Freddie Kitchens Calls Out Wide Receiver After Costly Penalty

Getty Browns WR Jarvis Landry taunts Levi Wallace of the Bills.

Jarvis Landry got the home crowd at FirstEnergy Stadium on their feet early against the Buffalo Bills, hauling in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield just minutes into Sunday’s game.

After the play, Landry  — usually a composed leader on the field for the Cleveland Browns — got in the face of Bills cornerback Levi Wallace, resulting in a 15-yard flag for taunting. The flag was enforced on the PAT, which kicker Austin Seibert missed.

Sure, it was just a point, but it could have cost the Browns big. The Bills needed just a field goal to tie it up late, which they were in range to do but Steven Hauschka pushed his kick wide. An extra point could have applied extra pressure on the Bills to have to find the end zone.

After persevering for the narrow 19-16 victory, Landry said he didn’t regret the flag that nearly changed the game.

“I’d do the exact same thing,” Landry told reporters. “Absolutely.”

Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens did not share the same opinion, which he shared while speaking to the media during his Tuesday press conference.

“I want him playing with passion, though. Passion, not emotion. I just don’t like penalties,” Kitchens said. “I’m not going to question whether or not it was a penalty, but they threw the flag, I don’t like that. We don’t need to do things that get us penalties.”

Landry has been the Browns most productive receiver this season with 45 catches for 652 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Penalties Have Been Browns Bugaboo

The Browns have been the most flagged team this season, with 99 penalties called against them amounting to 701 yards.

That ominous trend started in the Browns’ Week 1 blowout loss to the Titans, as they were called for 18 penalties for 182 yards. Cleveland has been able to cut it down in recent weeks, with just 4 for 50 yards against the Broncos and 4 for 70 yards against the Bills. They’d like to see those numbers drop further, but it’s a step in the right direction.

GettyBrowns head coach Freddie Kitchens

Kitchens has made it a point for his team to cut down on the flags, which is why Landry’s unnecessary penalty set him off a bit.

“It is a commitment that they have to have to each other and accountability to each other because it is very evident that it is costing us football games,” Kitchens said in October. “When they decide that, it will change. We are going to do the things to speed up that process, which we have been doing. Everybody understands the problems. We are going to work to fix those problems.”

Browns Back in AFC North Race With Steelers Next

While the Browns have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL with a 3-6 record after record preseason hype, the Steelers 5-4 record and current four-game win streak has been a surprise, especially considering the loss of veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger.

“We are finally back into the division — a very tough division,” Kitchens said. “We got Pittsburgh coming in and they’re an excellent football team. What they’ve been able to do after their start is very impressive. Losing their quarterback and never wavering.”

Kitchens pointing to the Steelers have a 14-1 turnover ratio during the current four-game streak, which he called, “a recipe for success.”

The Browns are listed as 2.5-point home favorites for the short-week, Thursday contest against the Steelers.

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