CLEVELAND — Cleveland, Ohio is a long way from Gadsden, Alabama, and yet, it reminds Freddie Kitchens of home.
An Alabama native and first-time NFL offensive coordinator, Kitchens has found the passion of the fans for Cleveland Browns football similar to the support of his college program at the University of Alabama.
“The Cleveland Browns, the City of Cleveland is very much like -- I am hesitant to say this -- but it is pretty much like the people in Alabama feel toward University of Alabama football,” Kitchens said during his weekly press conference Thursday.
“The passion, drive and the love of the Browns is so high that anytime anything changes, of course, there are going to be emotions that come into play. It has, and I am sure it has carried over for 20 years.”
A self-proclaimed fan of the Browns during the Bernie Kosar era, Kitchens often is found wearing a “Dawg Pound” sweatshirt, which is an homage to the team’s fan base.
“I know I am from Alabama, but I loved the Dawg Pound ever since back in the mid-80s when Bernie was playing and things like that and -- I do not mean to bring this up -- but when the Broncos and all came in town and the playoff games and stuff,” Kitchens said.
“I really loved the Dawg Pound.”
Those Kosar-era Browns eventually moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens, and Kitchens is well aware of the history between the teams, including Cleveland’s 10-29-0 overall record and 4-15-0 mark in road games.
“At the end of the day, they are the next team,” Kitchens said. “That is the way that we try to focus on who the next team is. That is when we started worrying about them. We started worrying about the Ravens this week. We try to say that they are just gray faces. It does not matter.
“It is all about us. That is the way that we are going to keep it this week. The biggest thing for us is to go out and finish the season strong, finish with a winning record and go lay it all out on the field and see where it lays.”
The Browns could play the role of spoiler for the Ravens’ playoff chances when the two AFC North Division teams meet at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Sunday, but that is the furthest thing from the minds of the players and coaches.
Instead, the Browns are focused on making good on the chance at their first winning season since 2007 should they secure their first victory in Baltimore since 2015.
“Hopefully, we can go in and handle the situation and the environment well, and then, get a taste for what the playoffs are all about because this truly is a playoff game for them just as it is us,” Kitchens said. “We have been in truly playoff-type mode for about four weeks here now.
“We will see how we handle it. I know that we are going to go in there and let it out there and see. I expect nothing else offensively from us, and I know defensively, they are going to lay it out there. Try to put three good phases out there and see where it lays. The key is just to not watch the scoreboard and play each play like it is your last. Let’s roll.”
