NFL Notes: Browns, Falcons, Patriots

Browns

Browns’ DE Myles Garrett has looked like an early candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, and DC Joe Woods even referred to him as a “flamethrower”.

“When you have one of those flamethrowers out there, that’s what allows you to do certain things in coverage,” Woods said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I always try to put Myles in good situations because I feel like if we can get him one on one, I feel like he has a chance to win every time. Just what he has done over the last few games, it speaks to the level that he is playing at right now.”

Garrett himself is hoping not to lose his hot-streak of strip-sacks, each of which the Browns’ offense has been able to capitalize on.

“Whenever you start picking up traction, just don’t lose it,” Garrett said. “Now I am just trying to keep the momentum, and we’re trying to build off of that as a defense. As long as I have a chance to get someone on ones and rush the passer. But we have to earn the right by stopping each team’s running attack, and the Colts have some talented running backs.”

• Browns’ TE coach Drew Petzing spoke about the return of TE David Njoku for their game against the Colts: “He has been really engaged the entire time he has been out in terms of being in the meetings and is as dialed in as much as he was allowed to with the rules. I think he was really excited to get back on the field on Wednesday, be out there with his teammates and go compete against. It has been really good to have him out there.” (Pro Football Talk)
• Browns activated TE David Njoku from injured reserve. (NFLTR)
• Browns promoted DT Joey Ivie to their active roster.
• Browns signed DE Cameron Malveaux to their practice squad.

Falcons

Falcons’ OC Dirk Koetter has ideas on how Atlanta’s offense can improve this season and in his opinion, the answer is quite simple.

“We can complete passes, that’s what we can do to improve,” Koetter said, via Jason Butt of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Two weeks ago we were top 10 in the NFL in third down. We had two poor weeks back-to-back that have dropped us. Usually when you drop that like it’s because you have a lot of third-and-10-pluses. That’s not the case at all. We’ve struggled at third-and-2-to-5. Normally those are the ones you’re going to get at a 50-plus percent clip. These guys are pros. They get it when we show them the numbers and we show them our percentages. You make it sound like we take them out on the field and scream at them on third-and-medium, and that doesn’t usually work. They understand; we’ve shown them. We tried to put together the best plan for third-and-medium that we can. There are other things that go into that, like how much you’re going to go for it on fourth down. The bottom line is we have to do better. There’s no getting around that. On third-and-medium you’ve got to be over 50 percent, and we aren’t right now. Obviously it’s a team game. We’re 0-4. There are so many things we can do better. It’s been something different in every game. Whatever the game presents, you’ve got to do what it takes to win in that game. We haven’t been able to put that together as a team or an offense yet. When you’re 0-4, you have to find a way to get one more point than the other guys.”

• Falcons promoted CB Tyler Hall and LB Edmond Robinson to their active roster. (NFLTR)

Patriots

• Andrew Callahan reports that Patriots S Devin McCourty is expected to play in Monday night’s game against the Broncos after missing Saturday’s practice for a non-injury related issue.  
• McCourty said some of the Patriots’ players have been staying in hotels this week away from family in response to the COVID-19 outbreak within the organization. (Callahan)
• Although Patriots HC Bill Belichick doesn’t expect QB Cam Newton to practice on Saturday, he would not elaborate on his game status. (Ben Volin)
• Volin believes it is “in the realm of possibility” that Newton could play in Week 5’s game against the Broncos. 
• Belichick also mentioned that he doesn’t anticipate CB Stephon Gilmore to practice on Saturday. (Mike Reiss)
• Patriots CB Jason McCourty called this week “frustrating” after flying to Kansas City on the day of their Monday Night game against the Chiefs, and now only having one day of practice heading into Week 5’s game.