The Miami Dolphins host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday as the NFL schedule moves into Week 3. The Dolphins come into this game 0-2 on the year as they try to turn their rebuilding team into one that can compete every week. The Chiefs enter the weekend 2-0 and look like a team that will contend to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. This could be an ugly game from a Dolphins fan’s perspective.
But how ugly? To get a better idea of who the Chiefs are this season and who Miami will face on Sunday, I had the opportunity to speak with Maurice Easton from SB Nation’s Chiefs site, Arrowhead Pride. Easton was kind enough to answer my Chiefs questions, including a look at what the return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy means for the team, Patrick Mahomes finding his form, and a surprise breakout player.
Thanks to Easton for taking the time to answer my questions. You can check out my answers to his Dolphins questions at Arrowhead Pride.
1. Eric Bieniemy returned to the Chiefs as their offensive coordinator this season after spending a year each with the Washington Commanders, UCLA and Chicago Bears. What did you see different in his 2018-2022 stint as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator? What’s the biggest change from Matt Nagy’s offense to Bieniemy’s system—or is it status quo because Andy Reid is calling the plays?
What Eric Bieniemy brings to the Chiefs offense is accountability and discipline. He is a natural motivator. He’ll get on a player when that player makes a mistake, but he’ll be just as fired up when someone does a great job. He will always make sure the players understand what they need to improve on. It’s almost like having your dad as your coach, if that makes sense.
That’s what separates him from Matt Nagy. From the outside looking in, Nagy appeared calmer and calmer in his approach. Bieniemy brings an energetic, get-in-your-face style of motivation.
Andy Reid is still the play caller, so I don’t think it’s a completely different offense schematically. However, Bieniemy is a former running back who isn’t afraid to lean into the running game. Beyond technique, the biggest difference is the level of responsibility he brings to each player on offense.
2. The Dolphins offense this year must go through running back De’Von Achane if they are going to have any success moving the ball. While Achane’s focus is the ground game, he is a great receiver who can do damage when he has the ball in his hands through the air as well. The Chiefs were a top-10 team against the run earlier this year, giving up just 90 yards per game on the ground. How would you design Miami’s offensive attack to ensure Acane finds success in this game?
De’Von Achane is a fantastic running back and, in my opinion, one of the five best in the NFL. In the running game, I’ll look at what Indianapolis did against Kansas City with its outside-zone and stretch concepts. Those plays could help Miami get Achane to the rim, where his speed could be a problem.
The passing game could offer Miami a bigger opportunity. Achane is such a dangerous receiving back that the Dolphins must use movement and different formations to create one-on-one matchups between him and the Chiefs’ linebackers. If Miami can consistently isolate Acane against a linebacker in coverage and give him room to operate, he’ll win that matchup more often than not. That will be my main plan of attack against this Kansas City defense.
3. From the outside looking in, quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks more like prime Mahomes as he begins to trust the repaired ACL in his knee. Is this a fair assessment? Do you see something that tells you that he is not coming back?
That’s a fair assessment. Mahomes looked better in Week 2 than he did in Week 1. He seemed to trust his knee and the pass protection a lot more, and we started to see more of the Mahome that everyone is used to seeing.
I won’t say he’s back. That’s something that will take time, but I expect him to improve every week as the knee gets stronger and continues to respond positively. There are still some plays where the old Mahomes might take a chance or extend the action, but right now he looks like he’s protecting himself and avoiding unnecessary hits.
He hasn’t returned yet, but his confidence in the knee is clearly growing. I think we’ll continue to see more of the old Mahomes as time goes on.
4. Miami’s defense—like the team as a whole—is very young and error-prone, especially when it comes to communication in the secondary. We’ve seen many times this year where two defenders cover the same player, leaving the other receiver wide open. You are the coach tasked with helping simplify the game and shore up the Dolphins’ defense. If you were giving advice on the number one area Miami’s defense needs to work on this week to have any success against the Chiefs, what would it be?
Young defenses often struggle with zone assignments and the communication required to pass receivers from one defender to another. I’ll simplify those responsibilities and trust Miami’s defenders to play more man-to-man coverage with clear assignments: Here’s your guy—cover him.
The Chiefs’ wide receivers have struggled at times against man coverage, so that could work in Miami’s favor as well. The challenge is that the Dolphins must generate pressure without blitting. If Miami can play tight man coverage while continuing to pressure Mahomes with four rushers, that’s probably the best chance to slow down the Chiefs.
Miami can’t afford a coverage bust against Andy Reid and Mahomes. Keeping assignments simple and winning up front without sending in extra defenders will give this kid the best chance of success.
5. Was there a player who came out of the gate at the start of the season that was the biggest surprise for Chiefs fans? Is there someone unexpectedly struggling early this year?
Nohl Williams was a pleasant surprise. I wouldn’t call his success completely unexpected as many Chiefs fans believe he could be a great cornerback. However, the way he played out there in the first two weeks was impressive. With Mansoor Delane dealing with an injury, Williams has stepped into a bigger role and has done a great job of locking down his side of the field.
As for someone who got off to a slow start, Chris Jones has been quieter than Chiefs fans are used to seeing. I wouldn’t say he played poorly, but he didn’t produce the game-wrecking performances we normally expect from him. Jones is also dealing with a calf injury, so that likely contributes to his lack of production. Right now, I’d rather attribute it to injury than his age or any serious decline in his ability.