DE Myles Garrett (9.12.25)
Myles, Lamar (Jackson), do you feel like at least relatively, you guys have played him well for the years?
“Yeah, I think we played him well. Give him different looks to deal with, had some athletic guys in different positions that have made scrambling more difficult for him and I think we’ve matched up well on the outside as well, giving us time to get there.”
Jim (Schwartz) said that Cincinnati played you differently early than maybe you expected, or they have in the past. What were they doing and then how did you guys adjust to that?
“I guess the amount of chips and the way they were doing it was kind of similar to how other teams were doing it last year. And we had a plan and the way they kind of went about it, especially throughout the whole game, we kind of didn’t foresee them doing it like that. But we adapted and started to make some plays, really started to come on as a defense.”
Myles, does it lend any more motivation for you whatsoever that the Browns are 11.5-point underdogs in this game and nobody’s kind of giving you guys, any kind of a chance?
“It was 12 and a half, last time I checked. But yeah, that definitely goes to my mind when we’re working throughout the week.”
Coach (Jim) Schwartz gave a lot of credit on that back-to-back-to-back sack series to the production from the secondary as well. When you’re out there, do you feel like that kind of gelling, trickling down and how can you carry that over to the maybe get that faster start that you guys want as an entire defense across the board?
“I mean we always preach it. Rush and coverage works together. So, we have their back and they have ours so as long as we can do the best we can to get the ball out early in and they’re there getting those PBUs or stopping them short, making those second and longs and third and longs. We know that they’ll come up big for us, making them hold the ball for a take longer and we’ll want the chance to get there. So, it’s just not allowing either of us in our individual position rooms to get satisfied or feel like we can take a play off. So, if we can be clicking on all cylinders on D-line, we know we can hopefully have a big day and offer a big day for them as well.”
In the practice week are the rush rules a lot different when you go against Lamar (Jackson) than other weeks?
“I wouldn’t say the rush rules are different. I would say they’re more emphasized. Obviously, he’s the most athletic quarterback that we’ve ever seen, so you got to make sure that you don’t let him escape to his throwing hand. And you got to treat him. Treat him like he can throw it like the best of him and run it like the best of them. So, you’re not trying to match the hand, you’re trying to get his ass down.”
I know it never gets easier playing Lamar (Jackson), but how does the amount of familiarity you have with him, help as you go into a matchup in terms of when you’re on the field?
“I mean, it plays to the predictability of his tendencies and where he wants to go with the ball, and a bit to where he wants to escape. But there’s just the inherent unpredictability about what he’s going to do with that athleticism and how soon he’s going to scramble through what, through what holes and to what extent is he going to stay behind the line? Is he going to throw it or is he going to do like he did against the (Buffalo) Bills and run seven yards, get 19 yards, and you just don’t know.”
Myles, what about the fact that you guys are going down there, they’re celebrating their 30th anniversary of the team. Just given the history of the franchises and everything that happened here, like, how much extra juice does that after you do this matchup?
“I mean, we want to go down there and play spoiler, that’s about it.”
Does your mindset change at all going into a road game like that?
“No.”
What fires you up about playing Baltimore?
“Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, (Roger) Rosengarden. I mean, I don’t want to leave out Zay Flowers, but all those guys give me juice to go down there and play the very best ball. So being able to go against the best competition, many pundits and critics saying that they’re the best team in the AFC, that kind of stuff gets me fired up to go against them. I don’t need much more than that.”
Myles, you’ve been here a long time now. Do you still hear from people about the move to Baltimore? And it still upsets people, and that’s why they hate the Ravens like they do.
“That’s usually the older crowd that I hang out with, but I do hear it every now and then when I go to get gas. So, yeah, I do. I do understand the feelings and the multiplying people’s dislike of them. And, you know, I’m one with the city, so I try to carry that on my back when we go in there or they come to our place.”
Myles, Joe Flacco is going back there for the first time to play against the Baltimore Ravens, where he played for 11 years. Probably going to be a big emotional game for him. Is there some feeling on your part of wanting to make sure that this is a really happy homecoming for Joe (Flacco), in addition to just winning?
“He can make sure that himself, he goes out there and throws some tuds (touchdowns) and we’ll take care of the rest.”
What did you make of Grant’s (Delpit) comments about tackling Derrick Henry not being difficult or challenging?
“We got to go out there and prove him. Talk is cheap. I mean, he’s a hell of a player. He’s a Hall of Fame talent, but got to go out there and have our guys back. So we’re going to support him in the best way we can, and that’s by slowing him down and stopping the run game and nullifying their best talents as best as we can.”
Myles, how did you like the way you guys responded to that difficult loss in the opener? Did you see the attitude you wanted from the guys this week in practice?
“Shot of energy and the focus that I believe is necessary to get a win.”
You guys are potentially getting Quinshon (Judkins) back for this game. Do you feel like just in general for the whole team, offense, defense, that will be a nice boost for you guys?
“For sure. I mean, he comes in, he’s in shape, he runs hard. He’s a different style of running back than we have currently. Looks like he’ll be getting the ball in a variety of ways. So I look forward to seeing what he can do with the ball in his hands and the more he can keep us off the field and keep us fresh, we can continue to rush and stop the run and get the ball back to them.”
Myles, unfortunately, Quinshon’s (Judkins) has had kind of a choppy start to his NFL career, as a vet and as a leader, is there anything you think in your experience, is there anything you can offer to him as a suggestion to kind of just in terms of guidance going forward?
“Keep your head down and focus on what you can control. At the end of the day, whatever happens with the NFL, now it’s out of the justice system’s hands. But whatever happens with Roger (Goodell) and them, as they review it, continue to work hard, continue to be here for your teammates, support us as we support you and really let us know how we can best serve and support you. Stay focused on your playbook, knowing your role and when you come in, just hit the ground running.”
Do you feel like you and Lamar (Jackson) have both been around now for so long and you guys just get up for these games. I mean you guys have won four out of the last seven meetings against the Ravens. What kind of a just amazing battle has it been between you and Lamar (Jackson) over all these years?
“Well, it’s not me versus Lamar (Jackson). It’s Browns versus Ravens, and I feel like it’s been fun. It’s always a heated matchup. It’s always physical through AFC North where you know they want to establish the run. They want to run the ball. If they want to run the ball 35, 40 times, they will. I like going into a matchup knowing what you’re going to get, you know the identity of a team. So you know we pride ourselves in our defense and they pride themselves to be physical upfront and run the ball and stuff like that gets me excited going into games as well.”
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