Myles Garrett’s Historic Season Puts Bills on Alert as High-Stakes Clash Looms
Sean McDermott knows defense. It’s in his DNA.
So when the Buffalo Bills head coach starts talking about Myles Garrett with a mix of awe and urgency, you listen - because he’s not just tossing out compliments. He’s preparing for a legitimate game-wrecker.
As the Bills head into a must-win Week 16 showdown with the Cleveland Browns, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Buffalo’s AFC East hopes are hanging by a thread, and a loss would all but slam the door shut.
The setup screams “trap game”: the Bills are fresh off a big win over the Patriots, and the defending champion Eagles are looming in Week 17. But before they can think about Philly, they’ve got to get past Garrett and a Browns team that, while battered, still packs a punch in some key spots.
Let’s be clear - Cleveland is limping into this one. The offensive line is held together by duct tape and prayer, the special teams have been historically poor, and even the defense - once a strength - has leaked badly in recent weeks, giving up 88 points across losses to the Titans, 49ers, and Bears.
But don’t let that fool you into thinking the Browns are toothless. Myles Garrett is still on the field, and that changes everything.
McDermott on Garrett: “He’s a Hall of Famer”
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, McDermott didn’t sugarcoat it. Garrett isn’t just a problem - he’s the problem. The kind of player that forces entire game plans to be rewritten.
“Special player,” McDermott said. “I mean, he’s a Hall of Famer.
He’s on the verge of, what’s he need, two sacks or whatever, to break the record? That’s a hallmark type of season.”
McDermott’s not exaggerating. Garrett enters Sunday with 21.5 sacks - just one shy of tying the single-season NFL record (22.5), and 1.5 away from breaking it outright.
That record, shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, has stood as a measuring stick for elite pass rushers.
Garrett’s knocking on the door - and he’s doing it with the kind of relentless dominance that’s hard to ignore.
Turn on the tape, and it’s all there. Garrett’s not just beating blocks - he’s blowing through double and triple teams. McDermott mentioned seeing teams throw tight ends, backs, and multiple linemen at Garrett, only for him to bulldoze through the traffic anyway.
“You turn the tape on, you’re watching crossover games, and Cleveland shows up,” McDermott said. “Their defense, overall, they play hard.
They’re talented. They’re talented up front, they’re talented on the back end, in particular with the corner position.
It’s a good combination. And then you watch (Garrett) and you go, ‘That’s special.’”
A Clash of MVP-Caliber Forces
Sunday’s matchup brings a unique subplot: Garrett vs. Josh Allen.
Two of the most physically gifted players in the league, both capable of taking over a game in a heartbeat. Allen, the reigning MVP, has had to carry the Bills through ups and downs all season.
But he’s also been sacked 33 times - sixth-most in the league - and Garrett’s not the kind of guy you want to see when your protection has shown cracks.
Garrett’s riding an eight-game sack streak heading into this one, notching at least one full sack in each of those games, and multiple in half of them. He’s not just chasing the record - he’s hunting quarterbacks with surgical precision.
For Buffalo, that means offensive coordinator Joe Brady and the rest of the staff have some serious chess to play. Slide protection, chip help, quick throws - everything’s on the table. Because if Garrett gets rolling early, it could be a long afternoon for Allen.
The Perfect Storm for a Record-Breaking Moment?
There’s a poetic symmetry to the possibility of Garrett breaking the sack record at home, in front of the Cleveland faithful, against the league’s MVP. This is his ninth season in that stadium, and he’s never looked more dominant. If you ask Garrett, he’d probably tell you it’s just about winning - but make no mistake, this moment matters.
Garrett’s often said, “iron sharpens iron,” and this is exactly the kind of high-stakes, high-profile battle that phrase was made for. A win for Cleveland, a record for Garrett, and a statement made against one of the AFC’s top contenders? That’s the dream scenario.
For the Bills, Sunday is about survival. For Garrett, it could be about history.
And for the rest of us? It’s can’t-miss football.