Myles Garrett raves about Patriots’ core young players after big game

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett got a chance to get well-acquainted with two of the New England Patriots' young core offensive players on Sunday. Garrett spent most of the game lined up opposite rookie left tackle Will Campbell, trying to get to second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

As long as he was in the game, Garrett showed both players what it's like to face a future Hall of Fame talent. In one of the best performances of his career Garrett collected a career-high five sacks on seven pressures.

Despite having the kind of performance that would typically take a game over, Garrett still came up on the losing end as the Browns fell 32-13.

"I would throw the whole performance away for a win," Garrett told reporters after the game.

After getting beat in a game where he was maybe the best player on the field, Garrett recognized the performance and growth of some of the Patriots' younger players. That included some very complimentary thoughts on Maye.

"I think he is a great human being. I think he is good quarterback who is soon to be a great quarterback," Garrett said. "I like how he’s grown. It’s nice to be a part of his journey. Hate to be on this end of it, but it’s nice to see how he’s leading his team. He’s helped them rebuild into what they are now. So, in a way, I’m proud of him, and I’m happy to see his success."

That's very high praise from Garrett after having faced Maye just one time, and makes it sound like he's been following Maye's trajectory relatively closely. While Garrett himself likely won't be available anytime soon - he signed a four-year, $160 million extension this past offseason - it's a good indicator of how players around the league might view Maye and something to keep in mind when the offseason begins.

Garrett also talked about what it was like facing Campbell for the first time. Campbell was tabbed with two pressures and two sacks allowed against the Browns by PFF.

“I mean, he’s strong. You want to set the tempo and the pace of the game with power," he explained. "He was able to be pretty firm in his stance and keep me from knocking him back. Just trying to hit him with different looks, trying to keep him off guard."

Maye, Campbell, and the Patriots' offense gave Garrett plenty of reason to be impressed even with his big day. Against a defensive unit that has been one of the best in the NFL through the first half of the season they totaled 442 yards - the most the Browns have allowed in a game this year and their 32 points ranked second.