DE Myles Garrett (9.17.20)
DE Myles Garrett:
On his strip-sack:
“We had a game called, and I knew what move I wanted to put on him. I knew as soon as we got that call I was going to get a block shot to the outside. He bit on the post up and I was able to get a hit on him. I saw a chance to get a hit on him and try to take the ball away and make a game changing play. Just swing and hit him.”
On making a play to set up the offense after giving up a 99-yard play last week:
“It was definitely nice. It was a little bit of retribution right there, getting that play done and setting up the offense for a big score so definitely proud of that. Not proud of giving up so many points, but that is something we can look at on film, figure out where our weaknesses are and how to capitalize on some of the balls they threw our way and how we can get better.”
On moving around on the DL a lot this week, given he mainly stayed in one spot last week:
“It should change week to week, depending on who we are going against, how I am feeling and if I feel like I want to try to pick on somebody and see what happens.”
On like playing next to DT Sheldon Richardson:
“He is 100 percent full tilt all the time on the field. He has great effort. You love a guy who is always running to the ball and who is always trying to make a play. That is Shel. Never gives up on a play.”
On Richardson’s helmet popping off a few times and if it fits well on Richardson’s head:
“Hey, it has happened to me, as well, and I think my helmet fits well on my head (laughter).”
On not having DE Olivier Vernon, losing DE Adrian Clayborn to injuries and other players coming in and stepping up:
“We expect them to come in. We can’t go the full game full tilt. They are going to have to come in. We don’t expect them to drop off at all. We expect them to come in and make good plays just like we would. They came in, collapsed the pocket and got pressure. (DE) Porter (Gustin) was applying pressure and got a great hit on Joey (Bengals QB Joe Burrow). They hustled.”
On Gustin making plays and having an impact:
“Yeah, he is always running to the ball. He is always rushing when teammates rush, trying to finish through no matter if he is getting double teamed or if he is getting slid to a guard or a halfback comes to him. He fights through it.”
On the team bouncing back from the season opener:
“We were determined to get back on track. We don’t want that to be our legacy, that first game, and we don’t want that to be the story told about the 2020 Cleveland Browns. We had to make a stand very fast, and tonight was the night to do it. Guys responded. We can get better and see how we can improve. We got after the passer. Definitely some times where he had the ball a little bit longer or escaped out of the pocket where we should have corralled him. Seeing how we can keep less points on the board.”
On Burrow passing for 316 yards:
“The guy is tough. He took a lot of shots, and he bounced right back up. He was still putting deep ones on the money and he always kept his eyes downfield. He was never really worried about the rush, unless it was really on him. That is better than some veteran quarterbacks. He has a ways to go, but he is already off to a good start. I am impressed by him.”
On what the stadium was like with 6,000 fans:
“It felt like my first year and we know how that went (laughter), but it was still energized. It was still loud and they still got after it. Honestly, they were almost as loud as when the stadiums full. When OBJ (WR Odell Beckham Jr.) got the touchdown, it was still loud. They were chanting OBJ, and they were chanting for Baker. It honestly felt like a full house just because of the energy that they brought. Love that coming from your fans, knowing that they aren’t at full capacity but they are giving it the best they have and we are giving it the best we have.”
On the defense being appreciative of Head Coach Kevin Stefanski’s aggressiveness, given the decision to go for it on fourth down on the goal line prior to his strip-sack:
“I love it. Mad guts. If we can’t get that, shame on us. We have a good O line. We have great backs back there that fight for yardage. If he did it another two times, I think we get it those other two times. They just had our number that time. I believe in his play calling. I believe in those guys back there and their ability to get into the end zone.”
On how QB Baker Mayfield rebounded from a rough first outing and how tough was Mayfield tonight:
“We all had a rough outing. Other than (DT) Larry (Ogunjobi) making a push for Defensive Player of the Year with some of his plays last game, I think everybody bounced back. Not just him, we all have to respond and last week is not going to define us. We are going to play hard-nose football. We are going to run downhill. We have some guys out wide who can make some big plays, as you can see. They had 30, but we made it tough for every yard they got and every score they got. We can definitely keep less points on the board, but we made it tough on them. We made everything difficult. See how we can get better.”
On if he saw some more swagger in Mayfield tonight:
“That is the usual Baker. He has always been that and had that kind of swagger on him. The guys on offense, they kind of respond to that. For better or for worse, if he is up or down, no matter how he is doing, he has got that gunslinger mentality where I am going to put it up for you all and you go get it. I am going to give you the chance to make big plays. If you do not give them the chance, you never know.”
On if he dreams of making big plays in primetime like he did tonight and being able to deliver in that moment during the game:
“It was a big play. I think it is some of the other plays that I missed, honestly, and some of the other big plays that I could have made [that I think about]. Another drive to keep points off the board. That play was nice and I was able to get open, but some of the plays I slipped off on early on or even late, the times where I got tripped up or another chance to swipe the ball out of his hands. Stuff I can improve on and try to see how I can make those plays next time. I am definitely proud of the play – do not get me wrong – but I am always thinking how can I help the team a little bit more? What else can I do?”
On his emphasis on wanting to be Defensive Player of the Year Award and how those big plays may impact it knowing past winners, understanding his No. 1 focus is winning games:
“I think that is just the kind of characteristics of intelligent, good defensive players. Knowing that we are see ball, get ball. A sack is nice, but we are here to take the ball away at the end of the day. We are here to get three-and-out, which is a turnover or a takeaway. How we can get it? We do it. Those are the plays you need to make to define your season. Hopefully, that is just the start for me, but I know those other guys are ready and hungry to make those plays themselves.”
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