The last time Freddie Kitchens took over the offense of another coach, his career began to grow.
Drew Stanton was there in October 2018, as Browns’ third string defender, when a shake-up lifted the kitchens from the back-to-back coach to the first caller. The kitchens face a similar task on Sunday for the Giants as full offensive coordinator for Jason Garrett, who tested positive this week for COVID-19.
“Freddie is the perfect man to play this role,” Stanton told The Post. “When Todd Haley was fired, it wasn’t a Freddie offense, but he adapted it to the players around him. This bit of adversity will be nothing new. I know that without a shadow of a doubt, Freddie will be ready to put his best foot forward. “
There is no defender anywhere with a better reading at Kitchens than Stanton, who has retired this season after a 13-year career. Kitchens coached the Cardinals’ defense for four of Stanton’s five seasons in Arizona, including when they teamed up to upset the Giants in 2014, with Carson Palmer out.
The Giants could be forced to pair a backup defender – Colt McCoy would start if multiple injuries to Daniel Jones’ leg restrict his mobility – with the backup caller. The Giants offense ranks second in yards and points per game, but as the NFL works, most of the game plan was already in place by the kitchens were lifted Thursday morning.
Kitchens is the coach of Garrett’s offensive team, but has a 15-year relationship with head coach Joe Judge.
“We still want to stick to what really worked our crime this season,” the judge said. “Make sure we don’t throw too many curve balls at the guys who are there in the grip. That being said, you can work on certain elements. Finally, when the time comes, the calling player must call the pieces. “
Stanton remembered how the kitchens kept Haley’s word to make the transition easier for the Browns, who led the NFL in the yards per game, with kitchens calling games. Quarterback Baker Mayfield’s finishing percentage jumped from 58 to 68 and two of the five wins in the last eight games came after a draw.
“Freddie understands personalities and how to manage people,” Stanton said. “Freddie will call a game the way he feels comfortable, but in the end the way the defender plays is the most comfortable – whether it’s Colt or Daniel – because he wants them to trust him to execute. It all comes down to this. If the defender doesn’t believe in a piece, Freddie will take out the piece. He is not afraid to exceed the limits of certain things in the running game or in the game action ”.
Browns’ offense did not repeat the same success last season, with the kitchens playing games as head coach.
“When you become head coach, you have so much on your plate,” Stanton said. “Freddie really prospered in this role in 2018, when he had the opportunity to make his mark on him. He was so good at adapting. We would pause and make adjustments. It was a clear roadmap outlining how we were going to win the second half. “
Will they draw attention from the team’s goal to the additional return of the giants’ training against the suddenly flourishing Browns – a game of revenge just 11 months after the shooting?
“He couldn’t have done better, especially in Sunday Night Football,” Stanton said. “For him, unfortunately, to get a season is a class act. When he says he’s happy for Cleveland, he really is. He stands by what he says. “