Myles Garrett Believes He Deserves DPOY: ‘Go Check the Tape’
Cleveland Browns All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett reiterated on Thursday that he is the best defensive player in the NFL. There isn’t a doubt in his mind that he should win NFL DPOY for the second consecutive year.
“Why? Go check the tape. That’s why,” Garrett said confidently to the Cleveland media.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski would be shocked if Garrett doesn’t bring home the DPOY award again.
“He’s able to lead the league in sacks and tackles for a loss with all that attention? That should be impossible.” “I don’t see how he’s not the best defensive player in the National Football League, again,” Stefanski said.
Garrett enters Week 18 tied with Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals for the most sacks in the league at 14. He’s the only player in NFL history to record at least 14 sacks in four consecutive seasons and has 102.5 in his seven-season career.
Garrett isn’t focused on becoming the sack king, however.
“I mean, I’d rather upset (Baltimore) and mess up their playoff hopes,” Garrett said on Thursday. “And if the sack title comes along with that, great. Definitely going to do what I can to be disruptive and take [Lamar Jackson] out of the game as much as possible. If that comes along with it, outstanding. But at the end of the day, I want to win.”
Garrett said he feels he’s having a better year than his DPOY campaign in 2023.
“I feel like I faced much more difficult odds this year, and offenses have done quite a lot to try to take me up the game and made it blatantly obvious,” Garrett said. “But I feel like the guys around me have really helped me thrive as much as I have at this point. Just got to continue to add on to what I’ve done with this last game. But I couldn’t have done it without all the guys with me, the other 10.”
Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt is no longer the favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He’s been supplanted by Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (-140), according to the latest odds posted at BetMGM. Garrett has +1600 odds to win DPOY, which is fourth-best, behind Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (+2500), Watt (+180) and Surtain.
Surtain held Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to three catches for 27 yards on six targets in last Saturday’s 30-24 loss. Surtain lined up across from Chase on 43 coverage snaps, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
With the standout performance against the best receiver in the game, Surtain jumped from +386 odds to win DPOY to -200, surpassing Watt, whose odds worsened to +180.
Watt suffered a left low ankle sprain late in the team’s Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He did not return to the game, and had X-rays that revealed no fracture. He’s been active for the last two games, but he hasn’t recorded a sack and has been rather quiet overall.
It appears that the combination of Watt’s ankle and thumb injury has significantly hindered his ability to rush the passer.
Prior to Week 15, Watt was the clear front-runner for NFL DPOY with -190 odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Surtain and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney were tied for the second-best odds at +1400. Houston Texans edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. followed at +2000 and Garrett rounded out the top 6 at +2200.
In addition to his league-best six forced fumbles, Watt enters Week 18 with 61 tackles (40 solos), 11.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits and two fumble recoveries. Out of Watt’s five forced fumbles, three were strip sacks.
If Watt wins another DPOY award, he’ll join Steelers legend Joe Greene as the only players in franchise history to win the prestigious award twice.
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