Cleveland Browns: Freddie Kitchens is exposing previous coaches flaws

The Cleveland Browns offense has looked much different under Freddie Kitchens, and the new play-caller is exposing the previous coaching staff’s flaws.

The Cleveland Browns have been a different team with Gregg Williams as the interim head coach and Freddie Kitchens as the offensive coordinator.

The team has played with a different energy, and the players are being put into positions that will give them a better chance at success. That showed on Sunday, when the Browns defeated the Atlanta Falcons 28-16.

On the offensive side of the ball, Kitchens has been making things much easier for Baker Mayfield. He is designing and calling plays for Mayfield to get the ball out quickly, and he is putting the ball in the hands of his play-makers.

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He is also showing his creative side as a play-caller, putting the offense in innovative formations that created problems for the Atlanta Falcons defense.

During the first half, the Browns offense played most of a drive in a diamond formation, with Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson, and Dontrell Hilliard all in the backfield with Mayfield. With this formation, the Browns were moving the ball down the field fairly easily.

That was until Kitchens called for an unnecessary trick play, with Hilliard attempting to complete a pass to Mayfield. The play ended with an interception, killing a promising drive for the Browns.

It was the second trick play that did not work for the Browns. Kitchens called for a direct snap to Chubb during the first drive of the game, and the Browns failed to convert on the third down attempt.

Kitchens is not the perfect play-caller, as he showed with his two questionable trick play attempts. But for most Browns fans, the difference in the offense and the play-calling from earlier in the season is noticeable.

That is because Kitchens understands how to use his personnel and how to effectively call a game, something that Todd Haley did not do well with the Browns.

Kitchens has been giving Johnson touches, which is something that Haley refused to do earlier in the season. And the results have paid off, as Johnson has scored three touchdowns the past two weeks, and has caught 13 passes for 109 yards.

Kitchens has also been feeding Chubb and has made him a workhorse running back. And now Chubb has rushed for 261 yards the past two games, and has three total touchdowns.

And Mayfield has looked much more comfortable under center since Kitchens took over. In Haley’s offense, Mayfield was forced to sit in the pocket and wait for receivers to get open on long developing plays. In that system of offense, Mayfield never looked comfortable and was being sacked way too often.

In Kitchens’ offense, Mayfield is able to play to his strengths and be a distributor. Against the Falcons, Mayfield completed passes to nine different receivers. He is also throwing passes much quicker than he was when Haley was calling plays.

It is not like Kitchens is calling plays that are never seen before, he just has a better understanding of how to use his personnel, which is something Haley did not do.

The more the Browns offense succeeds under Kitchens, the more it makes Haley look worse. As the weeks go on, the Browns decision to move on from Haley makes a lot more sense.