DE Myles Garrett (12.18.20)
DE Myles Garrett:
On going against NY Giants TEs coach Freddie Kitchens calling plays:
“I am not going against Freddie Kitchens. I am going against their offensive line, their quarterback and everybody else that they have on their offense. I am not having a personal battle with him. That is for coaches to go against coaches and players to go against players.”
On defensive coordinator Joe Woods going against Kitchens calling plays:
“I do not think Joe Woods has any personal involvement with that. I do not think he has anything other than winning the game on his mind. It is just Browns versus Giants.”
On if knowledge of the Browns defense’s personnel will help Kitchens:
“I think he should just worry about his guys and not expect us to be the same as we were last year.”
On how he is feeling, if he is still feeling the some effects of COVID-19 and if he is getting his wind back:
“I am trying. Still doing breathing treatments and I am still doing conditioning on my own, but I am feeling better each day.”
On if he was far from his real self against the Ravens and when he may feel 100 percent:
“I am not sure. I am not sure how long it is going to take me to feel completely 100 with my wind. Physically strength wise, I feel normal. It is just about trying not to gas out too early and trying to pace myself, knowing that it can jump on me really quickly.”
On how he injured his elbow in Monday night’s game:
“I went dive on the halfback as he was going down and I think (Ravens G D.J.) Fluker grabbed me and tried to torque me as I was going down. I kind of fell down on my arm wrong, and I was trying to get it out of there honestly before it snapped. It was not in a good position, but I was able to move it out of the way. It kind of got hyperextended while I was going down, but I was able to put the brace on and play through it.”
On if it matters whether Giants QB Colt McCoy or Daniel Jones starts this week and if he changes his approach based on who is playing:
“Absolutely, me and Colt have the same financial advisor. If he is under center, I am going to make sure to bust his ass and tell [our financial advisor] about it.”
On if he will make McCoy earn his money, if McCoy starts:
“Absolutely. Every cent of it.”
On NY Giants RB Wayne Gallman and the NY Giants run game:
“I think they are underrated. They have won the last four of their five. They are turning it on at the right time. They have a solid run game. That is what they want to do. They want to establish that and then pick you apart a little bit when you try to center everything you have to stopping the run. They have some talented offensive linemen, as well as a talented back. I know they are missing (NY Giants RB) Saquon (Barkley) and that is a huge part of their offense, but they still have a lot of good playmakers.”
On if he has talked to DE Olivier Vernon about his facing his old team:
“I thought about that, but I did not ask him about it. I know he is going to be juiced up, especially getting the chance to go and go against one of the guys he was traded for in (NY Giants G Kevin) Zeitler. He could have a monster game”
On if he is surprised by how he has been impacted by COVID-19, given his young age and stature:
“I just think people are so caught up in conspiracies and trying to downplay it that they do not actually see that it can be serious in different ways. Talk about how there are not many cases of people dying from it, but that is not all it is about. There are cases of people having the mental illnesses just as an effect of COVID, heart problems, lung issues and being hospitalized for days and weeks on end. There are so many things that come with being diagnosed with COVID or testing positive for COVID. You have to take it seriously. This is something that is going stay with you for a while – you do not know how long – but you just have to take care of yourself and do what you have to do to stay healthy. Whether it is affecting your head, your heart or your lungs, do what you can to bounce back. I am trying to take it as seriously as possible so I can be back correct for us of this game, end of the season and hopefully, in the playoffs.”
On if he hopes how he is impacted by COVID-19 as a young, healthy person can send an important message to others:
“I think it should. I do not think anybody should think they are the bulletproof or just because you are asymptomatic that it will not have any effect on you down the line. This is something new that nobody has ever seen before. You just have try to stay away from it if you can. If you do have it, stay away from others, make sure you try to go to the doctor and do what you can to keep this from hospitalizing you or causing further issues for yourself or your family.”
On how disappointing it was watching the Ravens game film and frustrations seeing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson make and extend plays:
“It is always tough watching an offense put 40 on you. Watching a guy like that do it… I am not trying to say like that as in he is a bad person. He has always been a great person. I have seen him, talked to him and sat down with him, and his mother, as well. I had the chance to meet her. He is talented. He is athletic. You hate to get beat, but he is athletic enough to escape the pocket and make those plays. We just have to make those adjustments. We have to come with a plan to keep him from getting his momentum going and getting out of the pocket to find open guys. We just did not do that. We were able to get to him, but there were still too many plays where he was able to escape and find someone open or we just did not have enough pressure on him to be looking at us instead of downfield.”
On if the Browns defense needs to elevate its game to help complement the Browns offense:
“Absolutely. Early on in the season, we were playing our tails off and we were able to make some big plays to keep us in the game. Now, it is kind of been twisted on its head with the last game and how much they put on the board and we could not get a stop and not when we needed it. Now, we have to come together and make it happen game after game. That is what real elite teams do.”
On if the NY Giants could implement more two-minute offense throughout the game to wear down the Browns defense, given McCoy’s past success in it:
“Depending on what they do in two-minute. If they are going quick, that is a tough on you as a D lineman going up field, running back and going up field, running back. If we are on our Ps and Qs and we are able to get them to third down and long, then we can open it up, blitz and take our chances with the D line four-man rush.”
On if he has had to cut back on his weight lifting or training to get back to full spend after battling COVID-19:
“No, I have honestly turned it up. Just trying to catch back up to what I feel like I was at before. I want to be progressing, not digressing or going back. We will see. Hopefully, it is the right state of mind to have, but I think I am doing well and getting back to where I was with my conditioning.”
On if he sees opportunities for the Browns DL after watching the Cardinals-NY Giants film and the Cardinals posting eight sacks:
“Yeah, if we make it happen. They only had eight sacks because they earned the right to rush the passer by stopping the run. They did it well, and they were able to get them in downs where they had to throw the ball. It could be those short check-downs and they have to spread it out. Those are long-developing plays, and they have guys make plays, especially (Cardinals LB Hassan) Reddick. He was on fire. You see something like there, you are like, ‘Hell, what can I make happen?’”
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