Cleveland Browns: 6 Studs and Duds from heartbreaking Divisional Round loss

Dud: Kevin Stefanski

Kevin Stefanski is hands-down the coach of the year, and had a better rookie season than anyone could have imagined. But there have been a few times this season where his inexperience showed, and today was one of those times. The Browns burned a timeout in the first quarter and then wasted another on a lost challenge early in the fourth. Cleveland also declined to challenge a Demarcus Robinson catch in the third quarter that ended up leading to a field goal for the Chiefs.

Down 22-17 with 4:31 to go in the game, the team was faced with a 4th and 9 from their own 32-yard-line. Stefanski opted to punt with one timeout in his pocket and eventually the Chiefs converted a fourth and 1 to seal the game.

Stefanski may have made the correct choice, but there is an argument to be made that the Browns should have gone for it; if they hadn’t gotten it, a field goal would have put the Chiefs up by eight. A conversion allows you to win the game. It just seems odd to put the game in the hands of your defense as opposed to your offense, which is far and away the better unit.

Even if you agree with punting the ball, the excellent timeout management and decision making that Stefanski showed through the regular season was missing. Perhaps nerves got the better of him, but it’s an experience he’ll learn and improve from.