As exciting as a trip to the Super Bowl can be, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy knows that his job is not yet done. The Chiefs face their biggest test of the season next Sunday, going up against the San Francisco 49ers and their elite defense. Patrick Mahomes and company are going to need to be at the top of their game to take home a championship, which is why Bieniemy is making sure the unit keeps their focus away from off-field distractions.
Eric Bieniemy Keeping Focus Ahead of Super Bowl LIV
Consistency is key in the NFL, both from an on-field and off-field perspective. During a press conference on Thursday, Bieniemy emphasized the importance of staying in the moment and keeping a level head. The offensive coordinator specifically said that “you never want to be too high and you never want to be too low.” There haven’t been too many low points in the Patrick Mahomes era, so keeping the team grounded is priority number one for Bieniemy.
The best way to keep focus, according to Bieniemy, is to eliminate “all of [the players] distractions off the field.” Bieniemy specifically referred to the difficulty in making Super Bowl arrangements, saying that planning and coordinating tickets and travel for family members can “take away from everything that you’re trying to achieve.” While the offensive coordinator obviously understands that the players need to “remain focused” on their personal affairs, Bieniemy is trying to make sure his team can balance the demands of life and football. After all, the goal at the end of the day is to “go out and win the game.”
Identifying San Francisco’s Strengths
The San Francisco 49ers have arguably the best defense in football, and Eric Bieniemy knows victory won’t come easy. Acknowledging that “there is no answer” for the 49ers defense, Bieniemy states that the only way to beat this unit is to “make sure that we’re doing the little things” and “just playing”. The Chiefs have the firepower to take down any defense in the league, but their margin for error is considerably smaller against a defense this talented.
Bieniemy is most impressed with the speed of San Francisco’s defense. Saying that “everything starts up front”, Bieniemy credit San Francisco’s ability to get to the passer and control the line of scrimmage. Going as far as to call the front seven “the heart and soul” of the defense, Bieniemy believes his offensive line has the ability to match this talented unit. However, the front seven is only a part of the picture, as Richard Sherman leads a highly skilled and technically sound secondary.
How Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs Match Up
Fortunately for Kansas City, the Chiefs offense matches up well with San Francisco’s speed. Tyreek Hill might be the most dynamic playmaker in the league, but he’s far from the only deep threat on the team. Travis Kelce is one of the biggest matchup problems in the league, and Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, and Demarcus Robinson all have the ability to beat defenders deep. When combined with a quarterback who can accurately reach every part of the field, Kansas City’s offense has the potential to be unstoppable.
Super Bowl LIV is going to be the ultimate matchup of strength versus strength. Nobody has been able to overcome San Francisco’s great defense, but the Chiefs have the pieces to do it. That said, they’re going to fall short unless Eric Bieniemy has his team focused and ready for arguably the biggest game in franchise history.
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