DE Myles Garrett (9.22.23)
You’ve faced two very familiar foes in the first two weeks. Have they approached you differently in any other schematic ways?
“Not particularly. I mean still double inch, slide the line. One thing that surprised me is how some of the play actions looked very convincing. I remember one with (Pat) Friermuth where he was on me for a second and the halfback came but I thought it was running. I was like, ‘Oh wait a minute, have this guy’ and I’m about to get off I was like, ‘Oh shoot it’s passed’ and it was a halfback was already there so I was surprised at that play but most is pretty standard at this stage.”
Did Pittsburgh use a guard on you more than other teams too?
“Yeah the guard did come down quicker than I expected and I think he was probably told to do so. Keep a watchful eye on me. I’m seeing how we’re doing. Whether I was winning inside or trying to play through them. So think that was something they really schemed up.”
This defense hasn’t let anyone inside the 30. As a leader of this defense, how good does that feel and how do you keep that going?
“Why are you looking at my wrap like that? It feels good but we got to keep it up. Guess that’s the standard. No team within the 30 realistically someone’s going to break that but as soon as they do we got to show that mental toughness and resilience to go say, ‘Well they don’t get into the end zone’ or they don’t get past the ten or 20, whatever it is.”
What do you think the mood is given the difficult loss Monday night and then not having Nick Chubb?
“Spirits are high because we know what we have on this team. We know exactly the spirit of what we stand for, what Nick stands for and how exactly he wants to play. And he’s still behind us and with us. And even though it’s not physical right now, we’ve been out to talk to him and know how he feels and stress high hopes for all of us this season. And we’re ready to roll without our main guy.”
Did Kareem Hunt kind of give you guys a morale boost coming back?
“A morale boost? I wouldn’t particularly say that just because the morale never dropped. It dropped during the game because of the injury and not knowing the severity of everything and really the shock going around. I know two days later, guys are ready to roll shake that loss off and get back in the win column. So it’s definitely a boost for us especially on the offensive side and looking forward to seeing what he can do and I know he’s excited to get back on the field and play in this orange and brown.”
How about Derrick Henry? What can you say about trying to tackle a guy that’s so big and powerful like him?
“He looks like me. He looks like me but one inch shorter and like 15 pounds lighter. A guy who is physically impressive, hell of a football player. He’s been doing it at a very high level for a while now. You gotta come with a head full of steam and take those legs up. Got to go for the ball. Gotta make sure he doesn’t get those five steps into the ground and keep him off track. Once he’s going downhill, gets that second level, he’s very hard to stop. That’s been that case for all of his career.”
When you try to tackle someone like that and also kind of like in light of what happened with Minkah (Fitzpatrick) and Chubb, do you just have to get them down any way that you possibly can? Or do you have it in your head, I can’t go low or I can’t…do you do any of those things?
“Minkah didn’t do anything. He was playing the game like it’s supposed to be played. It was very unfortunate what happened when Nick got held up. Just finding his foot and the hit and all that. That’s not unlike what corners around the league do. This is something that’s very common. We’re not going to do anything illegal to take Henry down. Go after the ball, hit his thigh board try to get his legs out, and keep the guy safe and healthy, but trying to do our best to chop him down as well.”
When you look at the run defense numbers from last year and you guys are off to a great start. Is stopping Henry proof that you guys have really transformed that run defense?
“You’re as good as your last game so, we’ll see after the game what the numbers are. But can’t say that our run defense is so much better until we face this guy and we do well. And then we got to face the next guy. Can’t be worried about what the last game’s numbers say. It’s all about who you are when lights turn on because any given Sunday things can change.”
What do you feel like this defense still needs to do?
“Keep playing this level. So keeping the energy high, the swagger, which we’ve been playing with and the passion has been on another level a couple of times. We gotta continue to take the ball away. We took the ball away a couple of times, had a couple of clips of that. But man, you need to score. You need to score on a couple of those or one went out of bounds, one where Grant (Delpit) falls. We had some big takeaways, but we got to take them into the end zone. That’s where we can go over the top and we have the pieces to do it. We’ve shown that we can get our hands on the ball, whether it’s from a fumble or a pick. Got to take one step further.”
How important is it for you guys on defense to kind of keep this up while the offense works to get on the same page so you can play complementary football?
“It’s always complementary football, whether either one of us offensive is having a bad day. So it’s just how well you can complement each other. And I think the heat would have been a little bit different if we came up with one of those touchdowns on defense. We would have won that game. So just a matter of perspective. I think we keep on playing at this level, offense is going to get going regardless. They don’t have to be world beaters every Sunday, but as long we do what we need to win that’s all that matters.”
