Crackpot Browns conspiracy theory concerning Myles Garrett’s sack record undermines the truth — Jimmy Watkins

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Myles Garrett still hasn’t surgery nan sack record, and Uncle Crackpot can’t judge nan rationale.

You cognize nan type astatine Christmas dinner. This feline has each nan answers, and nary of them align pinch your history books.

He thinks nan authorities faked nan satellite landing. He thinks Lee Harvey Oswald had an accomplice. He conscionable knows that nan Steelers spent this week scheming only to extremity Garrett from mounting nan single-season sack record, section title beryllium darned.

And nan worst portion is, this week, Uncle C has support from respected voices.

“To an extent, I consciousness for illustration they were much worried astir keeping maine distant from Aaron than getting nan win, Garrett said aft Sunday’s 13-6 Browns win, ”and I deliberation that’s what came backmost to wound them."

Add Garrett to nan crowd of conspiracy theorists aft Sunday’s triumph complete nan Steelers, which featured zero records surgery and plentifulness of posited reasons why.

To perceive Browns fans show it, you’ve ne'er seen a backmost propulsion basking murphy passes much quickly than Aaron Rodgers did astatine Huntington Bank Field connected Sunday (average clip to throw, according to Next Gen Stats: 2.39 seconds). You wouldn’t judge nan barrage of blockers Garrett encountered connected each play (41% spot rate). And you can’t disregard that Pittsburgh separator rusher T.J. Watt shares nan grounds successful mobility pinch erstwhile Giants prima Michael Strahan.

Connect nan dots. Do your ain research. There are nary coincidences, only hard-to-swallow truths.

Here goes mine: Pittsburgh’s gameplan served arsenic a tribute to Garrett’s greatness connected Sunday. Not a detriment.

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If nan Steelers are colluding against Garrett, past they count galore comrades.

Among nan 14 quarterbacks Cleveland has defended this season, 9 person posted 1 of their 3 fastest times successful Pro Football Focus’ mean time-to-throw metric. That database does not see Rodgers, who has played 5 games pinch faster mean merchandise times than Sunday’s game. Nor does it relationship for nan truth that Pittsburgh played Sunday without apical receiver D.K. Metcalf, which makes it harder to find unfastened receivers.

The aforesaid logic applies to other blockers, whom Garrett encounters much than astir game-wreckers. According to ESPN’s Ben Solak, Garrett faced chips astatine nan eighth-highest clip (41%) of nan play connected Sunday. One catch, though: He besides faced chips astatine his third-highest complaint of nan year.

Nothing new. Offenses often salary Garrett other mind because they’re often worried he will ruin their play. To strategy astir him is to salute him.

“We didn’t do thing against Myles that we don’t usually do against Myles,” said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. “The sack grounds is irrelevant. We’ve sewage to minimize him if we want to technologist victory. We did nan aforesaid point past clip we played him. I didn’t deliberation he had immoderate sacks successful that crippled either.

“We didn’t return a different attack because of nan gravity of nan record. It’s conscionable modular business erstwhile you’re playing (the Browns) and him.”

My guess: Tomlin’s unit had a different type of gravity successful mind erstwhile it devised Sunday’s plan. Like Warriors defender Stephen Curry, Garrett draws attraction owed to his attendance alone. Tight ends and tailbacks travel his alignment earlier nan snap. Teammates for illustration Alex Wright (one sack, 3 tackles Sunday) bask azygous sum while Garrett fights double aliases triple teams. And erstwhile quarterbacks consciousness nan 272-pound Garrett approaching, their soul timepiece accelerates.

Watt’s record? Rodgers was preserving his 42-year-old assemblage connected Sunday. Sacks wounded ribs and termination drives. The Steelers spent clip and bodies trying to protect some against nan Browns. And if Pittsburgh’s discourtesy suffered arsenic a result, past it underscored Garrett’s greatness successful nan process.

Even without a sack, he tin derail nan opponent’s crippled plan. Even without nan record, he near nan section celebrating connected Sunday. And moreover though Pittsburgh game-planned astir Garrett, his teammates helped ruin it.

You would deliberation specified a short passing crippled (4.3 yards per attempt) would person produced a amended completion percent (53.8%). But you’ve ne'er secured a drawback against cornerbacks Tyson Campbell (two walk break-ups) and Denzel Ward (one walk break-up).

The Steelers aimed to nutrient much yards aft catch, but second-level tacklers for illustration rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger (nine tackles), seasoned linebacker Devin Bush (nine tackles) and information Grant Delpit (seven solo tackles) had different plans.

Pardon nan plain, boring truth, but I don’t judge nan Steelers prioritized a grounds complete a triumph connected Sunday. They conscionable harbored due fearfulness of Garrett and struggled to triumph matchups against his teammates.

No concealed nine to spot here.

Jimmy Watkins is simply a columnist for Cleveland.com. He provides unsocial perspectives and intricate reporting connected our section teams and their rivals. He joined america successful November 2022 arsenic nan rivalry hit writer, and his...