Monday leftovers

There it was in writing. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and the NFL Network all but assured Browns Nation that Freddie Kitchens has been greenlighted to return next season as head coach of your Cleveland Browns.

With one important caveat.

“As of right now,” he wrote before Sunday’s 38-24 humiliating loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the desert, “barring a horrific collapse or circumstances to end the season, it appears the Browns will be moving forward with Kitchens. The organization will evaluate everything, but this is the direction it’s heading.”

When questioned about the report following the loss Sunday, Kitchens brazenly said,  “I don’t care about my future as a Browns coach. I’m gonna show up Monday and do the best job I can do Monday . . . . That’s the only thing I can control.”

He doesn’t care about his future? Really? Has he already been assured he’ll be back next year? Sure sounds like it. Nothing official yet.

The loss to the Cardinals, though, easily qualifies as round one toward the “horrific collapse” of which Rapoport writes with round two awaiting Sunday in the home finale against the Baltimore Ravens.

The loss to the Ravens – spoiler alert for the next prediction piece – could be one of those “circumstances” to which Rapoport was referring, enhancing the “horrific” aspect.

Then again, it might be the unhappiness of some of Kitchens' key performers like Jarvis Landry and David Njoku. Both have had serious disagreements with the coach recently.

Njoku was chastised for ostensibly dropping a pass that was initially ruled a fumble then later changed to an interception in the Cincinnati victory eight days ago. Replay upheld the call on the field despite the fact it showed it was a reception.

The tight end reportedly snapped back, believing he had made a successful catch (he did) and was the victim of a terrible replay call (he was). His reward? Being a healthy scratch for the Cardinals game.

Television cameras caught Landry arguing with Kitchens Sunday late in the second half after coming off the field. They also caught him sitting sullenly on the bench shortly after, his head bowed and hands in a prayerful position. He was clearly upset.

Kitchens came over to try and console the inconsolable wide receiver and did not succeed. After the game, Landry said all he wanted was to see more passes.

There was no excuse for the Cardinals loss. The Browns were woefully unprepared from the start when the Cards opened with an up-tempo Air Raid attack and maintained it. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and his staff certainly had to see that on tape because the Cards have run it all season.

How many times does one have to point out how unprepared the Browns have been this season with no ability whatsoever to make successful halftime adjustments? All that falls on the shoulders of the head coach.

Kitchens knows offense. At least he did in the final eight games of the 2018 season when he pretty much used the offense of fired coordinator Todd Haley to carve out a 5-3 record. It helped him get his current job. But when it comes to head coaching, he has no clue.

What the 2019 Browns and their star-studded roster needed this season was a polished product. Someone who had had been a head coach at some level – the higher, the better – and knew how to handle the complexities of such a roster.

What they got instead was a rank neophyte who is learning how to be one at a maddeningly snail’s pace. That’s not nearly good enough. The fans of this unfortunately still dysfunctional franchise deserve better.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, whose performances continue to diminish as the season wears down, reasons talent does not always guarantee success. “Just because (the roster) looks good on paper doesn’t mean it will just happen,” he said Sunday, seemingly trying to justify another unexplainable loss.

Kitchens, meanwhile, continues to be outcoached, outsmarted and outprepared. One would think that 14 games into a 16-game season, the man would make significant strides. If he has, they are imperceptible.

It will be interesting to see how John Dorsey and the Haslams justify rewarding this not-even-close-to-being-ready-to-be-a-head-coach-and-never-will-be with another year if that’s the direction they are heading.  If they think he deserves to continue, they need help.

There is only one alternative. Cashier him.

More leftovers Tuesday