EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 16: Cleveland Browns Head Coach Freddie Kitchens looks on from the sidelines during the second half of the game between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets on September 16, 2019, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Cleveland Browns have struggled mightily on offense so far in 2019. Yet it is far too early to call for the firing of head coach Freddie Kitchens.

The Cleveland Browns were in a perfect position to tie the game Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams.

Then Freddie Kitchens made four questionable calls down near the goal line.

The Browns abandoned the run and it looked like Pete Carroll was calling the plays when the Browns needed only a few yards to get a game-tying touchdown with under 30 seconds left.

It was a bizarre night in general that featured a draw play on fourth and nine, a missed opportunity to challenge a pass interference call, and plenty of inconsistent play-calling that didn’t target the top players on offense.

Couple all of this with a young quarterback in Baker Mayfield and Kitchens did his team no favors.

The normal response in Cleveland is to call for a total do-over when anything goes wrong. I have lived in Northeast Ohio my entire life and I have seen the same song and dance too many times since 1999.

Three games in is far too early for the doom to set in. Besides, the hiring was applauded at the start of the year.

Kitchens has been far too conservative to start the season. Perhaps he is trying to protect Mayfield or maybe he is simply trying too hard. The positive is that he has plenty of film to watch that allows him to correct his mistakes.

The Browns cannot afford to make any sort of drastic move three games in to a new coaching tenure. Such a thought should be seen as foolish to Browns fans and I am guessing that all the calls for Kitchens’ firing on social media and local talk radio fall under the minority. It is just a very vocal and angry minority.

There is a difference between being an apologist and being patient. The Browns lost to the Los Angeles Rams with a shot to tie the game at the end. If this was a blowout loss against the Miami Dolphins then there would be reasons to be shocked and worried.

A rookie head coach made mistakes against a great team and the second-year quarterback struggled against one of the top defenses in football. Not an ideal result but also not the end of the world with a record of 1-2 through three games.

The schedule doesn’t get easier this week as the Browns are on the road in Baltimore. Yet a win gets the Browns to 2-2 and tied atop the AFC North with the Ravens.

Browns fans have already seen the defense dominate. Better play-calling from Kitchens, more confident play in the pocket from Mayfield, and being situationally smarter could have the Browns in first place by next Sunday night.

The fixes may seem impossible now but head coaches aren’t superstars overnight. The problem, at least locally, was the insane hype surrounding the team. Though it is much better than the alternative of praying for four or five wins.

A total overhaul is what Browns fans are used to since the team returned to town. Patience is what we all need when putting the situation into perspective. Three games don’t define a season. Or a head coach’s career.