The apprentice needed to step out from the master’s shadow at some point, but I’m not so sure this was the right job. Eric Bieniemy has finally left Andy Reid and the Chiefs OC job after two Super Bowl victories in four years, but he has strangely decided to accept the Washington Commanders OC position.
Okay, I realize that there weren’t too many opportunities for Eric Bieniemy to choose from, but this was probably the worst possible place he could have picked to join.
The Washington Commanders have not only been one of the most dysfunctional, disorganized, and downright broken organizations in the NFL for the last 20+ years (due to owner Dan Snyder), but they also have one of the worst offenses in the league.
The Commanders offense, led by QBs Carson Wentz (1,755, 11 TD, 9 INT), Taylor Heinicke (1,859 yards, 12 TD, 6 INT), and Sam Howell (169 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), finished with the 11th worst passing attack in terms of yardage (3,783 total yards), the 11th worst passing attack in terms of yards gained/passing attempt (6.8), the 13th worst passing attack in terms of picking up 1st downs through the air (184), the 10th worst completion percentage (62.1%), the offensive line gave up the 7th most sacks (48), and the quarterback core had the 6th most intercepted passes (16).
Luckily for the Commanders, they have a pretty decent running attack with rookie Brian Robinson Jr. (205 CAR, 797 yards, 2 TD) and veteran Antonio Gibson (149 CAR, 546 yards, 3 TDs) helping pick up 2,143 rushing yards across the Commanders 17 games last season, which was good enough to finish as the league’s 12th best rushing attack in terms of yards gained.
Though, the Commanders only being able to score 9 rushing TDs, which put them at the 4th worst rushing attack in that category, is definitely a cause for concern…as is most everything else with this organization.
Nevertheless, the reason why I’m bringing all of this stuff up is due to the fact that Eric Bieniemy has his hands full turning this sorry franchise around without the help of the best quarterback in the league.
Having the regular season MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Super Bowl 57 winning quarterback, the one and only Patrick Mahomes, on the Chiefs’ roster helped solve a lot of small, overlooked issues that guys like Wentz, Howell, and Heinicke won’t be able to in Washington.
And, when enough of these small issues (i.e.: WRs blowing routes, defenses shifting coverages post snap, the offensive line breaking down prematurely, or the running game not able to get a foothold in the game) build up and compound each other, they become massive issues that derail gameplans, result in games being lost, and cause coaches to be fired.
And those are exactly the risks Eric Bieniemy has subjected himself to by accepting this job in Washington.
Moreover, I still can’t fathom why Bieniemy would want to laterally move from the Chiefs to the Commanders.
I know the Commanders are going to allow him to call plays (which was not his job in KC as Andy Reid was the play caller) but sticking it out for another year in KC with Mahomes, Reid, Kelce, and the rest of the Chiefs Super Bowl winning core seems the safer choice for Bieniemy’s career.
If the Chiefs would have gone on to win the Super Bowl again (or get close enough) with Bieniemy as the OC, there’s bound to be competent, reliable teams with good, workable offenses knocking on the Chiefs’ door to sign up Bieniemy for either an OC or HC job with offensive play-calling responsibilities.
I mean, how could an NFL team seriously overlook an OC that helped build the newest dynasty if the Chiefs won a third Super Bowl in six years next campaign with him?
However, if things go wrong in Washington (which I’m sadly predicting will happen), then I don’t see Eric Bieniemy getting another OC job for the foreseeable future, let alone a HC job, given how difficult it has been for him to get one at this point.
I still don’t believe the NFL owners are actively trying to blacklist and blackball all coaches of African American decent from being their franchise’s HC (I could be wrong, so my opinion is still subject to change), yet it does seem that a fired African American coach has both an almost insurmountable task of getting rehired for a HC job and a short leash if they get one.
Just look at Lovie Smith, Jim Caldwell, and Marvin Lewis.
So, I wish the best for Eric Bieniemy, but I fear he has made a huge mistake leaving the powerhouse Chiefs for the dystopian Commanders.
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