Myles Garrett has blunt take about getting closer to NFL all-time sack record
There’s almost no denying that Myles Garrett is playing the best football of his career right now.
Garrett added three sacks to his season total in the Cleveland Browns 24-10 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. In Week 12, Garrett broke his own career-high single-season sack record with 18.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is five sacks away from breaking the all-time NFL single-season sack record. When he was asked about getting closer to the history books, his response was direct.
“I hope I can do it in a win,” Garrett said.
The Browns only have three victories this season, but none of that has to do with Garrett, who has six regular season games to get five more sacks and make NFL history. He has 13 sacks over Cleveland’s last four games, which is the most ever in that timespan.
“The franchise record, I kind of expect that out of myself,” Garrett said. “Continue to set the bar higher and higher.”
This offseason, Garrett dominated headlines with a public trade request. Garrett stated his desire to win championships outweighed his loyalty to Cleveland. However, the request was dropped when he inked a record-setting four-year deal worth $40 million annually.
While the Browns are still not winning at a rate that would appease Garrett, he’s doing everything that he can. The Browns have the best defense in the NFL, and he’s the engine behind it.
Rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham is having a great start to his career. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger is the frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Both of those young men can thank Garrett’s dominance for making their roles much easier in Jim Schwartz’s defense.
After the Browns lost in embarrassing fashion to the New York Jets earlier this month, Garrett promised reporters that he would not allow the team to quit.
His defense has never quit despite the team’s troubles. And now, the Browns might have found an offensive spark with Shedeur Sanders at quarterback.
Garrett was caught smiling on the broadcast after Sanders connected with Isaiah Bond for a 52-yard completion during the first quarter. It was the longest completion of the season for any Browns quarterback.
“There are not many guys in the league who can make that throw,” Garrett said after the game.
While Garrett is on the doorstep of NFL history, he has remained consistent in his messaging that winning games with the Browns is what matters most to him.
Locker Room Buzz: Star DE Feels Gratitude After Game-Winning Sack
Here is a collection of postgame quotes from Detroit Lions players and coaches following the team's 34-27 overtime win over the New York Giants.
HC Dan Campbell
On Jake Bates' game-tying field goal:
“Yeah, big kick. That was a big kick, big time. I mean, and for him, there again, he’s clutch. When we need him most, he goes out there and he makes the kick for us. And that’s not an easy kick. I mean, I don’t know what that was, 60 yards? Somewhere in there? But to have to go out there and ensure that we’re able to get this to overtime, that’s a big kick, man. And it took a lot of our guys making big-time plays in critical moments. And for some of the things that didn’t go well, those were the things that did go right and that’s what wins in this league.”
QB Jared Goff
On the performance of RB Jahmyr Gibbs in Sunday's game:
“Man, that dude is as good as they come in our league, and he’s making his claim across our league as one of the best players, regardless of position and we are lucky to have him, man. He’s so electric. For him to be able to do that to supplement some of the struggles we were having was awesome.”
RB Jahmyr Gibbs
On if he felt like he needed to carry the offense during its struggles Sunday:
“I mean, I wasn’t really thinking about carrying the team. I just do whatever it takes to win, whatever they call me for, want me to do. So, that was really my mindset.”
On how much the Lions needed to win Sunday's game:
“It was a must-win. I think the next six or seven more games are must wins, so we’ve got to keep going.”
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
On rebounding after two drops:
"Yeah stuff like that happens. He made a good play on the first one, the second one was coming in a little hot. I really wasn't expecting that, and it was an unfortunate pick. But nah, I don't stress too much about those. I move onto the next play, keep going. A coach once told me in college, 'So what? Now what?' Coach Kerry Colbert. And I kind of live by that. Every play, you can't get hung up too much on one play because there's highs and lows throughout the game. For me, it's just next play. I'm gonna catch the next one, I'm not worried."
OT Penei Sewell
On overcoming the adversity the team faced in Sunday's win:
"We kind of talked about it throughout the week. There's gonna be ups and downs in everything. I think the great teams and the great players, it's up to us to maintain our focus and maintain our emotions, keep them intact. At the end of the day, it's just another job and you've just got to do your job. Everything else will fall into place, and that's what we try to focus on."
OG Tate Ratledge
On Dexter Lawrence and the Giants' defensive line:
"I saw Dexter every single third-down, almost. He was a load. They're really good up front, physical, fast. They do a really good job getting after the passer, so all credit to them. But we knew that was a challenge coming into this game."
On what the team needs to improve ahead of the rematch with the Packers:
"I think we've just got to play our style of ffense. You've seen it, the games that we haven't, haven't turned out well. The games that we do, we move the ball pretty well. So I think it's all about us and going out there and executing."
EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
On the emotions of his game-ending sack in overtime:
"Was fighting all game. They were really running the ball, trying to set that tone. In OT, we got a lot of pass-rush situations. We had one more on that fourth-down and made the most of it. Guys were sticky in coverage, Alim had a great bull-rush on it which led Jameis to step right up into me. That's what happens when guys are covering and your whole d-line is rushing hard. Eventually, you reap the rewards."
On what that moment means to him:
"It's a blessing, it really is. This journey on this road to recovery this year, it's my comeback season. It feels, it's just such a blessing. It makes me really think about how grateful I am for this moment and the opportunity to play football having moments like that. It really is so amazing, such a blessing."
LB Jack Campbell
On all the teams the Lions need to lose winning on Sunday:
"I don't really pay attention to that, it'll all work out. All I'm focused on is taking it one day at a time, going in there, being where my feet are, being intentional with what I do and just trying to put the team in the best position to win. I don't really pay attention to that."
On Jahmyr Gibbs' performance:
"Hats off to the offense. They just do a heck of a job. The guys up front breaking it for Jahmyr, Jahmyr sticking with it. Proud of those guys. St. Brown had a big block down the way for him. It's just the people in this room that make it special. We just need to continue to win and we'll get to where we need to get to."
LB Derrick Barnes
On the feelings of having to build a comeback to win Sunday's game:
"I was talking to someone earlier, it goes back to 2021 where we struggled finishing games. The fact that we went out there and finished the game — our coaches put us in situations like that. We go through situations in football like that every week a couple times. We knew what to expect, we knew coming into this game it was gonna be a dog fight. We've seen it from New York multiple times on film. It's one of those things that we were prepared for, and I think Dan did a wonderful job preparing us for that this week."
CB Amik Robertson
On coming back from being down 10 points multiple times to earn the win:
"It seems like every time I start slow, that s**t be contagious. I've just got to start faster. Next week, big game, we've got to start faster and that s**t start off with me. We've got to start faster. It's like, every time I start slow, that s**t be contagious. Next week, we've got to start faster. Hats off to the Giants, bro, they came up with a great game plan. I respect their offensive side of the ball, how they came and they fought. We were just the team that fought harder at the end. A lot of stuff we've got to clean up. We live and learn from it, but 24-hour rule, we're on to the next. The next game is always the most important."
K Jake Bates
On his 59-yard game-tying field goal sneaking through the uprights:
"Yeah, probably don't want to be living with the ball moving like that, but got lucky. Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. I was just happy to be able to do my job, and the offense put us in a position to at least swing at it. From that point, it's my job to put it through the uprights. It was a great snap and a great hold as always. The line did an unbelievable job blocking all day, and it was just time for me to do my job."
How it feels to be reliable in late-game situations:
"It feels good. I just want to be someone that this team can count on. We have so many people on this team that you can count on when times get tough. Hopefully, I can be one, and I pride myself a lot in my routine and not changing anything regardless of the momentum. I was happy to have that one go through today."
