Cleveland Browns studs and duds from Preseason Week 3 vs. Bucs
By Dan Justik
Dud: Freddie Kitchens
Although the defense played phenomenal against the Buccaneers, the poor showing from the Browns offense was slightly concerning. Even without a couple of their starters, the Browns boast enough talent to get down the field and reach the end zone.
However, the reason why the Browns struggled may have been because of how the team was prepped during the week. In his post-game press conference, Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens said he did not prepare the team well enough for the third preseason game.
Freddie: “I did a poor job of preparing them for the third preseason game.” Said kicking and defense were the only bright spots.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 24, 2019
It is hard to say what the game plan was for the offense and if they were working out issues in the passing game. However, Kitchens abandoned the running game in the first half, which could have helped make Mayfield more comfortable instead of causing him to force throws to try to make plays.
One of the biggest questions about the Browns in 2019 is if Kitchens can handle being the head coach and getting the team ready for game days. With the third preseason game being the game that means in the most in the preseason – even though it still means very, very little – it was concerning that Kitchens acknowledged he did not have the team prepared.
Next. Instant reactions from the Browns Preseason Week 3 loss. dark
However, because the preseason is designed for teams to work out their issues before the games matter, this could have been a good wake-up call for Kitchens. After seeing what can happen without the right preparation, there is good reason to believe Kitchens will not let it happen again during the regular season.