The Cleveland Browns are a popular pick to make some noise in the AFC in 2019, but their new head coach has not been happy with their focus in the preseason.
Freddie Kitchens was critical of his team following a 21-18 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 of the preseason, notably because of the penalties (transcription via Jeff Risdon of USA Today's “Browns Wire”):
“I think we made too many mistakes,” Kitchens said with disgust in his postgame press conference. “You’re not going to win football games with the amount of mistakes that we made, the penalties that we made, the missed tackles that we had, missed opportunities because of the penalties. You’re not going to win very many games like that.”
The Browns were penalized 13 times for 119 times, which actually pales in comparison to the 16 Colts penalties that amounted to 164 yards.
Still, as a first-year head coach, Kitchens still feels it is vital to establish an early precedent for a team with serious playoff aspirations.
Cleveland fans have plenty of reason for optimism after the team finished 2018 with their best record (7-8-1) in 11 years, then followed that up by acquiring Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon from the New York Giants.
With weapons like Beckham, Jarvis Landry, David Njoku, Rishard Higgins, and Nick Chubb, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will look to lead a unit that ranked 13th in total offense last season.
Cleveland's success may be determined by the growth of the defense, which ranked 30th in total defense despite possessing talented players like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward.
Regardless, Kitchens is sure to demand more discipline on both sides of the ball.
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