Odds Split on Whether Freddie Kitchens Is Browns’ Head Coach in 2020

• The Cleveland Browns have now lost three in a row, getting outscored 90-44 in the process
• The Browns had three turnovers on three consecutive plays on Sunday
• The Browns have 70 penalties so far and are on pace to set an NFL record for most penalties in a season

The Cleveland Browns were supposed to be among the best teams in the AFC this season, but through eight weeks, they’re just 2-5 and are riding a three-game losing streak.

A lot of fingers are being pointed and first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens is taking a ton of heat for his decisions. Now the odds look slim that he returns to coach the team next season.

Odds Freddie Kitchens Is Browns Coach in Week 1 of 2020

Odds taken October 28th.

Browns Continue To Get Embarrassed

It would be one thing for the Browns to be 2-5 with a few close losses, but they’ve been embarrassed at times this season. The latest was on Sunday when they visited the New England Patriots. Knowing they had to play a clean game to have a shot, the Browns committed three turnovers on three consecutive snaps in the first quarter.

Kitchens has looked like he’s in way over his head this season as he’s had a number of bizarre calls. There was a draw on fourth-and-eight against the Los Angeles Rams. On Sunday, with the Browns down 17 with about fives minutes to go, he called for a punt on fourth-and-11. After a false start, he sent the offense back out on fourth-and-16 and they took a sack.

Browns HC Freddie Kitchens trying to get fired. Punt unit is on the field for 4th&11, whistled for false start, it’s now 4th&16. Freddie brings offense bck on the field to for it on his own 30. Sack, turnover on dwns. WTF was that Freddie?

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) October 27, 2019

They had 13 penalties against the Patriots and are now up to 70 on the season. They’re on pace to have the most penalties in league history. They’re undisciplined and unprepared. While Kitchens might be a good offensive coordinator, he doesn’t look like he knows what he’s doing as a head coach.

Offense Regressing

Although this offense excelled under Kitchens when he was offensive coordinator last season, it’s completely regressed with him at head coach. Baker Mayfield has just six touchdown passes along with 12 interceptions and a fumble, and his QBR of 39.7 ranks him 26th in the NFL.

Wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who was supposedly a superstar held back by the New York Giants offense, has just 488 yards through seven games with one touchdown. And 89 of that came on one play, so he’s mostly been invisible this season.

The Browns scored 40 points against the Baltimore Ravens but have averaged 15.5 points per game otherwise. How does a team with Mayfield, Beckham, Nick Chubb, and Jarvis Landry score just 15.5 points per game?

Once among the favorites to win the Coach of the Year award, if the season ended today, Kitchens would be fired.

Schedule Could Be Saving Grace

Although I do think Kitchens will be fired at the end of the season, the one saving grace for him could be the schedule. They’re at the Denver Broncos next week, who have just benched Joe Flacco. After that, they host the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins. Then they go to the Steelers, host the Cincinnati Bengals and visit the Arizona Cardinals.

As bad as things have been for the Browns, they have a really good shot to turn things around against a soft schedule. They should win at least three of their next four and three of their final four. If they can finish the year with wins in six of their last eight, Kitchens job might be saved. However, that might be optimistic.

Browns have the 2nd easiest remaining schedule after having the 2nd hardest to this point:

at 2-6 Denver
vs 5-2 Buffalo
vs 2-4 Pittsburgh
vs 0-6 Miami
at 2-4 Pittsburgh
vs 0-8 Cincinnati
at 3-4-1 Arizona
vs 5-2 Baltimore
at 0-8 Cincinnati

9-7 is still alive, wake up @Browns

— Sports Nation Ohio (@SN_Ohio) October 28, 2019

It seemed like he’d be a lock to last at least a year and beyond. The Browns have to realize that he’s simply not the guy to elevate this team. I’d bet that he’s not going to be back next season.