Sean Payton Offers Bottom Line on Stopping Browns DE Myles Garrett

On Sunday, the Denver Broncos desire to continue moving the sticks faces a major roadblock in the form of the Cleveland Browns' potent defense. The Broncos keeping their nose in the playoff race requires crossing swords with the NFL's premier defense and finding a way to keep edge rusher Myles Garrett from blowing up the game plan.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton understands all too well the enormity of the challenge confronting his team this Sunday afternoon. Big plays vs. Cleveland could be few and far between, so Payton wants to limit minus-yardage plays on early downs and not allow the Broncos to fall into bad third-and-long situations.

"You can take any statistic. Third down numbers—they're at the top of the league," Payton said of Cleveland's defense on Friday. "We did the red zone report today. In order to have a red zone opportunity, you have to cross the 20 [yard line]. They're the keys we felt like at the start of the week was our first and second down efficiency versus this defense and trying to minimize the minus plays."

The absence of Browns' Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward should make life slightly easier for Payton, but Garrett's presence on the edge still looms large over the Broncos like a foreboding dark cloud.

Garrett offers up the kind of defensive headache — one without a go-to remedy that coaches like Payton can reach for off the shelf. Cleveland's MVP also moves around some, which only adds to the complexity when it comes to pinpointing exactly where he will be attacking from.

That being said, it will be Broncos' left tackle Garett Bolles who will draw the short straw most frequently when it comes to blocking against Garrett. Bolles has played extremely well this season since he returned from last year's broken leg, but this week's matchup with Garret will be a true litmus test that holds the key to a Denver victory.

"Well, he lines up more left than right," Payton said of Myles Garrett. "So, the challenge on the left side for us is Garrett. He's having a season where—I don't pay attention to awards, but I've not seen a defensive player as impactful this season on tape. He's changing games. You have to have a protection plan; you have to understand where he is. He'll come over to the other side periodically, and sometimes he'll line up inside and rush the center or guard. He's a dominant player. This guy is something else."

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The Browns have been so good defensively this season. Cleveland leads the league in holding opponents out of the end zone on trips inside the 20-yard line.

On the flip side, Broncos' quarterback Russell Wilson's success throwing the ball in the red zone has been efficient of late, especially late in games. Provided the Broncos get their looks, something has to give.

Payton knows there's a very real danger of becoming overly one-dimensional against any opponent — including the league's best defense in the Browns. Consequently, Denver's head coach is searching for more balance on offense, and that means getting increased production out of the running game once the offense (hopefully) gets under the shadow of the goalposts.

"First off, we have to improve that area," Payton said on Tuesday about running the ball better in the red zone. "Typically, you want to have balance and want to be able to run it, especially when you get in those tight quarters. It's one of the areas that we talked about offensively. I just finished [talking] with the team. There are a number of things still that we have to work on and improve. That's one of them."

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