A meaningless win in Week 17 should have absolutely no impact for Freddie Kitchens and his future as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
Winning in Week 17 should not help Freddie Kitchens keep his job. There are 15 previous games that show just how unprepared the Cleveland Browns have been since the start of the season. Defeating a one-win Bengals team does not change that.
The fact of the matter is that the team still lines up out of place multiple times per game. This is unacceptable. This is something that should not happen this late in the season. A real head coach does not allow this to happen. A real head coach makes sure his team knows where to line up when it is game time.
This is a responsibility that doesn’t exclusively fall on the shoulders of the offensive coordinator. Todd Monken can say he’s frustrated all he wants that this keeps happening, but the reality is that this is literally his department. One of Kitchens or Monken should have fixed this by now and the fact that they haven’t is just plain sad. The fact of the matter is that an actual NFL head coach would have done something by now to keep this from happening. Whether it is making sure the players know their spots or eliminating plays where nobody knows where to go. The fact that this has continued so long is frustrating to watch.
Prior to their Week 16 loss to Baltimore, Freddie Kitchens essentially stated that he has not changed the ways he prepared for games. This is openly admitting that you are refusing to adjust as the season progresses. This is essentially all the Browns need to consider when evaluating the future of Freddie Kitchens. A win in Week 17 doesn’t change the fact that the man is unwilling to adapt. Is this really who they want leading their football team? The answer is clear and obvious.
