CLEVELAND — The 2019 regular-season opener came and went for the Cleveland Browns with much fanfare, but unfortunately, not much success, as they suffered a 43-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans in front of the home fans at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.
A 30-point loss at home where the team committed the second-most penalties, 18, in franchise history for 182 lost yards, all of which culminated in Cleveland’s 15th consecutive opening-day setback was not exactly how Browns coaching Freddie Kitchens wanted to make his regular-season debut.
And it was a performance that the Quotable Kitchens did not expect after what he thought was a good week of practice.
“I did not see that coming,” Kitchens said. “That is not how we practiced. That is not how we prepared. I did not do a very good job of making sure that we did not have penalties. That is just as much the coaches’ fault, my fault, players’ faults. Everybody takes some blame for that.”
Disqualification
Browns left tackle Greg Robinson had a shorter than expected afternoon’s worth of work against the Titans.
Following a two-yard gain from running back Nick Chubb in the second quarter, Robinson fell to the ground, and while on his back, delivered an up kick to the facemask to a Titans defender and was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, but that was only the start of the punishment.
After the officials huddled near the Browns’ sideline, it was determined that Robinson’s actions warranted a disqualification and he was ejected from the game late in the second quarter.
“We do not tolerate that,” Kitchens said. “That is unacceptable.”
Need for discipline
The Browns not only committed 18 penalties, but several were personal fouls that cost the team 15 yards each time.
Those 15-yard issues cost the Browns dearly on the Titans’ first possession of the second quarter.
By committing four penalties, including 15-yard violations for unnecessary roughness (Myles Garrett) and roughing the passer (Sheldon Richardson), the Browns gave away 40 free yards, and the Titans took advantage by sustaining an 11-play, 87-yard drive in just over five minutes and finishing off the possession with a Derrick Henry one-yard touchdown run behind right guard.
“That is not the way we want to be represented,” Kitchens said. “We lost our discipline and we lost our composure, but it is one game and we are going to be tested. You either take adversity and run together and run toward each other or you run away.
“I think we have a bunch of guys who are going to run toward each other and we are going to be fine. It is one game. I do not care. It counts on the scoreboard, but each game counts one time. That is the way we are going to approach it.”
Not end of world
A crushing loss in a game where the Browns were favored by nearly a touchdown got the attention of the coaches, players, and especially the fans, who have seen just one season-opening win since the franchise’s return to the NFL in 1999.
Whatever caused the Browns’ struggles against the Titans, Kitchens is committed to figuring out the root problems and working out the issues in practice ahead of next Monday’s game against the New York Jets.
“We will get it rectified,” Kitchens said. “It counts one time and that is the way we will approach it. The world is not falling right now.”
Appreciate fans’ efforts
The Browns spent all week trying to encourage fans to be in their seats before kickoff, and the support system got the message, loud and clear.
FirstEnergy Stadium was packed before kickoff and the fans stayed in the ballpark for much of the afternoon despite the Browns playing from behind for most of the final 45 minutes.
“I loved it,” Kitchens said. “I thought the atmosphere was great. We want the atmosphere to be like this every time.”