DE Myles Garrett (11.14.25)
Myles, looking at this game, Lamar’s (Jackson) been back a couple weeks now. Does he look like typical Lamar when you watch the film from their last couple of games?
“I think he’s been sitting in the pocket a little bit more. Whether that’s because he wants to show off the arm or they’re saying that he’s still, you know, recovering. We got to take advantage of it either way. So got to be able to rush and keep him where we want them and be able to take the ball away.”
Jim Schwartz said yesterday that at this point of the season, there’s no real secrets, showing what you have on tape and especially in a division game, you guys know each other super well. So how do you balance, like, knowing that they know what you’re going to do, you know what they’re going to do, but also trying to change outcomes and be a little bit different on the field.
“I mean, you do get to see what people are coming in with, especially their mentalities, what their identity is throughout the year. Then it becomes, you know, more on the players, and you gotta find people’s deficiencies through film this far into the season. But players gotta go out there and execute. They gotta be who they are. And that’s when guys just step up and you get performances from guys you just don’t expect them from, because they’re either focusing on this facet of the game or this person, this player and that’s why they gotta step up.”
Myles, I know that team goals are way more important to you now than anything. But you’re in a situation right now where you actually have a clear shot perhaps at the NFL single season sack title, which is something that you set as a goal when you were very, very young. So just wondering, you know, is that something that is kind of in the back of your mind right now as you move forward, and then maybe also NFL Defensive Player of the Year, you’re like firmly back in that conversation as well.
“I mean, the main thing is winning. However, many I can get on the way to getting a win that’s more or less in the record. It doesn’t matter to me. Like I said, I would trade all the ones I have back against the (New England) Patriots to have a win. I don’t want to say that to be ungrateful, because I was blessed to get that many, but it’s just, it’s not that deep to me. I want to go out there and have a good game. I feel like that’s what I can do. That’s what they brought me here for, and I feel like that’s a way in which we can win. You know, me going in and taking over. So, all things come to fruition, and some of my personal goals happened, that’s great. But now I want to go and continue to play after January. That’s the biggest goal.”
Myles, Lamar was talking yesterday, he said they have to throw as many hands and objects at you to keep you away from him. Just how have they, over the years, tried to block you in unique ways? They’ve specifically have tried to take you away.
“I mean, chipping from every position, whether it’s Pat (Ricard), it’s (Mark) Andrews, it’s (Isaiah) Likely. I mean, if it’s from inside and outside, from the backfield. Sometimes it’s Derrick (Henry), sometimes (Keaton) Mitchell. So, I mean, they’ve got all kinds of different looks. And you know, you got to kind of take the run game into account as well. You got to always be a bit on edge, not to get too geared to play the pass, because at the end of the day, you go a bit too far up field and D. Henry’s coming downhill, going north, south, and that’s just a bad day for everybody. So, I mean, all that, to take into account with the most dynamic quarterback we’ve ever seen. It’s just all…it’s tough.”
Has there been an extra emphasis on accountability this week from the coaching staff and the leaders of this team? Considering how you guys lost the last game.
“I mean, there’s many different moments of accountability throughout the year. Again, I don’t think that Cam (Thomas) lost us the game. That’s a moment to grow from and something that we work on and when you get in there, in the moment, there’s pressure that comes with it. And I just think that was just him trying to make a play and we’re not mad at him for it. We just hope that we can educate him and try to get a better outcome next time. So, there’s always a emphasis on the fundamentals and the accountability.”
Mark Andrews told the Baltimore writers that you’re one of, if not the best athlete of all time on defense and if not the best defensive end of all time. So, I know you hear and people compliment you all the time, but what does it mean to hear that kind of praise from a big-time player that you see twice a year.
“Big-time player. I mean, I’ve seen him make a whole bunch of plays against us and he’ll go down as one of the very greats himself. So, I mean, it means a lot. I have a lot of respect for him and how he plays the game. I mean, it’s just been a battle for as long as I can remember against those guys and him as well. So, it’s an honor to hear that and it won’t stop me from running through his chest on Sunday. But I do appreciate those comments, and I have a hell of a lot of respect for him.”
Myles, the final score from week two really wasn’t indicative of how that game really was played. Just kind of got away from you guys in the fourth quarter. You’ve had a couple of games this year like that, where it’s a one score game, fourth quarter and then it just falls apart there at the end for you. Just what did you learn from those experiences as a team and you know, I guess how do you get those games across the finish line when you’re right there in the fourth?
