When Browns center JC Tretter launched a high shotgun snap over the head of DeShone Kizer midway through the first quarter, Dunlap was the first to arrive at the quarterback and simply tapped him down for what looked like it would be his second sack of the season and 58th of his career.
But the official stats deemed it to be an aborted play, negating the sack and leaving Dunlap one shy of Ross Browner for third on the team’s all-time list.
By the end of the year, Dunlap could surpass Reggie Williams (62.5) for second place while moving closer to the franchise record of 83.5 held be Eddie Edwards.
Dunlap talked about that pursuit and the challenge of facing Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy, whom he spends a lot of time with in the offseason, on Sunday for this week’s Cincinnati Bengals High 5:
Q: With you needing just one more sack to move into third on the team's all-time list, is the franchise record something you're chasing?
A: It hasn't made me any more hungry. If you're not missing them, then you're not getting back there. There's going to be a couple that you miss, but obviously a player at my level, I expect to make all of those plays. Right now I've left a couple out there, and I don't plan on leaving any more. I thought I should have had one Sunday, and Carl (Lawson) definitely should have had one. I've had a few others that didn't count because of intentional grounding. That's the worst rule in football. If you get to the quarterback and about to tackle him and he intentionally throws it away, why wouldn't that count as a sack? They mark the penalty yardage from where you grabbed him. I don't understand that one.
Q: What did getting the first win of the year tell you about this team?
A: Last week was a good start, but that was a football game we were supposed to win. We've got to go out here and do it versus a very good offense, a very good football team who is playing really well. Obviously we didn't want to make the Browns problems our own problems because we've got our own problems. As you can see we were in the same boat. Now we're still trying to fix our problems and do what we can do best and go win this next football game.
Q: You're probably going to see a lot of LeSean McCoy on Sunday with those stretch runs they like to call. What makes him so good?
A: His elusiveness. He's going to make the first guy miss in the open field. That's why you've got to swarm tackle him. Don't let one guy try to make it himself. Everybody should be on their way to the football. That's why you have to hone in on the basics, the simple, little things. Because really, when teams like them run, they like to do a lot of misdirection, zoning, all that stuff. They're typically trying to get your eyes. If your eyes are good on your keys and you do through your checklist, then you'll be fine.
Q: Did McCoy ever put a juke on you that you remember?
A: No, not me personally. My wing span's too wide. So I'm not going to let him get me because I have to hear it all offseason.
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