Charlie Smyth is back in the mix for the New Orleans Saints, and his return against the Browns gives Kellen Moore a chance to settle one of the most important parts of game management: what happens when a drive bogs down but still has a chance to become points.
The Saints terminated Daniel Carlson’s contract Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Moore said Smyth will handle the kicking duties against Cleveland. Carlson went 8-for-12 on field goals and missed two extra points in seven games, and Moore cited consistency as the reason for the switch.
Smyth’s route to this moment has already produced one unforgettable kick. The former Gaelic football goalkeeper from Mayobridge, Northern Ireland, came to the Saints in 2024 through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program and made 12 of 16 field goals last season.
One of those was a 47-yarder with six seconds left to beat Carolina on Dec. 14.
That Carolina kick is the one people remember most, but the larger body of work matters here. Smyth has shown he can handle a pressure kick when the whole stadium knows what’s coming. Now the question is how much confidence he can give Moore on the routine stuff that shapes a game.
Cleveland comes in allowing 21.6 points per game in Week 9, while New Orleans is averaging 23.1 points and sits at minus-4 in turnover margin. Those numbers make the kicking game even more relevant when the Saints move into Browns territory and the drive starts to stall.
Picture a third-and-8 at the Cleveland 34. A short completion could set up a manageable fourth-down call and a shorter field goal.
A sack could flip the whole sequence into a punt discussion. The range Smyth brings matters because it helps Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough judge how much danger is worth taking on that earlier snap.
There’s still room for aggression on fourth-and-1 when the situation calls for it. But that’s a different kind of aggression than being forced into it because the kicking situation is unstable. Smyth gives the Saints more room to make those decisions based on the score and the clock instead of fear.
Kickoff is set for noon today at Caesars Superdome. If Smyth gets an early chance, the spot Moore chooses for him will say plenty about the trust level.
The ideal version of this game for Smyth is the quiet one: extra points handled, a field goal knocked through when needed, and the focus shifting back to the next possession. A 47-yard winner is a great memory.
A stretch of kicks that feel automatic would mean even more to New Orleans.
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