Given the state of the franchise over the course of the past two decades, Cleveland Browns fans probably figured they have seen it all.
But on Sunday, they were once again proven wrong.
Facing the New England Patriots on the road in Week 8, the Browns found themselves in an early hole thanks to turnovers on three consecutive offensive snaps -- including a bizarre interception thrown by Baker Mayfield. Despite falling behind 17-0, Cleveland managed to climb within striking distance of the Patriots and only trailed by 14 points with more than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
That, however, was when perhaps the biggest blemish of head coach Freddie Kitchens' season occurred, as the Browns found themselves facing a 4th-and-11 after a three-and-out. Initially, Kitchens sent out out his punt team -- a questionable decision given how much time remained on the clock. But what was even more questionable was that the first-year Browns head coach then opted to go for it on fourth-and-16 after a false start pushed Cleveland back five yards.
The play, as you might expect, was unsuccessful, as Mayfield took a sack for a turnover on downs. Adding insult to injury was Kitchens' apparent explanation for his decision, as according to both CBS' Tracy Wolfson and Cleveland Browns sideline radio host Nathan Zegura, Kitchens intentionally called for a false start in order to get his offense back on the field.
As one might expect, social media wasn't just unsatisfied with Kitchens' explanation -- it was borderline outraged at its lack of logic. So much so that Kitchens' name began trending nationwide on Twitter, and not for reasons that could be construed as positive.
Ultimately, the Browns would go on to lose the game 27-13. With the loss, Cleveland falls to 2-5 on the season and heads toward the second half of its schedule facing no shortage of questions, many of which will be directed toward its head coach.