BEREA, Ohio -- If you watched the Browns’ win over the Lions this past week, your eyes weren’t deceiving you: That was Myles Garrett dropping back in coverage for one snap.
Garrett has dropped back in coverage seven times this season according to Pro Football Focus, including once in each of the last three games. Takk McKinley and Jadeveon Clowney have also spent several snaps in coverage.
So what is the defensive strategy behind these moves, especially as Garrett continues to chase the Browns’ single-season sack record (which is either 14 or 14.5 depending on what list you use) and the NFL single-season sack record?
It’s all about trying to create new ways to get to the quarterback and other mismatches for the defense as a whole. Garrett unsurprisingly draws a lot of attention from opposing offenses, so it can create confusion when he drops back.
“The first time I dropped in coverage, Grant Delpit had a forced fumble,” Garrett said. “So hoping they’re looking at me and trying to slide towards me and then we sneak one on the other side or through the middle. Just try to find new ways to get people to the quarterback and causing pressures and big plays.”
According to defensive coordinator Joe Woods, it’s also about keeping opposing offenses honest.
“I always talk to those guys about that,” Woods said on Friday. “It is about the mix. If they want to take all of their coverage and all of their protection to him (Garrett), then we will come off of the other side, and we will make them make a decision. You have to do that every now and then, but that is less than one time a game based on where we are, just to make them play honest.”
In addition to Garrett’s several snaps in coverage, Clowney has dropped back into coverage for five snaps. McKinley has done it the most at 13.
Compared to years’ past, Garrett is dropping back into coverage at a similar rate. Last year in Woods’ scheme, Garrett dropped back in coverage for 16 snaps.
In 2019 under Steve Wilks he dropped back in coverage nine times (Garrett was suspended the final six games of the season that year following the Mason Rudolph helmet incident). In 2018 under Gregg Williams, Garrett dropped back for 34 snaps after dropping back zero times his rookie season.
What about alignment?
Compared to last year under Woods, it’s also worth noting that Garrett is moving around in terms of defensive line alignment at about the same rate as last season.
So far in 2021, he’s spent 487 snaps lined up outside of the opposing offensive tackle, 48 lined up over an OT, two snaps lined up at defensive tackle and once lined up at nose tackle.
In 2020, Garrett lined up outside of opposing OTs 675 times, over an OT 65 times, at defensive tackle 16 times and at nose tackle zero times.
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