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Browns see Myles Garrett as leader in action and words after win over TJ Watt's Steelers
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- Browns see Myles Garrett as leader in action and words after win over TJ Watt's Steelers
BEREA — Myles Garrett went out and walked the walk last Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers . His three sacks in the first half set the tone for the Browns win.
Before walking the walk, the defensive end and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year talked the talk. It wasn't just his comments to the media about the Steelers' T.J. Watt 's pre-NFL Honors social media post.
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"I just wanted to let everybody know the mission," Garrett said after the 24-19 win . "It doesn't change. Darn the records. This is division football. This is as classic as a matchup as it gets. Brown-Steelers. Thursday night. You can't ask for a better platform, a better time to showcase what you can do as an individual and as a team. So just go out and recognize the opportunity and take hold of it."
Garrett obviously backed up his words with actions. His three-sack performance was the second such game in a three-game stretch, which earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week from the league on Wednesday afternoon.
It gave Garrett 10 sacks, which moved him into a tie for third in the league. He's also the only active player to have seven consecutive seasons of 10-plus sacks.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett looks on after the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
"I mean, I've been impressed with him since the day I got in," linebacker Jordan Hicks said Monday, a week before the Browns play on "Monday Night Football" at the Denver Broncos . "Obviously he's got every attribute that you want in a player, but then mix that with the mindset he has and his work ethic. I mean, he's a freak obviously. And, yeah, I mean, it's special to be around somebody that day in and day out."
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Garrett needs just 1.5 sacks to reach 100 for his career. That also is the exact number of career sacks he has against the Broncos.
All of those sacks came in a 2021 game on "Thursday Night Football" in Cleveland. A year ago, in Denver, Garrett was held sack-less while also injuring his shoulder.
Garrett had just one hurry of then-Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson in that Week 12 game last November in Denver, with left tackle Garett Bolles being the one primarily lined up opposite him. With Garrett coming off a game in which he sacked now-Steelers quarterback Wilson three times, the Browns know what's coming from the Broncos in an attempt to slow him down.
"I think the thing that you have to remember is he's doing all that with getting an insane amount of attention from the offense," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said last Friday. "They are aware of where he is every play. They're designing plays to not go his way. As play callers, you one-way things on your call sheet because I'm not going to run it at him. Or on third down, we're going to make sure there's a tight end over there, we're going to slide the protection to him or whatever it may be."
Denver Broncos offensive tackle Garett Bolles (72) holds Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) on Nov. 26 in Denver.
Some of the best teams were also the teams where the best player was also the best leader. The Browns, at 3-8 heading into Monday game at the Broncos, haven't been the best team on the field much over the course of this season.
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However, Garrett spoke up last Thursday night and the Browns played one of their best games of the season against the team that was, record-wise, the best in the AFC North.
"I mean, just somebody that's vocal, right," Hicks said. "Takes ownership. Those are the things that the best players on the team want to have, and that's who he is. He's willing to be out in front."
(This story has been updated with the new information.)
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Garrett backs up DPOY talk in win vs TJ Watt's Steelers
