Firing Kitchens doesn’t cure all ills

If there is one thing the Browns have become adept at since Jimmy Haslam bought the team in 2012, it is issuing statements thanking fired coaches for their effort and wishing them well as they are shoved out the door.

Freddie Kitchens got his simultaneous pat on the back/ boot to the butt message on Dec. 29, about four hours after the Browns lost, 33-23, to the Bengals, who were 1-14 at kickoff.

“Freddie is a good man and good football coach,” General Manager John Dorsey said in a statement. “We wish him and his family nothing but success.”

Kitchens joins Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine and Hue Jackson to be fired by Haslam. Shurmur should have an asterisk by his name because he was hired in 2011 by Mike Holmgren, who was hired by former owner Randy Lerner. The list should also include Gregg Williams, who was named interim head coach midway through 2018 when Jackson was fired.

Williams, 5-3 with the interim label, was fired after the 2018 season when Haslam and Dorsey decided to promote Kitchens from offensive coordinator to head coach.

What the Browns really need, though, is a heart transplant. They showed little heart, especially on defense, Dec. 29 while losing, 33-23, to the Bengals in the final game of the season. It has been the same story too often this season.

Maybe a head coach with a stronger personality than Kitchens has can change that — somebody with that glare Steelers coach Mike Tomlin flashes when he is unhappy. That should be the focus of the coaching search that is already underway.

The Browns continually faltered when they faced adversity. They should grow from the experience, and whoever coaches the team next year will benefit from what went wrong this season. Next year, when adversity hits, players will know how to respond, or, better yet, see it coming and act instead of react.

Some players showed effort against the Bengals. Odell Beckham Jr. was ill, but made a phenomenal touchdown catch on the right side of the end zone to cut the Bengals’ lead to 30-23 — and then went to the sideline and vomited.

Baker Mayfield fought for every inch of grass to get a first down prior to the touchdown pass to Beckham on fourth down.

Running back Nick Chubb showed effort all season and nearly won the NFL rushing title with 1,494 yards. He was caught from behind by the Titans’ Derrick Henry in Week 17.

But there were too

many times this season when there wasn’t enough effort. Some of that falls on coaching for not getting players to give full effort. But some falls on players, too.

The Bengals chewed the Browns’ offensive line to get to Mayfield as most opponents did. Bengals running back Joe Mixon (162 yards) ran through the Browns’ defense just as he did Dec. 8 (146 yards) when the Browns won, 27-19.

I am in a small minority, but I still believe Kitchens would have been successful with another season.

Being a first year head coach of a team expected to succeed immediately proved overwhelming. Kitchens was hard-headed as a play-caller, such as in

the finale against the Bengals when he called only 13 runs for Chubb. Kitchens never did explain what Rashard Higgins did to stay permanently in his doghouse.

With a year of experience, Kitchens might have handled these situations better. Jimmy and Dee Haslam concluded that would not have happened.

“We thank Freddie for his hard work and commitment to this organization but did not see the success or opportunities for improvement to move forward with him as our head coach,” the Haslams said in a statement.

No matter whom the head coach is in 2020, this season revealed the roster has holes that must be filled before the Browns

can catch the Ravens in the AFC North.

Dorsey has to fix the offensive line first. Left tackle and right tackle have to be upgraded. The Browns need at least one safety and probably two. Dorsey has to get a reliable tight end.

Mayfield was the biggest disappointment this season. He threw three interceptions in Baltimore in the 2018 season finale and he threw three picks in Cincinnati to finish the season with 21 interceptions.

Firing Kitchens appeases the fans. But that doesn’t fix all the Browns problems.

Reach Schudel at JSchudel@News-Herald. com. On Twitter: @jsproinsider

GARY LANDERS — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Head coach Freddie Kitchens looks on during the Browns’ loss to the Bengals on Dec. 29 in Cincinnati. He was 6-10 in one season in charge.