Defensive Players of Week: ‘I’m No. 1’ Myles Garrett, NFL’s Coby Bryant recognized

While he respects T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett said after Thursday’s snowy win that there’s no question as to the identity of the league’s best pass-rusher. Garrett not only outplayed Watt in the Browns’ 24-19 win over the Steelers, he outplayed every other defensive player in his conference last week to earn the AFC’s weekly award. He joined NFC Defensive Player of the Week Coby Bryant of the Seahawks on the league’s honor roll Wednesday.

Garrett didn’t just register three sacks against Pittsburgh, he registered three significant sacks. The first came on third down, taking away valuable yardage just before a missed field goal. His second sack forced a Russell Wilson fumble, setting up a Cleveland field goal. And the third, another third-down sack, thwarted Steelers momentum just prior to halftime.

This week, Garrett sets his sights on Rookie of the Year candidate Bo Nix when Cleveland (3-8) visits Denver (7-5) on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). The league’s only player to reach three sacks in multiple games this season, Garrett is tied for third in the NFL with 10 on the year. No other player has reached double figures in each of the past seven years (2018-24).

Three days later in Seattle, Bryant helped the Seahawks shut down Kyler Murray and the Cardinals in a critical 16-6 win. Bryant, whose parents named him after NBA legend Kobe Bryant but changed the spelling of his first name to allow him to carve out his own legacy, returned an interception 66 yards for a third-quarter touchdown.

Bryant and the Seattle defense held the Cardinals without a touchdown, the first such game in a Murray start since a 19-9 Seahawks victory at Lumen Field, Oct. 16, 2022. The win also provided the Seahawks (6-5) with the NFL’s largest jump in playoff probability, according to Pro Football Network.

Seattle is on the road against the Jets (3-8) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

For more information on the Browns and Seahawks, visit the Cleveland and Seattle team pages at ProFootballPost.com.