“I mean, that’s when fundamentals and accountability comes to a head. You need to be at your best when the lights are the brightest. So those last 15 minutes, there can’t be any lacks in concentration or focus. We have to be able to rely on each other and know that we’re going to be in the right spot and doing the right thing. Just gotta believe in the call and execute as how we know we can and how we’ve done all week. And I don’t think there’s any problem with any call. At the end of the day, you gotta make the call right, regardless of what it is, and you go back and you learn from it. And they’ll be the first one to tell you if they wanted that call back or anything like that. But regardless of what it is, we can make a play.”
Myles, after the game you said that you were going to kind of set the tone and show the guys in the series go quick and everybody has to man up and understand that you still have everything to play for. How did that like sort of manifest itself during the week? Did you do anything or is it just an everyday thing in the meeting room, on the practice field? How are you setting that tone?
“It’s an everyday thing. You continue to have that standard. There’s no checking out, there’s no looking for somewhere to hide or surrendering. No, we still have a great opportunity to push ourselves in the playoffs if we do what we need to. If you win out. You know, there’s a great possibility with how things have gone in the division that we could still be in this race, but you have to believe it. So just making sure the guys know and understand that, and I’m putting in that same work that with that same effort that we have from the very beginning of the year, you expect the guys to respond.”
Going back to Cam, Jim (Schwartz) talked yesterday about the disappointing part about the penalty was it overshadowed, what he thought Cam was having a really good game against the Jets. Can you speak as a teammate and guy in that room of how he’s grown and developed over the course of this season into a guy who has been making plays regularly in games for you guys?
“I mean, I’ve always been complimentary of Cam, especially person-to-person, knowing that he’s one of those guys, I would compare him to like (George) Karlaftis – always being the right spot, always doing the right thing, rushing well, just doing everything at a satisfactory level. You know, he’s not absolutely elite at anything, but he’s really solid at everything he does. He studies the game, he knows where he’s supposed to be and what he’s supposed to do, and just being there and being someone you can kind of depend on. And so, I’ve always been proud of his development, him asking for advice and help. Just the other day, him asking about a specific move, and how I do it, in what situation, what’s the timing. He has a thirst for more and wanting to improve, and those kinds of guys I want to be around and make that kind of contagious, that kind of attitude for the game.”
Myles, you talked about the different looks that Baltimore has shown you over the years and all these teams, but are there any looks that surprise you at this point? I know early in the season the Packers had like three guys just all kind of stand there and wait for you. But is there anything at this point that you’ve seen, or that teams have tried that kind of leaves you a little surprised?
“The Ravens threw four of them at me a couple years back. I think the (New York) Jets threw three or four at me last game, I would say when the center comes off – like, I beat the tackle on the edge, and the center will like, leave me on the edge before I get to the quarterback, that’s always a strange one. But you just got to be ready for anything. I’ve proved that I can make plays, and they are going to dedicate a lot of attention to me. I’m happy to take that attention if guys are winning their one-on-ones and doing what they’re supposed to do. You just want to be out there and have fun and see the other guys having fun. So, if I’m not doing it, I know my other guys, I can count on them.”
Is there one of those double teams you dislike the most, whether it’s the running back chip, the head end chip or the double with the guard?
“Who you working for?”
Keep it a secret, I’ve known you awhile.
“Me and J.J. (Watt) talked about this. I would say the one that is the worst is like the outside, definitely outside in from the tight end. But the tight end on the line will be the worst one. It just depends on how much like he gets on you, keeping you from getting you started. After that ,it’s the four-man sort. Them sliding the line to you, because you either have to win the edge, or you have to run through his chest and create separation so you can slip through. And then the running back chip, running back chip, you know, just part of the game though. You have some options there. Unless it’s like (Derrick) Henry where there’s like no space to get through, you can work around that.”
Myles, would you say that you’re playing better than you ever have in your career this season?
“I don’t even think about it like that. I feel like there’s still lots of plays out there to be made. There’s plays that I want back, I don’t necessarily regret, but I wish I would have been more prepared for or had a different plan for. But am I playing well? Absolutely. Can I be playing better? Yeah. And I want to do that.”
Myles after that loss to the Jets, on the outside, a lot of people wanted to see drastic changes, drastic things happening. Obviously, guys have sort of circled the wagons more than anyone. Can you appreciate how this organization has approached this week, especially given how chaotic things might have been?
“Yeah. I mean showing that we’re all in this together, and if we’re going to win, it’s not going to be by pulling pieces out of this, go pull ourselves together and make the most out of this. You know, didn’t have the showing we wanted to, but it’s all about execution. Like I said, no one’s going to have the perfect call, but if we go out there and make it up in our minds that, if we do what we need to, we’ll win, well, then it doesn’t matter what they call on offense, defense, special teams – we can make it happen.”
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