Myles Garrett graded off the chart in Week 1

Browns, Myles Garrett. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Browns, Myles Garrett. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns left Week one with a win, and Myles Garrett was his usual disruptive self. But, just how good was Garrett on Sunday? Pro Football Focus gave their grade for Garrett’s performance.

Your eyes were not deceiving you in the Cleveland Browns season opener. Myles Garrett is every bit as good as he appeared in the Browns’ victory over the Carolina Panthers. And you don’t need to take our word for it, Pro Football Focus agrees that Garrett is as good as it gets.

According to PFF, Garrett not only played better than everyone else on the field in Charlotte but the front runner for Defensive Player of the Year also graded out better than any NFL player on any field on Sunday.

Garrett’s PFF grade of 94.4 was the top mark in the league, as was his pass rush grade of 94.5. The unblockable defensive end finished the season opener with two sacks, six pressures, and a forced fumble.

A lot was made of Garrett’s interview with Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com in the lead-up to the first game of the season. But many people missed the real story and only focused on the relationship, or lack thereof, with his former quarterback, Baker Mayfield. The real takeaway was that Garrett is striving for greatness and he views anyone, be it a player or an organization, who is not holding themselves to that same standard as being in his way.

Garrett, who was recently named a Browns’ team captain, practices what he preaches and leads by example. That greatness that he’s striving for was on full display in Week 1. Garrett routinely beat rookie left tackle, Ikem Ekwonu, like he stole something from him.

The Panthers were fully aware of the problem that Garrett was inevitably going to be, but despite their best efforts to aid Ekwonu, there was no respite from 95’s relentlessness. Garrett sacked Mayfield on back-to-back plays in the third quarter.

The first sack was a standard play for Garrett. The defensive end transitioned his lightning-like first step into turning the corner while displaying a bend that players 50 pounds lighter than Garrett would have trouble replicating and finishing with a blindside hit on Mayfield.

On the very next play, Garrett lined up wide on the outside the shoulder of Tommy Tremble, the Panthers’ tight end. Tremble attempted to get a piece of Garrett and pass him off to Ekwonu before going out into his route. Even with the extra set of hands to aid him, Ekwonu was again unable to get a solid strike on Garrett as he once again turned the corner and made his way to the quarterback.

This time Garrett caused Mayfield to fumble the football. Mayfield was able to recover the football, but the damage was done. What started off as a second and five, turned into a fourth and 17, and the Panthers were forced to punt the football.

Garrett displayed what everyone who follows the Browns closely already knows, he is a generational talent that puts in the work to be greater than just his talent. If Sunday was any indication, Garrett could be in line to have a historic season in 2022.

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