After a blistering start to his NFL career, first-overall pick Myles Garrett has fallen back to earth a bit, and coach Hue Jackson wants to see a return of the explosive defensive end who recorded four sacks in his first three games.
"Go dominate the game," Jackson said Friday, according to Cleveland.com. "That's what he's here for. Losing Emmanuel [Ogbah] is a tough blow. At the same time, Myles is talented enough to go do what he needs to do. Everybody knows that, so everybody's going to be shooting to make sure he does not. His charge has to be you have to go find a way."
Garrett is sack-less the last two weeks, but it's not just taking down the quarterback that Jackson wants to see from the player the Browns plan to build their defense around.
"The guy is playing extremely hard,'' said Jackson. "He's played well. Obviously, we want more sacks. He wants more sacks, but he needs to go make more splash plays, and I think he will."
To be fair, Garrett has battled an ankle injury that kept him out of the Week 8 matchup in London against the Vikings and sidelined him the first four weeks of the season.
Still, while the sack numbers haven't been impressive, the Texas A&M product hasn't exactly been a bump on a log out there. He's managed 15 quarterback pressures in 87 pass-rushing plays from the right side of the line, according to Pro Football Focus.
"Just haven't been doing enough,'' Garrett said. "I've been getting there but just not quick enough. The other guys have been making those big plays."
Despite the Browns' 0-10 start, the defense ranks in the top 10 overall and has held its own against the competition, but Garrett understands that his draft status comes with pressure to be the tone-setter.
"He's right,'' said Garrett. "I need to make my presence known. I need to have a play or a couple of plays each game where I change the course of the game."
Cleveland's season might be a lost cause at this point, but if Garrett can stay on the field the last six games, we could see why many believe he'll be a premier pass rusher for years to come.
