Myles Garrett needs one more sack to break T.J. Watt’s NFL single-season record of 22½.

Garrett can set the mark when Cleveland hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Watt won’t be in uniform but figures to be on the sideline watching. He might run on the field and try to block Garrett.

The Steelers shouldn’t drop back to pass. Not once. Run the ball every play. Don’t give Garrett a chance to get that sack. Make him wait until Week 18.

Watt would likely endorse that game plan.

Only Watt knows if he’s obsessed with Garrett.

But that’s certainly how it looks.

Watt avoided the NFL Honors ceremony in 2024 when he learned that Garrett would get the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award despite having 14 sacks to Watt’s 19.

When he negotiated his latest contract extension this past offseason, Watt insisted on being paid $41 million per season — $1 million more than Garrett.

Now Garrett is poised to usurp Watt’s sack record.

Watt used to be better than Garrett.

But now Garrett is superior, and clearly so. (Garrett is also two years younger, and his team didn’t stab him in the lung.)

Watt has had a Hall of Fame career with the Steelers despite not winning a playoff game. (Perhaps that can be remedied this season.)

But Watt’s contract extension (three years, $123 million) is an albatross around the Steelers’ neck, as was obvious before he signed it.

Watt’s sacks dropped from 19 in 2023 to 11.5 last season. Watt’s acolytes cite him being constantly double-teamed and chipped as reasons for that statistical decline. But Watt has dealt with that since very early in his career.

Watt lost a step. He’s not as good.

The Steelers should have made Watt play out the final season of his existing contract, then franchised him moving forward if Watt’s performance dictated. That would have been best for the Steelers.

But the Steelers gave Watt a monster contract instead, because God forbid any Steelers player knows an unpleasant moment. You want to avoid Watt’s gym teacher rage.

Watt refuses to line up anyplace but his preferred spot, left outside linebacker.

Garrett lines up in various locations, exploiting favorable matchups and keeping foes off-balance.

Garrett is at his pinnacle.

Watt isn’t.

Garrett adapts.

Watt doesn’t.

Garrett breaking Watt’s record with Watt watching will be more than symbolic.

It will be literal. The better player posting the bigger number.

That’s if it happens. Keep handing the ball to Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren.

Locals like to think that the Browns are a joke franchise and the Steelers are NFL nobility.

But the gap isn’t as big as you think.

The Browns keep screwing up at quarterback. That’s what kills them.

But they’ve assembled a much better defense for $30 million less.

They’ve also won a playoff game more recently. And against the Steelers.