Detroit Lions: 4 dream replacements for Matt Patricia

2. Eric Bieniemy, OC – Kansas City Chiefs

Once again, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense is running roughshod through the NFL. And Eric Bieniemy has been its orchestrator for the past three seasons as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator.

The former NFL running back spent his first four years in Kansas City as the running backs coach before his promotion in 2018. Bieniemy’s ascension to OC coincided with the promotion of Patrick Mahomes to the starting quarterback role in his second season.

The combination of Mahomes and Bieniemy turned the Chiefs into an offensive powerhouse. They were able to take an offense that averaged a respectable 25.9 points per game in 2017 to a league-leading 35.3 points a contest the following year.

Posting back-to-back 12-4 records the last two seasons, the Chiefs famously won the Super Bowl in 2019. Kansas City currently has a record of 8-1 and their offense ranks second in the NFL in both points scored per game (31.8) and average offensive yards gained per contest (409.0).

Bringing the 51-year old Bieniemy to Detroit would essentially be doubling-down on your offense, hoping to replicate the Chiefs’ winning formula with Stafford (or a top draft pick) playing the role of Mahomes. Then the focus would turn to hiring a capable defensive coordinator who can find a way to win with the defense constructed by Patricia and Quinn over the past three years.