Name: Myles Garrett leads NFL in sacks but needs some help, KhaDarel Hodge coming off IR, and other things we learned
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Myles Garrett leads NFL in sacks but needs some help, KhaDarel Hodge coming off IR, and other things we learned

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NEW!CLEVELAND, Ohio — Myles Garrett leads the NFL with nine sacks, surpassing the Rams’ Aaron Donald by one in Week 7, but he could use some rushing help from his fellow Browns defenders.Sheldon Richardson has the Browns' next highest sack total at 2.5, and Adrian Clayborn is third with two. Defensive end Olivier Vernon, who missed two games with an abdominal injury suffered in the opener and might still be working his way back from that, has none, as does Larry Ogunjobi."That’s something that we’re talking about,'' coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. "You mentioned Myles. He continues to make big plays, and we’re counting on him. We just need to have a rush plan. Whether we’re rushing four or more, we have to be able to apply [pressure] and affect the QB. A couple of times we did that, and a couple of times – give them credit – they blocked it up.“We’ll look at it and come up with a plan that makes sense and just again, putting guys in position to go play and win a one on one ultimately is we are looking to do.”The Brown are No. 8 in the NFL with 18 sacks, but all of Garrett’s teammates combined equal his total of nine sacks. Garrett sacked Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow twice, stripping him once. Ronnie Harrison sacked him once, and Richardson and Kevin Johnson combined for one against an offensive line that lost its starting left tackle in Jonah Williams and starting center in Trey Hopkins early in the game.If Garrett can get some help, he might see a little less chipping and double-teaming. Until then, he’ll have to fight through multiple bodies to the get to the quarterback.This marks the second straight season that Garrett has notched nine-plus sacks in his first seven games of the season, only the second time it’s ever been done in the NFL, with the first being Justin Houston in 2013-14.Garrett has four strip-sacks this season, a career-high and most in the NFL. Two of those have come against the Bengals.WR KhaDarel Hodge coming off IRWith Odell Beckham Jr. out for the season with his torn ACL, the Browns need all the help they can get at wide receiver, and Stefanski said KhaDarel Hodge (hamstring) will come off injured reserve this week and be available to face the Raiders on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.Hodge, who pulled the hamstring in pregame warmups in Dallas, had beat out Rashard Higgins for the third receiver job in training camp, but Higgins made a strong case for himself to move into the starting lineup with his breakout game in Cincy. Higgins caught all six of his targets for 110 yards, including two huge receptions on the game-winning TD drive, one for 8 yards on he which he high-pointed the ball perfectly and got out of bounds to stop the clock, and a 30-yarder to the 24. The latter set up Mayfield’s 24-yard game winner to Donovan Peoples-Jones.Higgins maintained a great attitude when he was a healthy scratch for two games, and he answered the bell in Cincinnati."Another thing you can’t discount is the rapport between him and the quarterback,'' Stefanski said after the 37-34 victory. “Obviously, there is something there. He has a great feel for throwing to Hollywood. Again, I give great credit to the kid when earlier in the season he was not getting the reps that I’m sure he wanted.”Nick Chubb could be ahead of scheduleStefanski said Monday that Nick Chubb’s sprained MCL will be reassessed during the bye week after Sunday’s game against the Raiders. If he plays after the bye, Nov. 15 against the Texans, that would be about a seven-week recovery."He’s as you can imagine attacking this thing,'' Stefanski said. “He’s working very, very hard. I know he’s on schedule, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he was ahead of schedule.”Early thoughts were that he’d be out at least six weeks, but the Browns never provided a timetable, saying only that he was week-to-week.Guard Wyatt Teller not ruled out for the Raiders gameStefanski said he’ll have a better idea on Wednesday or Thursday if right guard Wyatt Teller can return from his strained calf Sunday."I’m not ruling him out,'' he said.JC Tretter gutted it outTretter got banged up on Mayfield’s interception in Cincinnati, but returned on the next drive and kept his ironman snap streak alive, having not missed one since he joined the Browns in 2017."He’s a tough, tough competitor,'' Stefanski said. “He doesn’t want to come out ever, and he just keeps grinding. Does not feel great at times, but he finds a way to get it done.”Stefanski blamed himself for not rushing on the Hail MaryStefanski took the blame for not rushing Joe Burrow on the Hail Mary pass at the end of the game, which was bobbled in the end zone, and could’ve been caught by a Bengal for the game-winning TD."That was my fault,'' Stefanski said. “Calling that defense I was thinking that the quarterback couldn’t reach the end zone – I thought they would be more lateraling ball, but where that return went out and how far it went out, we should have been rushing the passer. That’s on me.”Garrett was relieved they got away with it."Why is nobody rushing? Why am I not out there rushing?''' he said he was thinking. "I wanted to run, but just like coach says, sometimes when I can be the guy on play action and get a sack when you are supposed to be setting the run – ‘No, no! Yes, yes!’ and that just turns into a big play. We won so I can’t really complain.”New Browns face masks for sale: More Browns coverageNote to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

NEW!CLEVELAND, Ohio — Myles Garrett leads the NFL with nine sacks, surpassing the Rams’ Aaron Donald by one in Week 7, but he could use some rushing help from his fellow Browns defenders.Sheldon Richardson has the Browns' next highest sack total at 2.5, and Adrian Clayborn is third with two. Defensive end Olivier Vernon, who missed two games with an abdominal injury suffered in the opener and might still be working his way back from that, has none, as does Larry Ogunjobi."That’s something that we’re talking about,'' coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. "You mentioned Myles. He continues to...

Myles Garrett leads NFL in sacks but needs some help, KhaDarel Hodge coming off IR, and other things we learned

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