Browns' Myles Garrett Primed for NFL DPOY Run After 2 Sacks in Week 1

Myles Garrett has been named an All-Pro player three times, been voted to three Pro Bowls and notched more than 10 or more sacks in each of the last four seasons.

Yet, the highest honor a defensive player can realistically achieve has eluded him to this point.

Garrett has yet to be named Defensive Player of the Year. The former No. 1 overall pick has actually never even received a vote.

That's about to change in 2022.

The 26-year-old took the opportunity in Week 1 to remind everyone he's one of the best pass-rushers in the game. Not only did he rack up two sacks, but he was also among the league's best by pretty much any other metric.

PFF did a good job of summarizing his game-wrecking antics against the Carolina Panthers:

Yes, Garrett was taking advantage of a matchup against rookie left tackle Ikem Ekwonu. The Panthers' coaching staff didn't exactly do a great job of helping out their first-round pick either.

The 21-year-old was often left isolated going against one of the league's premier edge-rushers, and the results were about what you would expect:

Even when they did offer him some help, it didn't really matter. Garrett proceeded to just beat both of them on his way to sack No. 2:

Garrett's focus and intensity shouldn't come as a surprise. He's always been capable of taking over a game, and Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods tried to warn the league before the season.

“It’s just different,” he said about the defensive end's approach to this season. “I don’t know. It’s just like he has a mindset to dominate and it’s just the focus. You can see it. It’s not that I am talking to him a lot–it is just like, ‘Man.’ Definitely looking forward to him having a big season for us.”

The Browns are going to need it. Much of the focus on Week 1 was on Baker Mayfield and the "revenge game" taking place between the 2018 No. 1 pick and his former employer.

Ultimately, the Browns got the bragging rights, but it wasn't easy. Cleveland needed a 58-yard field goal in the final 10 seconds and a near-flawless game from its offensive line just to beat the Panthers by two points.

Awards are not just a statistical contest. Narratives matter. If the Browns are going to remain in playoff contention while Deshaun Watson serves his 11-game suspension and Jacoby Brissett leads the offense, they have only one path to victory.

They are going to have to dominate the line of scrimmage on offense, lean heavily on the run game and boast one of the league's best defenses.

If they can even float around .500 over the next 10 games of the season, the Browns defense and run game are going to be a big part of their success.

Leading the way in that department will be Garrett.

Of course, winning the award is going to take some breaks. He probably already got one in the form of reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt suffering a pectoral injury that is reportedly going to cost him at least a month.

That could set up a two-man race between Garrett and Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons. The versatile defender also had two sacks in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Parsons is a formidable foe after finishing second as a rookie. Just like Garrett he's going to have to help carry a defense that needs to be elite while Dak Prescott recovers from a thumb injury.

Whoever is able to help keep their team afloat while terrorizing opposing quarterbacks is going to be in the driver's seat for the award this year.