Trailing the Arizona Cardinals 35-17 in the fourth quarter, the Cleveland Browns appear to be in the midst of an on-field meltdown.
Off the field, things aren't much better.
After a 10-play, 51-yard drive resulted in Austin Seibert missing a 45-yard field goal attempt, cameras caught Jarvis Landry having a heated exchange with Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens. It's unclear whether the exchange occurred following Seibert's missed kick -- which would have cut the Cardinals' lead to eight points with 12:05 remaining -- or the Browns' failed third down conversion, in which Mayfield threw a 2-yard completion to Landry short of the sticks.
This isn't the first time that Landry -- who is considered one of the Browns' most vocal leaders -- has shown frustration with the Cleveland coaching staff this season. After Mayfield threw an interception that was intended for Landry to seal a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 1, Landry was seen in a heated exchange with quarterbacks coach Ryan Lindley, which required the 4-time Pro Bowl selection to be restrained by teammates.
“I think this is an emotional game, and Jarvis is an emotional player," Kitchens said the following day. "We like to coach with emotion and passion. I do not think that is a big deal. I think that is part of the game. Our guys put a lot into this game so anytime you see it not happening or unfolding the way you want it to unfold, of course, there is going to be passion and stuff that is exuded out. That is understandable. That is what makes Jarvis such a special player.”
Entering Sunday, Landry led the Browns with 69 receptions for 995 yards and 5 touchdowns. He finished Sunday's 38-24 loss with 5 receptions for 23 yards.
As for Kitchens, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported on Sunday that the Browns plan to retain the first-year head coach in 2020 "barring a horrific collapse." It remains to be seen whether or not Sunday's loss and the effect it could have on the rest of the season would qualify as just that.