DE Myles Garrett (10.16.20)
DE Myles Garrett:
On if he is confident the Steelers have put last year’s incident behind them as he has:
“We will see when we play. Their (Steelers) Head Coach (HC Mike Tomlin) said they are past it. We are past that as a team. We are just ready to go out there and play ball.”
On if he has sensed a quiet confidence in the building with the Browns:
“I do feel that. They guys are not rah-rah. We are not singing our praises. We are just going out there one Sunday at a time making a name for ourselves. That is how the good teams do it.”
On his expectations from Steelers fans on Sunday:
“We are the Browns. I expect to get booed, especially when there are any fans in the stadium. Just go out there and do it like we would against any team.”
On if he is preparing for the Steelers to try to bait him on Sunday:
“Just play within the whistle. Do not be worried about what they are doing to frustrate us or knock us off our game. I think they are going to play a clean, fair game, and we are going to do the same.”
On how to pressure Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who typically gets passes out quickly, while also avoiding offside penalties:
“Get-off is the main thing, but it is not the only thing. We will get our chances where he will hold onto the ball a little bit more or we will confuse him and have him looking at our coverage instead of us and try to get the ball out of him. We will have opportunities. We just have to make sure that we are there when he tucks it or he pumps it.”
On Roethlisberger being 2-0-1 against the Browns since he was drafted and if he views it as unfinished business to beat Roethlisberger before retirement:
“I feel like I have gotten him a couple times personally, but us as a team, we have to pick it up and get some wins in their house. We have some confidence going in, and I know they are confident with the record they have. It will be a good AFC matchup. I believe in the guys we have in our room, and I think we can beat them.”
On his effort and work to avoid personal foul penalties this year:
“Just trying to not leave it in the refs’ hands. Sometimes I feel like they thought it was an iffy call, and I do not want to have them thinking that I am trying to pull him down late or whatever I am doing. I am trying to take him to the ground cleanly. If he is falling, I will try to fall to the side or if he falls on me or whatever it is, not allow them to take away a big play from us.”
On if he feels ready to handle situations where emotions could run high between the two teams on Sunday:
“I am just ready to play between the six seconds that the average play lasts. After that, that is on them. I am ready for any situation that we have, and whenever we are about to snap the ball again, I will be there.”
On if it will be easier to keep emotions in check with a limited amount of fans in attendance this week:
“As a football player, you are not supposed to let the atmosphere affect you. I feel like that is how you are as an athlete. You go into either a home crowd or away crowd, you have to play within yourself and allow those emotions to remain inside of you but not guide you and your actions. Just play how you always have, no matter if someone is there or no one is there.”
On if he has considered approaching Steelers QB Mason Rudolph before the game or after game, given he previously stated he would be open to having a discussion with Rudolph in the future to clear the air following the incident:
“Have not thought about it. Focused on how I am going to get to Ben. I will cross that bridge when I come to it, whether that is down the road or whenever we see each other. I am just focused on the gameplan and getting the win. That comes secondary.”
On how the attention opponents give to him frees up Browns teammates:
“It provides one on ones. When they are sending a tight end or halfback chip, they are sliding the line towards me or they have the guard waiting on me, someone is open. Someone is either free or they have a one on one. That is what football is about is winning you one on one in every position. We know we have the guys capable of doing that so that is what Sunday will be about.”
On if this week has been tougher for him, given it his first time playing Pittsburgh since last season:
“No, just playing ball. They are just an AFC matchup so that gives it more credence than anything. Other than that, it is just another ball game.”
On if this game is the Browns’ biggest litmus test this season, given he said the game at Dallas was a litmus test for where the team was at that point:
“This will be a defining game for both of us. How the rest of the season will play out will probably be resting on this game because of how much importance it plays for where we will be in the division and who will fall.”
On what the Browns’ support meant to him following last year’s incident and how it helped him move past the situation:
“It meant a lot. They stuck by me through that time. That is all you can ask for from an organization, but like I have said, we are past that. That was last year, and none of that remains for the other side. We are just focused on winning games.”
On what a win at Heinz Field on Sunday for the first time since 2003 could mean for the organization:
“I think it could definitely energize the fans here and the franchise, seeing that they are a team that is ranked ahead of us right now in the AFC and in most of the rankings. We get a win there, most people will give us some respect this year to see us a legit team across the league, and from then on, we have to prove it week in and week out. It does not stop then.”
On if DT Larry Ogunjobi is someone that helps hold the Browns DL together, given defensive line coach Chris Kiffin’s recent comments:
“Heck yeah. He is our best run defender. He is one of the most hardworking guys. He is passionate. He is a vocal leader, and he also leads by example. I love the way he plays. Came in with him, and happy to have him on my side. It would be tough seeing him working for somebody else and making those big plays. He is a dog. Just blessed that he landed on the Browns with me.”
On if Ogunjobi potentially returning from injury this week is a big boost for him:
“Absolutely. I know my dog is in there. He is eating. He is hunting. He is making it difficult for them to get anything started on the inside. That is all I can ask for. Then I just have to do my job on the outside of setting the edge and making it a tough day for Ben to look down field.”
On Steelers DE T.J. Watt:
“He is a Watt so I feel like he is already kind of different. He has had that tutelage from his brother. He has the skillset that comes naturally and that he has worked on that craft. You can see a lot of his brother’s (Texas DE J.J. Watt) in him, even though he does not have the size and the mass but that passion he plays and the work ethic. You love to see that. The guy just plays well. He does everything well, and you have to kind of respect that kind of play, no matter what position you are, whether on offense or defense. He is a talented player.”
# # #