Look at the NFL leaderboard for sacks and there you’ll see Browns EDGE Myles Garrett.
Garrett has five sacks in the two games, with two in Week 1 and three in the 23-3 romp over the Jets on Monday night. Shaq Barrett of the Buccaneers is next in line with four.
Now look at the leaderboard for penalties. There too Garrett sits atop the NFL standings. From NFL Penalties,
He’s committed four accepted penalties, costing the team 50 yards. Another offsides penalty was declined, but only because Garrett was also guilty of roughing the passer on the same play. He’s been hit with two roughing calls (both against the Jets) and an unsportsmanlike conduct foul already.
Carlton Davis of the Buccaneers, a cornerback, has cost his team 44 yards and that includes a spot-foul pass interference.
Garrett’s been unstoppable as a pass rusher and defensive force, but he’s also got to learn where the line is for the officials and what they’re watching. Both of his roughing calls are plays that wouldn’t draw a flag in past times, but the NFL has changed the way quarterbacks can be hit and tackled.
To his credit, Garrett appeared to adapt. On his final sack in New York, Garrett purposely tossed Luke Falk over a Jets lineman on the ground so he would not land on top of the poor QB and earn another flag.
