DE Myles Garrett (10.20.23)

First of all, what do you think? How did you think Deshaun (Watson) looked the last couple of days? 

“He looked like Deshaun. Only he knows what’s going through his mind.”

 

Anyway, so you thought Deshaun (Watson) looked good? 

“Yeah. He looked like himself. Only he knows what he’s dealing with at this point. I think he’ll overcome whatever hurdle he’s facing.”

 

Nice to have your franchise guy back?

“Like you said, franchise guy. Always nice to have one of them around.”

 

I imagine it doesn’t change anything for your mentality as a defense regardless of who’s at quarterback.

“Nope. Ball how we will. But we’re going to do our thing regardless. Simple as that.”

 

Gardner Minshew coming up off a game of three picks and you guys have struggled to create the takeaways as a defense the way you want to. Do you think there’s going to be some opportunities? 

“I mean, we lick our chops regardless of who’s back there. And I know they’re pounding into his head that he’s got to take care of the ball, he’s got to be quicker making decisions and making those decisions a little bit better. But we’ve got to put pressure on his face and get him off timing.”

 

What makes Jonathan Taylor difficult to tackle?

“I mean, he’s powerful runner. He’s got quickness. Very good with change of direction and he can run away from you. The guy is a very good ball carrier for them@ as well.”

 

Can you talk about taking the show on the road and making sure you guys are road warriors in the same way that you have been at home? 

“Road warriors. We were having a meeting and I remember Kevin put on the screen, it was a picture of Mel Gibson with his little shotgun. He was like, what movie is this? I like, Mad Max. He’s like wrong, Road Warriors. I thought in my head, hey, I thought it was called Mad Max Two: Road Warriors. But I’m gonna just let him slide. But I hope he sees this because I think I am right. But it’s just that, got to go on the road. Got to win. That’s what good teams do and got to stack them. You get to come off a big win like that when the defense does well. Got to put that behind you and continue to move, continue to do what got you there throughout the week and then finish strong on Sunday.”

 

Why has the run defense been so much better this year than last year? 

“Whether it’s coming downhill more as a back seven or being more aggressive up front, maybe it’s a combination of both. But we also have dogs up front who are road graders and really passionate about stopping run and know that to get to the passer you got to stop the run.”

 

I know you lived it but when you went back and watched the film, did anything stick out about the matchup with Trent (Williams) that you might not have noticed last? 

“Anything stick out? Not particularly. And I don’t think I would say.”

 

Myles, how has Dalvin (Tomlinson) made you better? 

“Dalvin eating up them double teams, man. I mean, makes it a little bit easier when I don’t have to face the guard when I’m making an inside move or I counter back. They’re focused on him because he’s a load to handle. My man is as strong as they come and he’ll walk right through one guy. So they got to make sure they have two on him and hopefully they’ll have two on me and (Za’Darius Smith), he can get freed up and make some plays of his own.”

 

Does the fact that the Colts beat the Ravens, does that show you what these guys are all about and what they’re capable of? 

“That means nothing to us. We’re not worried about who they beat. We’re just worried about the film and what they do. Not about the record or any of that. We’re just focused on how do we beat them, not who they beat. That’s all in the past.”

 

Dalvin (Tomlinson) said yesterday you guys had one of the closest defenses he’s ever been a part of. Is that true?

“Well, he said one of the closest. I’ll say this is the closest defense I’ve been a part of. It’s been a pleasure to be amongst these guys and I only want to make it an even more special defensive year and continue to win and continue to endure. Balling out.”

 

What makes it so close?

“We hold hands and eat dinner together.”

 

What about the best defense in the world mantra? Are you enjoying that? I know it seems to be a little bit more of a defensive back generated thing, but are you embracing that mantra? 

“To be the best defense in the world. You got to have more than DBs. We all think we’re the best. We think we’re the best as a unit and individually. So once you have that in your head, you got to put it on the field. I think up to this point, we just about lived up to that standard, but we can always take it further.”

 

Not that you guys weren’t close before, but what makes this defense closer than maybe some of the teams you’ve been on previously? 

“You asked his ques1tion, you asked his question, but asked further. There’s not much. Sometimes you just get along with people a little bit better. You have guys who have different natures and passions to hobbies. Sometimes you have guys who don’t.”

 

You guys going to continue the boombox walkout? 

“I can’t lie, that was fire. Maybe we will. I hope he does. It’s not my boombox.”

 

To go back to Dalvin (Tomlinson) for a minute, what about him physically is so unique in terms of his skill and what he can do with his size?

“My man is like 325. Has great instinct as far as getting off the ball, his pass rush. So he’s just a lot of man in the middle. Yes. He has great hands. He’s strong. He can beat you with finesse if you keep on sitting on the power. Just having to account for that in the middle, you can’t just go to one guy because he’s going to pull over.”

 

Are the Halloween decorations up? 

“Yup.”

 

I had to check back in with you.

“Took three days and nights. We got it done.”

 

You did the crossover thing again against San Francisco. How much of that is you just having some fun and how much of it is there’s a legitimate purpose to what you’re doing out there as far as trying to mess with who you’re matched up? 

“Just enjoy the moment. You may never get this again. You never know what could happen. Matchups like that, being able to play the game in general, I don’t want to take it for granted. I want to make it as memorable as possible and stuff like that also has a point to it. Trying to see where he’s going to fly, where he’s going to check to, who’s going to come to me and try to get them off-balanced again. I’m going to go one way or the other. I’m going to go through them. Just try to make him beat himself before the ball.”

 

What has Jim Schwartz meant to this defense so far this season? What’s been his kind of message and why has it been working for you guys? 

“Swag, passion and toughness is what he really embodies and really has given to the defense. Allowed us to bring that up ourselves and be true to ourselves. I think those are three things that we kind of identify with and that has helped us play well, knowing that we can always be ourselves and exude those things on the field and off the field.”

 

What do you admire about Deshaun Watson’s game, what are you eager to see? 

“What I admire about his game? That’s one of the best QBs in the league. There’s a whole lot to admire. Can’t pick one thing if there’s a whole lot like that. But I’m looking forward to seeing them because he’s one of the best shows on turf.”

 

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