Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett looks to set NFL single-season sack record against Bills' Allen

The Cleveland Browns All-Pro pass rusher goes into Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills with 21 1/2 sacks and needs 1 1/2 sacks to pass Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt for the record.

Garrett, who has recorded a sack in eight straight games, said on Friday that it would be special if the record came against the reigning NFL MVP.

“Absolutely. I mean, he’s a gunslinger himself, so he’s the kind of guy that, guess you would say, Mike got those years ago," Garrett said. "I think it’s a bit of a funny comparison because those guys have similar styles, and, you know, me and Mike have been compared before, but, yeah, it would mean a lot to go against him.

“Yeah, I mean, the guy’s unbelievable and what he can do at the quarterback position and with the ball, in general. There’s no one like him, so it’ll be a fun matchup."

Strahan surpassed Mark Gastineau's mark of 22 sacks in 1984 late in the fourth quarter of the Giants 2001 season finale against Green Bay. Favre went down to the ground as Strahan was approaching to set the mark. Watt tied the record during the final game in 2021 at Baltimore by taking down Ravens QB Tyler Huntley. Sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982.

Allen is already on the list as one of 51 players Garrett has sacked in his nine-year career. The two have faced each other twice, with Garrett recording a sack during a 2022 game.

Allen said on Wednesday he had not thought about being the quarterback that would get Garrett the record.

“I do like highlight tapes, but I don’t like being a part of other people’s highlight tapes,” Allen added. “His motor is higher than really anybody else that you’ll ever play. He can beat you with speed and power. I mean he’s just the all-around football player.”

According to Next Gen Stats, Garrett has converted 33.6% of his pressures into sacks, the second-highest rate by a defender with at least 50 pressures since 2018. Watt’s pressure to sack rate was 34.6% when he tied Strahan's mark in 2021.

Garrett is averaging a sack every 17.3 pass rushes. At a pace of 1 1/2 sacks per game, he could finish the season with 26 sacks, which is one more than the goal he set at the beginning of the season and has written on his right wrist tape.

Garrett has lined up on the right edge on 81.5% of his snaps, with 17 1/2 sacks coming from that alignment. Buffalo left tackle Dion Dawkins has allowed four sacks this season and his 7.7% pressure rate allowed is 10th-lowest among left tackles.

Dawkins sounded prepared for the challenge when he appeared on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, hosted by former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan.

“Sometimes you have to play the Grim Reaper. The world sees it, there ain’t no hiding from it,” Dawkins said about the matchup. “Games like this show who you are and what type of player you are. We have scheme and a plan in place. Hopefully the plan is executed at its highest level because Myles is coming for that sack title and I’m here to stop it.”

Bills right tackle Spencer Brown said the important thing in preparing for Garrett is “don’t do anything outside your own shell.”

Garrett has been chip-blocked on 26.7% of his pass rush snaps, the second-highest rate among edge rushers. The Bills have the third-lowest rate of using chip blocks at 17.5%.

Allen has been sacked 33 times, tied for sixth most in the league. That is 19 more than last year and five short of his 2019 career high.

Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said he and the players on defense have been on record watch the past four weeks after Garrett was at 18 sacks after a victory at Las Vegas on Nov. 23. Garrett set a franchise record with five sacks on Oct. 26 at New England.

Schwartz said if Garrett wants to get the record against the Bills, the Browns will need to contain Buffalo's run game, which is averaging a league-high 158.5 yards per game. James Cook is second in the NFL with 1,415 yards rushing and has at least 100 yards from scrimmage in 11 games this season.

“It’s up to us defensively, both individually and scheme and all 11, to force teams to be able to have to drop back and pass, which would help Myles, right? If Buffalo comes out and runs it 60 times, you’re not going to get any sacks. If he gets a lot of opportunities, his success rate is pretty high and, you know, we’re a pretty good pass rush team, so I like those odds," Schwartz said.

Even if Garrett sets the record, it will come in the midst of another disappointing season for the Browns. At 3-11, it is the fifth time that Garrett has been on a team with double-digit losses.

Cleveland hosts Pittsburgh on Dec. 28 before ending the season at Cincinnati on Jan. 4.

“I want to get it in front of the home fans. Most of all, I want to get the win," Garrett said. "I don’t want it to be some emotional conflict between, you know, me getting it and we’re getting our tails whooped or you know, we’re down at the end of the game. I want to be able to share a joyous moment for everybody.”

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