The war of words between the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns remained alive and well Friday. While speaking to the media two days ahead of the team’s Week 4 matchup, Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett officially partook in the indirect trash talk.
Garrett addressed Lions offensive coordinator John Morton saying this week the Cleveland defense hasn’t “seen a run game like ours yet.
“He’s entitled to his opinion. He hasn’t seen a defensive front like ours,” Garrett said, via WEWS’s Camryn Justin. “He’s entitled to say what he wants, and we have the privilege to see who’s right.
“I think it will be a battle of ideologies. I think our DC also has some things to say, and we have to be the ones who put it into action. We have to meet and see who is right.”
The Lions-Browns matchup will be a battle of two juggernauts when Detroit tries to run the ball. Entering Week 4, the Lions are fourth in the NFL with 149 rushing yards per game.
The Browns are the No. 1 run defense in the NFL, giving up just 57.3 yards on the ground per game.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz Responds to John Morton Comment
The Lions offensive coordinator gave the Browns a little bit of bulletin board material, saying Cleveland hasn’t seen a run game like Detroit’s.
The Browns, though, haven’t been shy about giving the Lions bulletin board material right back.
Before Garrett’s response Friday, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz reacted to Morton’s subtle trash talk.
“I mean, we’ve faced some good running offenses,” Schwartz said to the media, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I mean, Green Bay was running the ball really well, so was Baltimore. Cincinnati was more of a pass-game offense. So, you know, it’s one of the major things we have to do is stop the run.”
Schwartz’s run defense has often been stellar over the years. Last season, the Browns were 11th in run defense. The unit was also fourth in pass defense, which together, propelled the Browns to the No. 1 defensive ranking in 2024 (they gave up the fewest yards).
In 2017, Schwartz’s run defense with the Philadelphia Eagles was No. 1 in the league.
Schwartz served as the Lions head coach from 2009-13. During that five-year stretch, Detroit’s run defense finished top 10 in the league once.
Lions’ Dan Campbell Very Complimentary of Myles Garrett
Morton and some members of the Browns defense may have engaged in a little trash talk through the media to end this week. However, Lions head coach Dan Campbell had nothing but positive things to say about Garrett.
“He’s got everything. It starts with his size, his length, his get-off. His flexibility, his ability to bend the edge, man,” Campbell told reporters Friday. “So you get a jump, you’ve got length and now you can touch your shoulder on the ground when you turn the corner. That makes it very difficult. He’s got power. He can counter.
“He’s got everything. There’s not a weakness.”
In the first three games this season, Garrett already has four sacks and six quarterback hits. He also leads the NFL with seven tackles for loss.
Garrett is aiming to record his eighth consecutive 10-sack season. Last year, he also led the NFL with 22 tackles for loss.
The Lions will have their hands full with slowing down Garrett rushing the quarterback. The best way for Detroit to do that will be to run successfully against the Browns tough run defense.
Myles Garrett Claps Back at Lions OC John Morton’s Message to Browns Defense