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T<\/span>he Kansas City Chiefs<\/strong><\/a> are at a crossroads. With Patrick Mahomes<\/strong><\/a> leading the offense, expectations are sky-high, but last season exposed cracks that Andy Reid <\/strong>and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy <\/strong>now need to address. <\/p>\n Returning to the explosive form of Bieniemy<\/strong>‘s first stint won’t happen by repeating the same plays or tendencies – the offense needs a full makeover.<\/p>\n Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky <\/strong>put it bluntly ahead of the Super Bowl. “It was like a slow fade with Patrick in Kansas City,” he told Jason Anderson on WHB Radio Row last month. <\/p>\n “Over the last two-and-a-half years or so, the demand for him to constantly do more and bear more and burden more… it’s so easy for everyone to say, ‘Well, yeah, you’re Patrick Mahomes; you can and you should.’ That’s just not real. Just because you can, that doesn’t mean you want that to be the course.”<\/p>\n Orlovsky <\/strong>has consistently advocated for a strategic shake-up. Mahomes <\/strong>has excelled in the shotgun and pistol formations, but statistics suggest the quarterback is even more effective under center – a scenario the Chiefs have deployed sparingly. <\/p>\n In those limited snaps under center, Mahomes <\/strong>boasts a 110.7 passer rating and 8.1 yards per attempt, compared to a 99.6 rating and 7.6 yards per pass in shotgun. Under center, he’s also thrown more touchdowns, fewer interceptions, and taken fewer sacks.<\/p>\n Orlovsky <\/strong>believes a return to more under-center snaps is key. “Go under center more,” he said. “Put bigger bodies on the field. That doesn’t make him a lesser player. I still think he’s going to be at the highest end. He just doesn’t have to do 45 snaps a game. And so, I think it helps everybody else. It doesn’t just help Patrick.”<\/p>\n The data backs up the suggestion. Last season, Mahomes <\/strong>was under center at the lowest rate of his career, and the Chiefs finished with their first losing season under Reid<\/strong>. The correlation is hard to ignore: the offense struggled, and Mahomes bore the brunt of the workload.<\/p>\n Bieniemy and Reid<\/strong> face a delicate balance: they need to modernize the playbook while protecting their franchise quarterback. Incorporating more under-center looks, adjusting personnel packages, and diversifying formations could ease Mahomes<\/strong>‘ burden while opening up opportunities for other playmakers.<\/p>\n It’s not just about throwing more passes or adding flashy plays – it’s about maximizing efficiency and minimizing unnecessary risk.<\/p>\n Fans and analysts alike are watching closely. Kansas City has the talent and coaching to rebound, but a repeat of last season’s tendencies could stall progress. The stakes are clear: Mahomes<\/strong>‘ prime years won’t wait, and the Chiefs need to innovate to stay at the top of the league.<\/p>\n If Bieniemy and Reid<\/strong> can implement these changes effectively, the offense could regain its signature explosiveness while reducing pressure on Mahomes<\/strong>. <\/p>\nHow the Chiefs can maximize Patrick Mahomes<\/h2>\n