Steelers prepare for latest test vs. game-wrecking Browns DE Myles Garrett

When the New York Jets visited Acrisure Stadium last season, the offensive scheme not surprisingly centered around neutralizing one player on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Our plan was to get four hands on T.J. Watt every single play,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said, “and not let him dominate the game.”

Rodgers puts Myles Garrett in the same category: a disruptive defensive force who causes headaches for offensive coordinators and quarterbacks alike.

“Myles is a Hall of Famer,” Rodgers said. “He might not be in yet, but that’s where he’s going. He’s one of the few players in this league that, over my 21 years, you game plan for. You watch the film, and every team has a plan. There have been a few guys over the years — not many — like that.”

The Steelers have dealt with Garrett since 2017 when the Browns took the 6-foot-4, 272-pound defensive end with the first overall draft pick. (The Steelers got Watt 29 picks later.)

At times, the Steelers have neutralized him. Other times, Garrett has gotten the upper hand. The cat-and-mouse game renews Sunday when the Steelers face the Browns and Garrett for the first of two meetings this year.

Garrett has 13 of his 106 1/2 career sacks in 14 games against the Steelers. The only team he has terrorized more often is the Cincinnati Bengals, against whom he has 15 sacks. Garrett has more tackles (44) against the Steelers than any opponent, and his 25 quarterback hits rank second to the 30 he has registered against Cincinnati.

In 2024, Garrett had four of his 14 sacks against the Steelers. The previous year, when he controversially edged Watt for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, Garrett had two of his 14 sacks against the Steelers.

The Steelers will see how they fare this year with Rodgers replacing Russell Wilson at quarterback, and Broderick Jones lining up at left tackle instead of Dan Moore Jr. The one constant is second-year Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who noted this week that the Steelers have three of the NFL’s best pass rushers in their division, adding Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, who had an NFL-high 17 1/2 sacks last year, to the list.

“Call them game-wreckers, but they are game-plan players,” Smith said. “They have seen every trick in the book where people try to chip them every way, try to cut them. Whatever they try to do, there’s nothing new that you can do. It’s more about executing. Whatever your plan is, you’ve got to account for those players every play.

“It just takes one time and you’re off, and the guy makes a game-changing play.”

Jones will be making his first career start with Garrett lined up directly across from him. The Steelers will try to provide him help by using oversized tight end Darnell Washington as a blocker. Running back Jaylen Warren will be a key in pass protection support.

The Steelers also have an added wrinkle they can use in this matchup. In their previous game, two weeks ago in Dublin, they deployed offensive lineman Spencer Anderson as an extra blocker. His services mostly were used in the running game, but there’s little to reason to believe he also can’t help out in helping neutralize Garrett’s pass rush.

“There’s nobody built like he is and can do things he does,” Anderson said. “We have to minimize him.”

Anderson has faced Garrett just once, last season on a 2-point conversion play in the Steelers’ 24-19 loss in Cleveland. After reporting as a tackle eligible, Anderson heard Wilson call “can,” the term used for the pass protection.

“I looked inside and counted one, two, three, four and oh,” Anderson said, realizing that Garrett was lined up across from him. “That’s me. It was all good. We got the ball out quick. I was just hoping we got the ball out quick, and it was fine. You just can’t panic in those type of moments.”

Jones realizes the challenge that awaits him. After allowing four sacks over the first two weeks of the season, Jones has settled down and hasn’t yielded one in the past two games. It’s a small sample size, but it provides a small measure of confidence for Jones heading into the matchup.

“It’s coming in with the right mindset,” Jones said. “I feel that’s 90% of the battle. Just not getting into your own head before it’s time and then going out there and playing your game.”

Asked what separates Garrett from other elite pass rushers, Jones turned the topic around on the interviewer.

“What doesn’t set him apart is the question,” he said. “He’s an amazing player all around. He plays the run, he plays the pass. He’s a freak of nature. You have to do everything you can to slow him down. You try to keep a lid on him. That is the game plan, and hopefully we can stick to it and execute.”

Right tackle Troy Fautanu, who will make his first career start against the Browns, is prepared to see Garrett if the Browns move him to the opposite side of the defensive line formation. He’s also cognizant that by double-teaming or even triple-teaming Garrett, the Steelers would leave him isolated on another defender.

The Browns, after all, are tied with the Steelers for fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks, although they’ve played one additional game. Maliek Collins has 3.5 sacks and Alex Wright 2.

“When you put so much attention on a guy like that, it leaves you open to one-on-ones, so I’ve got to be prepared,” he said. “But obviously you see 95 moving sides, so just being prepared for whatever comes at us because all of these guys, this whole D-line, is pretty good.”