Myles Garrett doesn’t believe his Cleveland Browns teammates returned from the bye week with the right mindset and the powerful pass-rusher let them know while speaking to the media on Friday.
The Browns are in must-win mode at 6-6 and have a crucial matchup coming up on Sunday against the Ravens. Garrett has not been impressed with the team’s mindset at practice with so much on the line.
“Not as much as I wanted to, but we still got another two days,” Garrett said, responding a question about the team being sharp coming out of the bye week. “Guys will sharpen up and we’ve got leaders that are on this team who will make them get prepared and get ready for Sunday, because it’s not end all be all today.
“But when the time comes, we need everybody on their Ps and Qs and ready because it’s win or go home right now.”
Garrett made it clear that he’s not worried about his individual success — which could include the NFL sack crown, a Pro Bowl selection and maybe even Defensive Player of the Year option.
“Nothing matters if we don’t make the playoffs. DPOY is nice, but I want to be remembered for bringing Super Bowls here,” Garrett said. “I know [Baker Mayfield] does and everybody else does. Individual glory, that will come and go. The city will remember a Super Bowl. I win DPOY and we don’t win anything, our names won’t go down and be remembered for anything.”
Garrett Has Called Out Teammates, Coaches Previously
Garrett is a leader in the locker room and has not been shy to make a statement when he feels it’s needed. After the Browns got thumped by the Patriots, Garrett called out the coaching staff for not making adjustments.
“We’ve got to go back to the drawing board and see how we can get better, see how we can scheme better, see how we can make adjustments on the fly,” Garrett said in his postgame press conference. “We never had a chance just because we didn’t make any adjustments on the sideline or when we had time to.”
The Browns allowed rookie QB Mac Jones and backup running back Rhamondre Stevenson carve them up, giving up more than 33 points for a fifth time this season.
“I think we didn’t counter like we are supposed to,” Garrett said. “We didn’t stop the bleeding and they kept attacking where we were deficient.”
He also let his fellow defensive lineman know his feelings when he was attracting double — and even triple — teams early on in the season and they were not getting pressure.
“For me, it’s tough watching my teammates not being able to make a play because when I see the offense keying on me with chips and stuff like that, I’m like well, they’re taking a player out of play to stop me, so we have a one-on-one,” he said in late September. “I’m trying to take two or three men, however many, to take out of the pass or the run, so we have to take advantage of that. And I know that they’re not always going to do that [chip and double] me. They’re going to do that for other players as soon as they step up and start making big plays, but right now, we all have to make plays. We all have to earn that respect.”
Browns to be Without CB Greg Newsome vs. Ravens
Getty ImagesGreg Newsome of the Cleveland browns.
The Browns have had a tough week in terms of player availability, with TE David Njoku, LB Anthony Walker and punter Jamie Gillan all landing on the COVID-19 reserve list. The trio was ruled out on Friday.
An unexpected absence is that of rookie standout cornerback Greg Newsome, who was concussed in the final moments of Friday’s practice. Newsome was diagnosed with a concussion and will not play against the Ravens.
The Browns need a win to stay in contention. Cleveland is a 2.5-point home favorite against the Ravens for the critical AFC North matchup.
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Browns Star Myles Garrett Calls Out Teammates Following Bye