Cleveland Browns linebacker Tank Carder has earned AFC Special Teams Players of the Week for games played Oct. 2-6 (Week 5), the National Football League announced Wednesday.
In a 29-28 victory at Tennessee Sunday, Carder blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter and added one special teams tackle that dropped the Titans at their own 11-yard line on the second half's opening kick.
His fourth quarter play was the Browns' first blocked punt since Nov. 30, 2003 (at Seattle) and first safety since Nov. 22, 2009 (at Detroit).
Carder's efforts helped the Browns overcome a 28-3 deficit, the largest comeback victory by a road team in NFL history.
Carder also earned a game ball from Head Coach Mike Pettine. "It wasn't just for the block," Pettine said. "Tank had a real nice tackle on a kickoff and blocked really well. He had one of his best games as a core-teamer for us."
This is the first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for Carder, who is the first Browns player to win the award since Travis Benjamin in Week 5 in 2013.
Since special teams coordinator Chris Tabor and special teams assistant Shawn Mennenga joined the Browns in 2011, the team has won five AFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards.
On the season, the Browns lead the NFL in opposing starting field position on kickoffs with an average start of 17.8 and have six tackles inside the 20-yard line.