In terms of playing at home, you guys are back at Cleveland Browns Stadium, not just this week but peeking ahead, a couple other weeks too. How important is it for you just to establish that dominance at home and just really be unbeatable there?
“You got to protect the house. You can’t let anybody come in your home and disrespect you. And I think everyone feels that, especially the defense. We want to prove that up north is us and we run what’s around here.”
Is there a balance between trying to all pick up your games to pick up the slack for not having Nick (Chubb) and not trying to do too much?
“Just do what you’re doing. Not to worry about what the offense is doing or if they’re going to be the same without Nick. Never going to be the same without Nick. Nick is potentially a Hall of Fame running back and All-Pro. Never going to be the same. He’s also a high character guy that people love and love outside the facility. So it’s going to be different. You’re going to feel the presence or the lack of presence. You’re going to know it’s there. That doesn’t mean it can’t be different and still work effectively. So we’re not going to do our jobs any differently because he’s no longer here physically. We’re going to continue to work and play and perform it as we did knowing that he’s still behind.”
What is Tennessee’s play action game. Considering you’re starting with Derrick Henry as the guy you’re faking.
“I don’t know yet. You see me bite one of those play actions. It’s pretty good then.”
You had a chance to talk to Nick (Chubb)?
“I have not. He keeps it very private, but I know he’s trying to lock in and get ready for this journey ahead.”
What are some of the reasons that you guys said a little earlier that morale didn’t dip? What are some of the reasons that make you guys know and realize that even though Nick isn’t here, you guys can still do everything you want to do this season?
“Because that’s what great teams do. You fight through adversity. You’re resilient through times of struggle and strife and keep on chugging ahead.”
Myles, is this difficult, like in a game on Monday night when they’ve just decided they’re not going to let you do anything so other guys are going to have to? Is that ever like a challenge just mentally to stay in the game?
“I swear, man. There’s a couple of teams in particular. They are one of them. But it’s tough. Let us try to be as disruptive as I can and I know sometimes they might have a little target on me, but that’s just an opportunity, man. I may get one tackle or two tackles. Make one PBU but make it as valuable as possible. Make it as timely as possible and it shows that my team needs. If I’m going to be the focus or Z (Za’Darius Smith) is going to be the focus, whoever it is, allow ourselves to be the bait, be the decoy and let the other guys thrive. For us to win this game or us to dominate this game. Whether it’s on defense or as a whole, I’m not going to hang my head or be mad about my numbers if we’re having a great day on defense, because at the end of the day, someone has to make the play. If someone makes a big play, I’m happy for my brother, I’m happy for my team. I’m not going to be selfish and say, I got to make that play every time. As long as we do it, jobs done, I’m happy.
Is that a mindset you’ve had to learn a little bit? I’m sure when you were younger in the league you wanted to get sacks all the time, and I’m sure you still do. Did you sort of have to learn that mindset?
“I won’t say I have to get older, but as you get more experience, you can’t make every play. I mean, teams are going to scheme you, where you’re going to try to take this one guy off the field and say, all right, you guys make the play of the rest of D line or DBs and linebackers, you all make the play, whatever it is. But sometimes you’re able to fight through that. Sometimes you’re able to beat this scheme. Other times you just have to take advantage of how you can. When you have those times where it’s two or three guys on you, there’s a one-on-one over here and we’re ready for that and we allow those other guys to make plays. And when my time comes, I have a one-on-one, I’m going to do my thing. I’m a boogie. But until then, I’m beat off the guys around me and play off that energy.”
Can you talk about how Dewand (Jones) did in his first NFL start against TJ Watt?
“Boy played well. And I mean, you can’t expect them to hold up for some of the longer duration of those plays, but for the majority of the snaps, he played very well, especially against a highly talented and experienced guy like TJ. Keeping him off balance, standing up his sets, frustrating with his length and his strength. He continues to play with that and grow. He can be a dominant force. He just got to keep on taking those steps and have a lot of consistency.
What’s it like seeing (Chris Hubbard) Hub over there?
“Man. Bittersweet, know that he was here for a while. Great guy, great family, and always a joy to be around. But at the end of the day, we got to get after them. We got to get after the whole line. And it’s nothing personal. We’re still smiling after, before, during the game, but when that play starts between those 6.16 seconds we out for blood.”
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