### Myles Garrett's Record Chase: Steelers' Strategy Over Victory? Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett recently expressed his belief that the Pittsburgh Steelers prioritized preventing him from breaking the NFL's single-season sack record over securing a win in their Week 17 matchup. Garrett entered the game with 22 sacks, just one shy of the record held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. Despite his efforts, he did not record a sack during the game, but the Browns managed to upset the Steelers with a 13-6 victory. This situation has sparked discussions about the Steelers' game plan and their focus on Garrett rather than the overall game outcome, as highlighted by both Garrett's comments and the responses from Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin. ### Breakdown of the Situation 1. **Garrett's Performance and Goals**: - Myles Garrett aimed to break the single-season sack record against the Steelers, specifically targeting quarterback Aaron Rodgers [https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/myles-garrett-feel-were-more-012733366.html]. - He entered the game with 22 sacks, needing just one more to tie the record [https://srnnews.com/myles-garrett-steelers-focused-more-on-stopping-me-than-winning]. 2. **Steelers' Strategy**: - Garrett claimed that the Steelers were more focused on stopping him than on winning the game itself, suggesting a tactical decision to prioritize his performance over their own success [https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/browns-myles-garrett-claims-steelers-231354677.html]. - Coach Mike Tomlin denied this assertion, labeling the sack record as "irrelevant" to their game plan [https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/myles-garrett-says-steelers-were-more-concerned-about-protecting-tj-watts-sack-record-than-winning-in-loss-to-browns-025131897.html]. 3. **Game Outcome**: - The Browns won the game 13-6, effectively playing spoiler to the Steelers' playoff hopes, despite Garrett not achieving a sack [https://yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/browns_myles_garrett_shares_what_came_back_to_bite_steelers/s1_13132_43258327]. - Garrett's comments post-game indicated that he felt the Steelers' focus on him ultimately backfired, leading to their loss [https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/browns/2025/12/28/myles-garrett-sack-record-browns-steelers-stats-highlights/87929070007]. ### Supporting Evidence and Data - **Garrett's Season Stats**: - Entering Week 17: 22 sacks, one shy of the record [https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47438289/myles-garrett-steelers-worried-more-getting-win]. - Game performance: 1 tackle, 0 sacks against the Steelers [https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/myles_garrett_throws_shade_at_aaron_rodgers_steelers_after_failing_to_break_sack_record/s1_127_43258808]. - **Steelers' Focus**: - Tomlin's comments suggest a denial of any strategic focus on Garrett's record [https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/steelers-hc-mike-tomlin-says-214009668.html]. - Garrett's assertion that the Steelers' strategy was misguided, as it led to their defeat [https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/browns-news-myles-garrett-claims-steelers-worried-preventing-sack-record-winning]. ### Conclusion: A Tactical Misstep for the Steelers? In summary, Myles Garrett's pursuit of the single-season sack record against the Steelers has raised questions about the strategic decisions made by Pittsburgh. The Browns' victory, coupled with Garrett's assertion that the Steelers were overly focused on him, suggests a potential miscalculation on their part. 1. **Garrett's Performance**: Despite not achieving a sack, he played a crucial role in the Browns' win. 2. **Steelers' Strategy**: Their focus on Garrett may have detracted from their overall game plan, leading to a disappointing loss. 3. **Outcome**: The Browns' victory not only spoiled the Steelers' playoff hopes but also highlighted the consequences of prioritizing individual records over team success. This situation serves as a reminder of the complexities of game strategy in the NFL, where individual achievements can sometimes overshadow the ultimate goal of winning games [https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/cleveland-browns/news/which-qb-does-myles-garrett-want-sack-break-all-time-record/1a8ea57a19acd47512890c6b].