It’s probably a good idea for a player in the position of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, when heading into a matchup against the Cleveland Browns, to be wary at all times of the presence of No. 95 on the other side of the line. That would be star pass-rusher Myles Garrett, who has 5.0 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss through seven games, and rates as the No. 3 overall pass-rusher out of 113 at Pro Football Focus.
Considering Garrett has made a Hall of Fame career out of tackling quarterbacks and is surely licking his chops over the prospects of gobbling up Maye, the NFL’s hot new QB–especially with the left side of the offensive line being manned by two rookies–it would be wise for Maye to track his whereabouts at all times on Sunday.
“Myles Garrett,” Maye said on Wednesday. “He’s one of the best players in the league. Somebody you’ve got to know where he’s at. A lot of credit to him, he plays hard, he is disruptive. He’s good in the run game, he’s good in the pass game and it’s going to be a tough challenge.”
Drake Maye ‘Cognizant’ of Myles Garrett
Ball security has been a buzzword for the Patriots this season, especially after a rocky start that saw them commit five turnovers in their Week 3 loss to the Steelers. Beyond big sack numbers, Garrett’s specialty is forcing fumbles–he has forced 20 in his career, including seven in the past two seasons.
That point will be especially sharp this week.
“Be cognizant of the point of the play,” Maye said. “Being good in the quick game and being good when we are trying to hold it a little longer. Know the outlets, we talk about outlets and scrambles and throwaways. Being smart with the football and just go on to the next play.
“I think they do a good job when they do get to the quarterback of going after the football, especially Myles in his career. Being, two hands on it and knowing when the play may be over.”
(Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots
Patriots Facing 2 of Top 10 Pass Rushers
Of course, it is not just Garrett who figures to cause trouble for the Patriots. The Browns have the second-best pass rush in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, and the attention given to Garrett has helped linemate Maliek Collins (3.5 sacks) rate as the top overall defensive lineman in the league, per PFF.
Alex Wright, the edge rusher opposite Garrett, is PFF’s No. 8 overall edge in the NFL. The Browns also have a strong secondary, as Maye knows.
“They’re really good. They’ve got one of the best players in football, they’ve got some young guys that are really good, I think they play some man, they run some tight coverage, they have one of the best cornerback duos we’ll see,” Maye said.
“They do a good job of keeping their eyes on the quarterback and making good plays on the football. They’re a tough challenge. Need a good start, another game at home.”
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