Why Browns coach Freddie Kitchens made strange 4th down decision vs. Patriots

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Fans love to second-guess coaching decisions. It's just a fact of sports. 

So you can only imagine what Cleveland fans were thinking after Browns coach Freddie Kitchens made a very curious decision late in the team's game against the Patriots.

Here's the situation: Trailing 27-10 with just over six minutes left, the Browns faced a 4th and 11 from their own 24-yard line. Kitchens sent the punt unit out there, but KhaDarel Hodge committed a false start, backing Cleveland up five yards to the 19. 

So it's another punt, right? Wrong. Kitchens sent the offense back on the field, only to see Chase Winovich and Adam Butler sack Baker Mayfield. Even worse, Mayfield grimaced when he landed on his throwing shoulder.

Why would Kitchens go for it after the penalty? Let CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson explain.

"The rumor down here on the Cleveland sideline of why they went for it on fourth-and-16 is that Freddie wanted to go for it, but they didn't want to use a timeout. So they told the guy to go offsides and then they decided to send their guys back out there and try and go for it."

Huh?

Kitchens was predictably skewered on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/YourBuddyJonesy/status/1188596258132373505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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