Getty Images Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett is eager to see the Ravens next week.
After a masterful performance against the Arizona Cardinals, the Cleveland Browns defense and Myles Garrett are ready for their next challenge — the Baltimore Ravens.
The Browns defense dominated against the lowly Cardinals on Sunday. Arizona was held to 58 total yards — the lowest total this season — and Cleveland pitched its first shutout since 2007.
“It feels great. Haven’t had a shutout in a while and it was a perfect opportunity,” Garrett said after the game. “Bounce back game. We haven’t been playing up to the standard that we’ve set on defense and we took the challenge that (Jim) Schwartz set for us. We played with our hair on fire. Guys really responded and happy they did to the level in which they did.”
The Ravens moved to 7-2 with a 37-3 blowout win against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Baltimore rolled up 298 rushing yards, led by Keaton Mitchell. The rookie had nine carries for 138 yards — a 15.3 per-carry average. Garrett is looking forward to seeing their streaking AFC North rival next week.
“I mean, we’re always excited for that challenge, man,” Garrett said. “That’s because they’re so talented. They’re so high-powered. They have playmakers all over. They want to run the ball, and now they got plenty of guys in every area that can. They also spread the offense out and chuck it down the field. They’re very versatile, and that’s what makes the challenge so exciting and makes you want to dominate on defense. They’re looking to do the same thing because they have a powerful defense, as well.”
Browns Take Down Cardinals With Well-Rounded Defensive Effort
The Browns’ defense put together a perfect game against the Cardinals. The unit managed seven sacks from six different players and forced three turnovers. Garrett had one of those sacks, along with a tackle for loss, fumble recovery and pass defended.
Garrett is used to being in the spotlight but he was happy to get some help from his friends.
“That’s what it’s all about. It’s not a one-man show,” Garrett said. “It’s not just the edge guys or just the guys who were premier from free agency. Everyone had a hand in it, whether they’d been in Cleveland for a while or they came from somewhere else. Guys stepped up across the board. … You want to see the team ball like that, where everyone feels like they made a difference, and that’s how you continue to build camaraderie and you build a winning standard.”
Denzel Ward snatched his second interception of the season and linebacker Sione Takitaki also got his hands on one of Clayton Tune’s passes.
Deshaun Watson Says No Ceiling on Expectations
The matchup with the Ravens next week will be the most accurate litmus test the Browns have had this season. Deshaun Watson sat out with a shoulder injury the first time the teams met and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson got the starting nod. DTR tossed a trio of interceptions and the Browns next got going, losing 28-3.
With Watson back and the defense rounding into form, a win against the Ravens would be a major statement that would put the rest of the NFL on notice.
“There’s no ceiling, sky’s wide open,” Watson said of the Browns’ expectations. “So, we’re going to go as far as we want to take us and we got to just keep stacking with it days, keep stacking these wins and focus on that. We don’t put a ceiling on ourselves, we don’t pick any limitations.”
The Browns opened as a 5-point road underdog against the Ravens.
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