There has been a lot of talk surrounding the NFL's decision to move Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns to Detroit due to adverse weather conditions in Western New York. There have been more than a few snow games through the years, but the magnitude of the current snowstorm has left the league with no other option but to change venues for the Week 11 matchup.
Browns star Myles Garrett has now spoken out about this significant development, and the All-Pro defensive end remains adamant that this does not really give either team any advantage. In his mind, Garrett is just happy about not having to play in the snow:
“It benefits everybody that we’re not playing in the snow,” Garrett said Friday, via Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. “As much fun as it is as a kid, we get paid too much to be slipping and sliding around trying to make plays and trying to do what we do on a regular basis when we’re in 3 feet of snow.
“This turf is pretty bad itself in terms of its track record with injuries and so making sure the guys are hydrated and properly warmed up and stretched so nobody is putting themselves in danger of getting hurt. I’ll take the turf over the snow just about every day.”
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed his star's thoughts on the situation. He knows how tough it's going to be trying to stop Josh Allen and the Bills' offense regardless of the weather conditions. Cleveland has a game plan in place for this upcoming bout, and they intend to execute it regardless of where they're playing:
“I don’t care what the conditions are, it is a difficult attack to defend,” Stefanski said. “Really, the focus for us goes back to making sure we are sound in everything we are doing. From a rush plan to a coverage plan, we just have to be sound.”
For his part, Myles Garrett did have a bit more to say about the pitch conditions, though. The game will now be played in the Detroit Lions' Ford Field which has installed an artificial turf field. It is clear that the 26-year-old does not enjoy playing on turf, and he wasn't shy about letting his feelings known about it:
“Get rid of turf, go to grass,” Garrett said. “It’s really been a handful of stadiums that have turf that racked up a lot of injuries and some of the stars of the game have been taken out much too early for non-contact injuries just trying to plant or moving along the field doing natural movements. I think it’s time for a change.”
For what it's worth, the Buffalo Bills also use turf on their field. Either way, there's just no escaping the turf for Myles Garrett in Week 11.
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