Fresh off 'performance of the ages,' Browns All-Pro Myles Garrett now Seahawks' problem
BEREA — Geno Smith saw what happened to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew II on two plays last Sunday. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback also is aware of the culprit behind those two plays.
In fact, there may be no one of whose existence Smith is more aware going into Sunday's game against the Browns than All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. The veteran quarterback has only been on the field for one play in the same game as Garrett, but he know exactly why his eyes will always be looking for No. 95.
"Just physically a strong dude, a big dude out there, and he’s equally as athletic, which is rare to have that speed-to-power combo," Smith told Seattle reporters this week. "He’s quick, he can get on the edges, he can bend, he does so many things really well. He’s showing and proving that he’s a force to be reckoned with. Obviously, that’s every week in the NFL, you’re going to have these challenges. I think our guys are going to be really ready for the challenge this week.”
The Colts said similar things about Garrett a week earlier. They talked about knowing where Garrett was and making sure to account for him on every play.
The Garrett went out and had what defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz called the "performance of the ages" in the 39-38 Browns win. He twice sacked Minshew, causing fumbles both times, including one recovered for a touchdowns, along with a blocked field goal, two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss, a pass defensed and nine total tackles.
"Those kinds of games are few and far between, and how much you uplift your teammates, you get them involved and help them make plays, especially like that last play with (Za'Darius Smith)," Garrett said Friday. "Again, the strip-sack to win the game, continue to help for your teammates to make those plays all throughout the game, that's what I look forward to because as much as I want to take over, sometimes teams are going to do their best to make sure that it can’t happen.
"So do what I can when the opportunities that come, but make the most of those times I'm getting double- or triple-teamed and open it up for those other guys."
Garrett long ago cleared the various benchmarks that established him as the premier edge rusher in Browns history. He's been an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler.
Performances like he had last Sunday, though, are what could get Garrett the one thing he has never won: NFL Defensive Player of the Year. However, there's another trophy he said performances like that can help him win.
"At the end of the day, we want the big one — the Lombardi — so we got to continue to play together as a team, and complementary so we can win that one," Garrett said. "The Defensive Player of the Year, that comes down to statistics and sometimes narrative. So you got to play for the love of the game and play for your teammates. All the rest of that will take care of itself.”
That includes honors that would put Garrett among football's immortals — immortals who Seattle coach Pete Carroll can see direct comparisons between them and Garrett.
“The first thought I had was Bruce Smith," Carroll said this week. "That’s a long ways back, but he’s as good as guys get. He’s in the top of a couple guys, the elite guys in the league, anybody from the time and the history of the edge rushers."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Garrett heads to Seattle to build off 'performance of the ages'
