DENVER — The Browns lost to the Denver Broncos 29-12 on Sunday. Now, they're just hoping they didn't suffer a more significant loss beyond the stat sheet.
Following the game, star defensive end Myles Garrett was seen in the locker room with his left arm in a sling. The 27-year-old confirmed to reporters he "felt a pop" in his left shoulder during an unspecified running, and was expected to undergo further examination on Monday.
"Just trying to snatch off a block, I remember it just, you know, making a little pop," Garrett said.
Garrett returned to the field following the injury, though he clearly looked limited. The four-time All-Pro finished the afternoon with a pair of tackles (including one for a loss) and a pass deflection.
"I'm not going to come out unless it's falling [off]; it's already falling off," Garrett admitted. "I want to win just as much as the rest of these guys want to win."
Garrett's banged up shoulder was just part of a laundry list of ailments hampering the Browns this weekend: Denzel Ward missed the game with his own shoulder injury, while quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was sidelined with a suspected concussion. Receiver Amari Cooper also left the field with sore ribs.
"The game's not going to stop for anybody — not for me, not for anybody else," Garrett said of Cleveland's injury woes, which have also included losing starting QB Deshaun Watson and running back Nick Chubb for the season. "Those guys that are behind the playmakers that have gotten injured, gotten hurt, they're licking their chops to be that next guy to make those plays, make a name for themselves."
That "next man up" mentality has lifted the Browns to a 7-4 record so far this season, putting them well in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. However, it did not help much Sunday in Denver, as Cleveland fell behind 14-0 and struggled to stay in the game.
Garrett, the leader of one of the NFL's best defenses with a league-best 13 sacks, took partial blame for his unit's somewhat sluggish execution during the matchup. The Browns entered Sunday allowing an average of less than 100 rushing yards per game, but surrendered 169 and two touchdowns to the Broncos.
"I feel like we didn't dominate up front as we usually have," he explained. "I feel like there was a little bit of leakiness to our run [defense]. I think we made some hits on the line or behind the line, but they were still able to make those into positive gains, and then they were just having success running the ball on the edges."
Rather than come home to Cleveland, the Browns plan to fly straight to Los Angeles ahead of next weekend's game against the Rams. Garrett says he will remain with the team during that time while he gets an MRI.
"I don't know what it'll be," Garrett said of the injury's potential seriousness. "I've played through things that should've sidelined me before, and I'm going to continue to fight and do what's best for the team and for myself. But we have high hopes for this season and what we want to do, and nothing like this is going to hold us back or me back."