There must be something in the water in Berea.

This season was supposed to be different. The one that finally shed off the skin of the Cleveland Browns of old. No more organizational dysfunction. No more finger-pointing. No more false hopes on offseason workouts and April draft picks.

After all, the Browns gutted their 1-31 roster from top to bottom. They finally made sure the Haslams stayed out of the way. They proudly showcased their new and improved inner workings for the world to see, and most importantly, they were flying high with a buzzing quarterback and a star-studded line up on both sides of the ball.

Yet, it’s the halfway point of the season, and the Browns face an all too familiar feeling.

Everything is different; yet nothing is different in Cleveland. The air gets colder, the Steelers fans get louder and the Browns self-destruct.

The Browns’ road to 2-6 has not just been disappointing; it’s been downright ugly. First-year head coach Freddie Kitchens has been a consistent headliner in Monday morning talk shows — and not for the right reasons. He has failed on five of six challenges, letting his emotion often get the best of him on the sidelines, and he has struggled to find a balance between being aggressive and being smart. His creative play calling from last season seems to have been overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a head coach. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t much time to learn on the job. The Browns have too much talent not to win now.

Coaches teach and players execute. Neither appears to be happening in Cleveland these days.

The Browns are the most penalized team in the league and have a red zone conversation rate of 46 percent, over a 20-percent decline from last season. Nick Chubb and kicker Austin Seibert have been the Browns’ most reliable offensive playmakers, while Pro Bowlers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry have combined for just two touchdown catches in eight games.

And when it comes to reliable playmakers, the Browns have inexplicably put one of their own on the sidelines. Rashard Higgins, who had 572 yards and four touchdowns last year, has caught just three passes this season.

The list of perplexities is long and the hope for a playoff push has dwindled, but the Browns must zero in on the reason why all of the hype got started in the first place.

When the Bud Light fridges burst open last September and a new name was written on the back of that famous quarterback jersey, Cleveland finally found their culture builder. Baker Mayfield didn’t just have the talent to be the Browns long-awaited franchise quarterback; he had the moxie to turn it all around.

After a season throwing for 3,725 yards and 27 touchdowns, the most ever by an NFL rookie, Mayfield was the Browns’ new centerpiece — the axis to keep things steady and the foundation to keep building higher.

The Browns know this better than any team in the NFL: Without a quarterback, there is no direction.

That’s why general manager John Dorsey went out and got new offensive stars to surround him with. He hired the coach that fueled the quarterback’s success and complimented his fiery personality. At the time, the Browns believed they were putting Mayfield in the best position to succeed.

For Dorsey, and for the sake of the Browns’ future, it’s time to re-evaluate and admit wrongdoings. Mayfield ranks last with a 58.7 completion percentage and is tied for a league-high 12 interceptions, three of those coming inside the red zone. His 71.3 passer rating is ahead of only the Jets’ Sam Darnold and his post-game press conference attire isn’t helping much either.

Apprehensive and off-target, he is a shell of his former self. It might be the play calls and individual coaching. It might be the struggling offensive line. It might just be a lack of timing and chemistry with new receivers that will only improve with time. Whatever the reasons are, the Browns must get to the bottom of why their franchise quarterback is struggling — and make some serious moves to fix it.

There are still eight more games left to re-establish that fleeting sense of optimism in Cleveland. If that means Kitchens giving up play calling, then so be it. If it means shifting around the depth chart and speeding up the offense, go for it. If it means shaving for four different facial hair styles within the span of 24 hours, have at it. The Browns must organize their clean-up process in the same way they began their offseason — a complete dedication to the success of their quarterback.

The Browns aren’t alone in this process. The Ravens critiqued their offense in the offseason in order to flaunt the unique talents of Lamar Jackson. The result? They stand atop the division at 6-2 as Jackson beat Tom Brady and Patriots on Sunday with 163 passing yards and 61 yards on the ground. In Kansas City, Andy Reid and the Chiefs have crafted a system so perfect for quarterback Patrick Mahomes that even with sitting out two games this season, he still has the second-highest passer rating in the league.

Ten months ago, it was Kitchens who preached humility when asked about his approach as a new head coach. Now it’s time for Dorsey and his staff to practice some too.