Brees expresses confidence in rookie Armstead
Drew Brees sounds as if he’s fine with coach Sean Payton’s
commitment to stick with rookie left tackle Terron Armstead in a
game New Orleans may have to win to make the playoffs.
”He’s coming along great,” Brees said after practice Wednesday
evening. ”I’m excited for his opportunity.”
Armstead, drafted in the third round last spring out of
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, made his debut in last Sunday’s 17-13 loss at
Carolina.
Three times, the player he was blocking – Greg Hardy – sacked
Brees. Twice, Armstead was called for false starts.
Beyond that handful of plays, however, Brees and Payton insist
that their analysis of game video left them with the impression
that Armstead performed well under difficult circumstances.
”People are going to look into it how they want as far as last
game goes,” Brees said. ”I thought he played extremely well. I
thought he played against a very tough pass rush, some really good
pass rushers – and listen – some of those sacks were on me.
”You’re going to get beat from time to time, and next play he’s
20 yards down the field pancaking a guy,” Brees continued. ”He’s
still young, he’s still raw, still learning and is only going to
get better with experience.”
Payton said the 6-foot-5, 304-pound Armstead looked strong run
blocking. He also noted that when coaches graded game video, they
only faulted Armstead on two sacks, determining that factors beyond
how long Armstead held his block were responsible for the third
sack.
”Overall, we were pleased – first time out on the road against
a good player like he went against and a good front,” Payton said.
”So that’s encouraging.”
Armstead couldn’t recall being nervous, but said he did sense he
was ”thinking a little too much.”
”I had a few mental things that are unacceptable and can’t
happen,” Armstead said. ”But I feel like I had a pretty solid
game.”
The rookie also appreciated that Payton didn’t yank him after
his first couple of mistakes, and in fact praised his overall
performance and still has him practicing with the first team as the
Saints prepare to host Tampa Bay on Sunday.
”That’s a really good thing to keep my confidence up,”
Armstead said, adding that he plans on this Sunday’s game being ”a
whole lot smoother.”
Armstead certainly wasn’t alone in letting Brees get hit. The
Saints quarterback was sacked six times in Carolina, and has been
sacked 36 times this season.
Brees had never been sacked more than 26 times in any of his
previous seven seasons in New Orleans.
In his first four seasons, he was not sacked more than 20 times.
But the Saints have lost several starting linemen since then: guard
Carl Nicks, center Jonathan Goodwin and left tackle Jermon
Bushrod.
Brees has not complained about his blocking or indicated that
the sacks have taken a physical toll. He was listed on the Saints’
injury report Wednesday as limited with a sore knee, but did not
show or mention any evident limitations after practice.
Charles Brown was New Orleans’ starting left tackle most of this
season, but was benched in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago.
The shake-up was the clearest indication that Payton has not
been entirely satisfied with Brees’ protection.
But Brees said he’s taken more sacks by design this season
because he has either held the ball longer to look for more
downfield throws or he has simply resisted making risky throws that
could result in interceptions.
Meanwhile, Brees’ production remains at an elite level – 4,781
yards passing and 35 TDs with one game left – and said it is unfair
to judge his line simply by the increase in sacks. Payton
agreed.
”I don’t want to use the word spoiled, but shoot, that’s
something that’s been very exceptional,” Payton said when asked to
compare this season’s pass protection to his previous years in New
Orleans.
Payton added that Brees’ passing numbers could not be as high as
they are without the line playing well.
”You’re still statistically looking at a group that’s done very
well per pass attempt,” Payton said.
Indeed, the Saints rank eighth in the NFL in that
department.
—
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org