Hail Hydra: Bieniemy’s Multi-Headed Monster
In the NFL next man up isn’t just a cliché, it’s a way of life, but sometimes, something so unique happens that it requires it’s own moniker. You couldn’t watch the 2013 season without catching wind of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom.” A group of defensive backs so fearsome, that the NFL immediately made diminishing press coverage a priority following a violent dismantling of NFL golden boy: Peyton Manning’s offense. When it comes to the Chiefs, no group is deeper than the running backs. The marvels achieved by this group of young men are simply too great to fall under a tired old phrase like… next man up. Instead, the Chiefs running backs seem to have adopted a new philosophy, that of the villainous organization from Marvel Comics, Hydra: “If they cut off one head, two more shall take it’s place. Hail Hydra!”
As a fan who watched his first full season of football when Scott Pioli was just starting his reign of ineptitude, you don’t have to tell me how great Jamaal Charles is. Every Chiefs fan knows that Charles holds the record in yards per carry amongst running backs with sufficient sample size to merit consideration. There was a time when the loss of Charles, to the Chiefs, would have mirrored the loss of Rothlesburger to the Steelers, or Peyton Manning to the Colts. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a certain feeling of doom that attached itself to Charles 2015 ACL tear, but then something extraordinary happened: the Chiefs running game got better.
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s it possible that Chiefs have found a running back better than Jamaal Charles? No. Charles isn’t just great, he may just be the greatest RB ever, or at the very least one of them. What Chiefs did find, were two running backs who were better than Charles in one aspect of their games. In 2015, Charles averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 8.4 yards per reception (those numbers pretty much mirror his averages since the arrival of Andy Reid). The same year, Spencer Ware averaged 5.6 yards per rush and Charcandrick West averaged 10.7 yards per reception. So Chiefs managed to replace Charles, but what if Ware or West got hurt? Do they have reasonable options to maintain their Hydra moniker? Well, they have for the preseason, once Chiefs cut down to 53 that could change. Until then, they’ve got some solid prospects.
Ware’s Replacement: Darrin Reaves
Reaves might be short, but he is a load and tough to bring down. His skills are very similar to Ware’s, he able to press gaps, make one cut, and run through contact. When he saw 2nd team reps, because West was hurt, he averaged 5.3 YPC against a Rams D-line that is among the best in the NFL. While his performance against Seattle was less impressive, it should be noted that he was playing behind a 3rd string offensive line that game. Reaves and Ware both struggled against an improved Bears run D that held both of them to less than three yards per carry.
West’s Replacement: Knile Davis
At first glance, this seems like an odd pairing. Davis is the kind of big back that you expect to be a physical mauler, but that’s just not his game. Whatever his issue (I suspect balance) Davis is pretty easy to tackle, but he’s very hard to catch. Every year, under Bieniemy’s guidance, Davis has increased his average yards per reception. West’s receiving is his best trait at an average of 10.7 YPR. Davis had 16 receptions in 2014 with an average of 9.2 YPR. He was buried on the depth chart in 2015, but still had two catches for 24 yards total. Credit goes to Dorsey for finding these guys, but there’s someone who deserves a lot more credit in my humble opinion, the sinister mastermind behind it all: Eric Bieniemy.
The Emergency Option: DeAnthony Thomas
Thomas may not even make the roster and he might be listed as a WR, but Bienemy coached him his first year and he averaged significantly more yards per carry in 2014 than 2015 (8.1 vs 3.8). If Chiefs were to keep Thomas, he could prove to be a surprisingly useful replacement in case of emergency, so long as they give him back to the position coach who seemed to know how to motivate him.
Eric Bieniemy didn’t have much success in the NFL as a player, despite being the university of Colorado’s all-time leading rusher. He did, however, make an impression. As Eric bounced from team to team, he spent one year with a rookie coach in 1999 who was getting his first head coaching gig, despite never having been an offensive or defensive coordinator. That coach was none other than Andy Reid. While Bieniemy didn’t produce much on the field, his work ethic undoubtedly was filed away in Reid’s brain. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Reid’s protegee, Brad Childress, tapped Bieniemy to be his running backs coach during his time with the Vikings. Bieniemy impressed so much in that role, he was eventually named the Assistant Head Coach to the Offense. After Childress’ departure, Bieniemy went back to what he knew as the OC at Colorado, but when Reid accepted a position with the Chiefs in 2013 he called Bieniemy to be his running backs coach. If you want a concrete example of the kind of impact Eric has on his players, consider this: the year before Spencer Ware put up 5.6 YPC with the Chiefs he only had three carries with Seattle for 10 yards. His longest rush with Seattle was for five yards.
While you won’t find Bieniemy’s Hydra blowing up buildings, you will find them blowing up O-lines and taking advantage of blown coverages.