Jets Prepare to Face Another Elite Pass Rusher: Browns' Myles Garrett
After lining up against Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald last Sunday, the Jets will have their hands full up front once again this weekend.
New York's offensive line is tasked with containing Browns defensive end, and former No. 1 overall pick, Myles Garrett.
Entering play this weekend, only four other defenders have more sacks than Garrett this season. He's got 11 through 12 games while everyone else above him on the leaderboard has played in 14 games.
Garrett's not just sacking opposing quarterbacks. The 24-year-old has 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.
"He’s a really good player, not only in the pass rush but in the run game too," Jets quarterback Sam Darnold said in a Zoom call with reporters on Thursday. "He’s a huge problem, he’s a really good player, but they got other really good players too that we got to account for as well."
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Overall, the Browns statistically are below average on defense. Cleveland allows 26.7 points per game (23rd in the NFL) and 357.7 yards per game (17th in the league).
Specifically on the defensive line, as Darnold alluded to, it's not only Garrett that can wreak havoc in the backfield. Following Garrett, who leads the team with 11 sacks and 16 quarterback hits, Olivier Vernon has seven sacks and 13 QB hits. After Vernon is a familiar face for New York. Ex-Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson has 4.5 sacks and 10 QB hits.
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To Jets head coach Adam Gase, Garrett is as impressive as it gets on the defensive line. Similar to facing a player like Donald, you can prepare in the film room and at practice, but nothing can completely prepare you to play against them live.
"Watching him on tape, it’s completely different when you watch him live on the field, just seeing how fast he gets off the ball, how he turns a corner, how he can change direction, his pursuit to the ball, the violence of his hits," Gase explained. "When you see him play live, it’s an impressive sight to see. It shows you, when you talk about elite pass rushers, you turn on the tape, you can tell, but when you see him play live you feel it.
"You’ve got to be aware and you’ve got to know where he is and you better make sure that you have some help for him no matter who’s on him, because all it takes is him to get by you one or two times and he’s wrecking the game."
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