DE Myles Garrett (10.23.20)
DE Myles Garrett:
On if he feels a responsibility to create takeaways this week after not having one in the Steelers game:
“I feel responsible for my team winning or losing every time. I know I am out there to make big plays, and that is what I look forward to doing every time I get the chance to. It is on all of us, but I feel a little bit more pressure on myself to make those.”
On how crucial takeaways are for the Browns and the defense and if the team ‘lives and dies by’ takeaways:
“I think every team lives and dies by them. You see historically from the turnover margin how teams put themselves in a hole or give themselves an advantage on winning or losing a game. It is not just us. It is everybody. It gives you a better chance to win, but it is not guaranteed. We are trying to take those every time we can.”
On how the team has progressed this week following the Steelers loss, given QB Baker Mayfield said ‘4-2 has never felt like 0-6 so much before’:
“I feel like 4-2 is 4-2, no matter how you see it. It is one loss. We will see them again, and we will see the other AFC opponent again. We will have a chance to get revenge and avenge those losses, but it is just worrying about the next game. We have the Bengals, and the last time they played at home, they won. We have to prepare for them and just make sure that we are on our Ps and Qs, do not let anything slip and not have any busted stunts or coverages. Make sure we are where we are supposed to be and execute.”
On if Bengals QB Joe Burrow has improved since Week 2:
“I am not looking at him and how he is completing the ball. From our first game, we could tell he was talented. I am going to treat him as that. He is a talented quarterback. He is going to try to get the ball out quick. They are going to max protect when they are trying to take a deep shot. When they try to do those, somebody has to win.”
On what he looks for when watching film on Burrow, including tendencies the media may not notice:
“Yeah, but if I tell you now, then he is going to change that (laughter). Yeah, there are certain things that we see that we will try to take advantage of. This is his first year in the league, and he has to work through things and then at the end of the year, look at what he can work on. He may be able to correct it before we even get to the end of the year. It depends on how special of player he is. We are treating him as a great young talent. He has a great arm. He has good accuracy. He has good timing of getting the ball out before he really needs to take those shots. He has been taking a couple, just because sometimes he puts himself at risk trying to make a big play, but he is a talented guy.”
On how the Browns have responded to last week’s loss and how quickly the team refocused to get back on track:
“We were in the building right away. Guys focused on correcting their mistakes and were not shying away. We know we did not execute. We know we did not play how we were supposed to. We do not want to let that happen again, and we do not want to let one [loss] turn into two, as has historically been done over here. We are trying to change the standard and the culture, and that starts by going out there and starting the streak again.”
On the Bengals ruling out RB Joe Mixon for Sunday and expectations from the Bengals’ rushing attack:
“(Bengals RB Giovani) Bernard is still a quality running back. I am not going to take anything away from him. Mixon is their guy, but Bernard is no slouch. They are going to still try to run their offense through him, and we still have to make sure we are in our gaps and fill where the D line does not. I am hoping it does not turn into a quick passing game like last time, where they are just trying to get the ball out before we can really put some pressure on him. If it does, we have to make sure that the back end or the linebackers get him to pump or look at a different read, and we are there when he does that.”
On if he was surprised to hear that Mixon was ruled out:
“I had heard that he had not practiced the last couple of days, but I always err on the side of if they are out [of practice], they are saving them until the end of the week so they can play. I was surprised. We have to take advantage of that. One of their key guys out. We have to find a way to exploit that.”
On if he has respect for Mixon after his performances against the Browns last season:
“I was watching it on TV, but yeah, he did look good. He has always been a solid running back. They paid him as that. He is able to do what they ask of him and more. You have to respect that.”
On if having a quieter game like last week impacts his mentality for the next game:
“I am always trying to have a big game. Just because I had a more quiet game than usual last week does not mean I am going to kind pack it in. Like, ‘Oh, you know. This is what happens.’ I feel like I have to turn it on every time I get on the field, not just after a big win or a big loss. When I get out there, I am going to try to impact the game as best as I can.”
On what the Steelers did to limit him and if other teams will do something similar:
“The Steelers have the weapons and the offensive line to be able to do that. Some teams do not have the offensive scheme or I feel like sometimes they do not have the players to do that. If the rest of the league is able to do that, then we will just have to find a way around it. We will have to scheme around it, as well, and try to find a way for me to get open and make plays. They make adjustments and so do we.”
On how he can continue to be a game-wrecker when he is double-teamed and chipped:
“There is going to come a time where I am singled up or they give me a chance to change the game. I just have to be able to always give 100 percent effort so I can take the opportunity and grab it. There will be a time where I am inside and they will single me up or I am outside and they do not have a chip and he is just releasing, and I have to be able to win my one on one just like everybody else.”
On if he keeps an eye on other top NFL defensive players, including Rams DL Aaron Donald, as it relates to NFL Defensive Player of the Year consideration, given Cardinals LB Chandler Jones and 49ers DE Nick Bosa are out for the year with injuries:
“I wanted those guys to play. Not only do I like when teams are at their best, there are no excuses. You are seeing someone at their complete potential and nothing can be said on the other side. It is just supposed to be a great game. For those guys and for those teams, I have sympathy for them because I feel like they want to be out there and they want to be able to make an impact. Chandler is coming off a great year and looking forward to another one, and he is just getting better and better, and so is Bosa coming off a quality rookie year. I like to see those guys make an impact. They make me want to strive to do better just because I do watch their game and I do see how they are beating their guys and they are making an impact and affecting opposing offenses. That just makes me want to be a better player and that makes me strive for greatness. I do see Donald. Everybody sees Donald. He is a monster. I can’t let it get to me, like ‘I have to outplay him.’ I am not playing that. I am playing the Bengals. I can only take the plays, the one on ones and the matchups that are given to me. When they are there and they are apparent, I have to take advantage of them, just like him.”
On balancing that the last game was only one loss with his comment last week that the Steelers game was a defining one:
“It is always a defining game going against a couple of the best in the division, seeing the Ravens and the Steelers. They both have gotten one over on us. Again, we get to see them again, and we get to see them at our house. I feel like just like they got one over on us, we can do the same thing, and we can even it up and have a good chance at the end of the year to extend our season.”
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