Myles Garrett’s pursuit of NFL immortality hit a temporary roadblock in Buffalo, but the Cleveland Browns superstar remains just half a sack away from tying Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt’s single-season record with one game remaining.
Myles Garrett entered Week 16 needing just one sack to tie and two to break the NFL’s single-season record of 22.5 sacks shared by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021). Despite the immense anticipation, the Buffalo Bills executed a near-perfect game plan to neutralize the defensive phenom, holding him to just a half-sack that came via a fourth-quarter stat revision.
The Browns ultimately fell to the Bills 23-20, but the defensive stalwart’s historic season continues to captivate the NFL world. Garrett now sits at 22.0 sacks heading into a Week 17 showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers where he’ll have his final opportunity to cement his place in the record books.
The Bills’ Masterclass in Neutralizing Greatness
Buffalo’s game plan against Garrett was a textbook example of how to limit a transcendent pass rusher. The Bills employed a run-heavy attack that accumulated 132 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, effectively keeping Garrett in run-defense situations rather than his feared pass-rushing role.
When Buffalo did drop back to pass, they utilized quick-hitting throws and strategic double-teams. Josh Allen’s average time to throw of 2.92 seconds (seventh-highest among quarterbacks) was deliberately reduced, with many passes coming out in under 2.5 seconds. This approach left Garrett with few opportunities to unleash his signature speed-to-power conversion that has terrorized offensive lines all season.
