new offense. Because of this, and also because of the QB position's cerebral nature, this year's choice of a quarterbacks coach is crucial to future success. Andy Reid has yet again gone with a former assistant from Philly to bolster the coaching staff- shocking, I know. Before we lose ourselves to the bright lights and high drama of the day, let's quickly get to know the new Chiefs quarterbacks coach- Matt Nagy.

Nagy's resume is a quick read, but he brings hands-on QB experience and strong work ethic to his first quarterbacks coach position. After playing six seasons at QB in the AFL, Matt quickly started his coaching career by climbing the ranks in Philly under Andy Reid. After two years as a coaching intern, Nagy claimed a position as offensive assistant to begin the 2010 season. The next year, Andy upgraded his position to offensive quality control coach. I won't pretend to know much more about this guy. I have no idea what he brings to the table from an X's and O's standpoint. All that aside, I still really like this hire. Nagy offers, at the very least, a list of accomplishments based solely on his hard work and determination. Whoever the next Chiefs quarterback is, hard work and determination will be exactly what he needs to succeed. Other factors will influence this QB's chances considerably, but no other person will have more effect on KC's new big hope than Matt Nagy.