AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers, Kenny Pickett

Browns

• Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot writes the Browns have been concerned about DE Myles Garrett‘s driving for some time now before the wreck this past week, as Garrett has been cited for speeding multiple times. They think he’s learned his lesson, however. 
• Cabot also mentions the Browns have been happy with third-round WR David Bell‘s work in practice and expect him to grow a larger role in the offense as the season progresses. 

• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski following the team’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons: “Frustrated that I didn’t put our guys in position to succeed. This game was nobody’s fault but my own and I have to own what happened and learn from it.” (Jake Trotter)

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson bet on himself by entering the final year of his contract this season, and so far that seems to be paying off magnificently. Jackson has been brilliant and is an early contender for MVP. However, there’s still a long way to go, and former Ravens great Ed Reed says Jackson needs to be cautious about getting hurt. 

“He’s just got to be smart,” Reed said via the Ringer’s Kevin Clark. “I’m not telling him to play scared or anything because I don’t think he’s gonna do that, he hasn’t displayed that, but he has to be smart because it is a business and they will use that shit against you whether you like it or not. You can think these people love you. They’re showing their true colors right now. And it’s no shot at the Ravens because they are an organization that’s a business. It’s a business first. It’s the NFL and it’s football to the players and we love that, but it’s a business first to the league.”

Reed reiterated that the Ravens won’t hesitate to use an injury against Jackson in negotiations if he gets hut — and with 14 more regular season games to go, plus playoffs, plus potentially another whole season or two on the franchise tag, there are a lot of landmines to avoid. 

“It’s a business, bro,” Reed said. “I don’t know how else to tell you clearer than that.”

• Ravens HC John Harbaugh commented on going for the touchdown instead of the go-ahead field goal in the loss to Buffalo: “I felt like it gave us the best chance to win the game.” (Jamison Hensley)

Steelers

• Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said that S Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s knee is being evaluated, with other injuries including S Terrell Edmunds in concussion protocol, DL Cameron Heyward with an ankle and elbow injury, and CB Cameron Sutton with a hamstring injury. (Brooke Pryor)
• Tomlin on putting QB Kenny Pickett in the game, despite being unsure if he will start in Week 5: “I thought we needed a spark. We thought he could provide a spark for us.” (Pryor)
• Steelers QB Mitchell Trubisky on being benched: “Didn’t connect. Didn’t score enough points. Got pulled at half time. That’s usually how it goes so, just business as usual… Disappointed, obviously, but that’s part of it.” (Chris Adamski)