CLEVELAND — With eight minutes and seven seconds remaining in the third quarter of Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns found themselves facing a fourth-and-goal at their opponent's 2-yard line.
Clinging to a 21-13 lead, conventional wisdom would say that the Browns should kick the field goal. But rather than taking the safer route to extended his team's lead to two scores, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski opted for a more aggressive approach.
Sending the Browns offense back onto the field, Stefanski called for Nick Chubb to carry the ball for the fourth time in five plays. After powering forward for one yard, the Pro Bowl running back was met by Bengals defensive linemen Freedom Akinmoladun and D.J. Reader, just short of the Cincinnati end zone.
Turnover on downs. Bengals ball.
Although the result would ultimately work out for the Browns -- more on that later -- the moment lent itself to armchair quarterbacking and the second-guessing of Stefanski all across Cleveland. Following what was ultimately a 35-30 Browns' victory, Stefanski defended his decision, citing his general offensive philosophy.
“We want to be aggressive," Stefanski said. "I think sevens over threes are just a huge deal."
It goes without saying that touchdowns are preferable to field goals, but Stefanski's decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal went beyond that.
Even if Cleveland didn't convert -- which it didn't -- the Browns would be giving the Bengals the ball back at their own 1-yard line on the road with a rookie quarterback.
While Joe Burrow initially found some breathing room, the risk Stefanski took was ultimately rewarded. Five plays after Chubb was stopped short, a Myles Garrett strip sack gave Cleveland the ball back at the Cincinnati 1-yard line, with Chubb making the most of the second chance with a one-yard touchdown run.
"That is how you script it if you do not get it," Stefanski said. "Obviously, you hope it comes right back to you like that, but we are just going to trust our guys in moments like that.”