CLEVELAND — Stephen Carlson was just a name on the roster one month ago, but now, he is a key contributor for the Cleveland Browns, not just on offense, but also on special teams for his play in two meetings with the Pittsburgh Steelers over the last two weeks.
First, in the Browns’ 21-7 victory on November 14, Carlson caught a touchdown pass to make it a two-score game, and then, in the rematch, he hustled downfield on a fake field goal-turned-punt and downed the ball at the Pittsburgh one-yard line.
“Stephen is good, dependable, you know where he is going to be, you know he is going to make the plays that are there to be made and he is reliable,” Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said of the Princeton product.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was having quite the day while leading the Browns’ offense against their most heated rival in the AFC North Division, the Steelers, in front of a national-television audience on “Thursday Night Football” on November 14.
On third-and-goal from the Pittsburgh eight-yard line, Mayfield withstood a collapsing pocket and delivered a throw to the back of the end zone for Carlson, who despite tight coverage from a Pittsburgh defender, hauled in the catch.
Austin Seibert’s extra point gave the Browns a 21-7 lead over the Steelers late in the fourth quarter.
“I am really, really happy with what he had given us offensively and from a special teams standpoint,” Kitchens said. “Sometimes, you need guys just to go in and do their job on special teams as well, and he has done a good job in all areas. I am very happy with what Stephen has brought to us.”
With the Browns too far away to attempt a field goal and not close enough to go for a fourth-down conversion, the team elected to run a fake punt and directly snapped the ball to rookie placekicker Austin Seibert.
“We introduced it in practice for the first time last week because of the time of year to be honest with you,” special-teams coordinator Mike Priefer said. “I think that was the perfect time for us to make that call, and Freddie did a great job of being on top of the situation. We made the call and went out and executed a really good play.
“It was close. The way I understand the rules that Stephen got two hands on the ball and downed it before he let it go. If I am on the other side, I probably do not like the call because his knee was touching the ball, but I have seen that call before on a similar type of play. It worked out in our favor, so it was good.”
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Carlson did not just help down the ball at the Pittsburgh one-yard line, but had the presence of mind to avoid touching the punt as he fell into the end zone. Carlson had the ball hit off of his knee, but before crossing the goal line, he grabbed the punt with his left hand, and then, it was downed by a teammate.
Despite a coach’s challenge from Pittsburgh, the call on the field was upheld.
“He is reliable,” Priefer said. “ He did a good job on the hands team play against Miami. He has been starting now on three phases.
“He did a good job on field goal when Demetrius Harris went out, and Stephen did not even practice that field goal punt last week. Demetrius was the guy that was out there with (Wyatt) Teller, and Stephen knew what to do because he is a smart, conscientious young man. He has done a nice job for us.”