Terron Armstead – December 19, 2022
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Monday, December 19, 2022
T Terron Armstead
(It was just incredible to see the holes created by the line. Obviously, your two backs did a great job as well. Why was the running game so effective on Saturday?) – “The run game is always a combination of things, and really a combination of everybody being on the same page – o-line, timing, running backs, landmarks, reads by receivers, blocking perimeter, all those things. I think we did a great job of just locking in really and trying to emphasize on the importance of the run game and how it directly relates to the passing game.”
(Was there any new wrinkle added that the average fan wouldn’t see?) – “No, not really. I think we kind of found the groove, the rhythm, the standard that we are kind of looking for in that run game. It won’t always be as explosive as it was Saturday night, but the consistency to make Mike (McDaniel) want to keep calling them, and then Mike keep calling them after we have a negative run or a short gain. It’s’s a collection of things and not getting too far behind in the score of the game. All those things go into a successful run game.”
(What’s going to feel like to play at home after three straight road games and a lot of travel was involved in that?) – “It will be great. We’ll be back in front of our home crowd. ‘The Rock’ (Hard Rock Stadium) will be rocking for sure. It’ll be Christmas. It’ll be a beautiful football Sunday.”
(I know a lot of players like to say, you treat every game the same. But as you get down to late December, and basically if you win two of the last three, you’re in the playoffs. Does the excitement grow? Is there a buzz in the locker room? Is there more energy in practice? How do you handle that? How do you channel that?) – “I think the treat every game the same will apply more late in the season. I think you have to completely lock in, sacrifice, use all resources, empty the tank every one of these games towards the end of the season, and then you get into the playoffs. You don’t want to just get into the playoffs and try to flip a switch, especially without the experience. The time is now to treat every game the same for sure.”
(How much talk, if at all, is there within your teammates about the playoffs?) – “None of that from what I’m experiencing. I feel like the team, the only thing we’re focused on is the Green Bay Packers. That’s all that matters. All that matters is taking care of this game, and then we’ll talk about next week the next week. But there’s no playoff talk. It shouldn’t be any playoff talk. It’s the Packers.”
(How did you come out of last game physically?) – “I’m alright. I’ve got my bumps and bruises like everybody else. It’s late in the season. A lot of games on me. But no, we’re moving forward.”
(Three different body parts on the injury report – is it 1/3 the knee, 1/3 the toe, 1/3 the pec?) – “(laughter) If I could allocate percentages to body parts, I would spread it out a little more. But no, it’s just part of the game. It’s part of the game. And I take it all into consideration as I plan and prepare to get ready. But everybody’s dealing with something.”
(Is this the first time you’ve had that many injuries at this point in the season?) – “I’ll have to probably go back – I’ve dealt with some stuff for real. I have. But it’s nothing to really talk about or write about. I got to go and get ready to play and do everything I can to be out there to play. And if I’m playing, I’m 100 percent.”
(When you say it’s nothing to talk about or write about, but among us, and among fans, your health is a big deal to this team. I mean, you understand our interest and the fan’s interest in your health, right?) – “Yeah, and I appreciate it. I appreciate you asking. It’s been a challenge, man. It’s been a challenge for sure. Don’t get me wrong. Playing without feeling great or doing things different, changing techniques and changing technique in a week of prep is tough, but unfortunately I’ve had to do these things throughout my career. So I got some experience finding different ways to win and using different techniques, being real good with my eyes and stuff pre-snap. Just finding a different way.”
(I’m doing something on DT Christian Wilkins and the outstanding season that he’s having. What do you notice about Christian on and off the field? You know off the field, in college, I think he won the academic Heisman. He’s a very intelligent player, very emotional guy on the field. A beast against the run and the pass. What are your observations of him as a player and as a person?) – “Elite technique. Elite effort. He has a great feel for the game. He’s tough to deal with. He’s relentless. I think his biggest attribute may be the plays he doesn’t make initially, like when he’s chasing the ball down the field. I think that is an extreme asset to the team. Other teams have to keep that in mind when they’re trying to get extra yards, so you see guys slow down and ball up before the guy in front of them gets to them and that’s because they feel that pressure from behind from Christian and JP (Jaelan Phillips). That’s a really big advantage for us.”
(It’s unusual to add a player off the street in September and have him become a really helpful starter for you. What have you learned about Brandon Shell? What have you admired about what he’s given you on the opposite end?) – “B-Shell (Brandon Shell) has been a blessing, for sure. He’s been a blessing to us. He’s a great professional, the way he goes about his business, the way he orchestrates a plan and goes out and executes. Even when everything isn’t great or going well, you know what you’re going to get from B-Shell. You’re going to get a dawg that’s going to fight, and I’m rocking with him every day of the week.”
(You know how you felt on like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday a lot of these weeks, and yet, hopefully, you’re on pace to play 15 games a season, which is high, considering what you’ve been through over the past several years. How much pride you take in that?) – “I just want to be there for my teammates. That’s it. Be there for my teammates. Be there for my coaches. I control what I can control. I do a lot off the field to prepare and get my body in a position to play. But I really don’t get into counting the games or counting reps. I’m trying to play every game, every snap. That’s the goal. And this year, I didn’t play every game. But anytime I can be out there for my team, I’m in there. No questions.”
(For you all, with this three-game losing streak, have you identified some of the bad habits and good habits that you had compared to the first losing streak?) – “That’s a great question. They’re different, but they’re similar in a lot of ways. I’d say our shortcomings have come from self-infliction, and some things that I feel like we got better at Saturday night. The attention to detail, the standard that we want to play. I think we got a really good start of where we want to be Saturday night. Now the thing is, and the challenging part about this league, is consistency. So going out to do it every week, week after week, I think that is the hard part. But us being so young in this system, especially offensively, when you see things work, and it’s this exactly how it’s supposed to work, you have to experience it first. All right, that’s exactly what it needs to be and that’s how – so when you get those moments, it carries over.”
(Do you have any like holiday giveaways coming up personally or anything for you?) – “We just did a huge one. Back in my hometown, Illinois, at the Team Armstead Community Center, almost 500 kids. We bought clothes, toys, you name it. So I’m trying to set up a quick giveaway here in Miami. I don’t have a spot yet. North Miami Beach Police Department might be my landing spot one day this week.”
(The snowballs last game – have you ever been through anything like that? Did you laugh at it? Did you worry if there were batteries in the snowballs? What was the situation?) – “You definitely don’t want anybody to get injured or affected by it. It was funny. Like that game was one of the best games that I’ve ever been a part of, just from its totality really, what was at stake, the back and forth, great players making great plays, all those things. The crowd was into it. They’re playing The Temptations song. It was a great environment. I enjoyed it. I would have loved to have won and did some snow angels. I would’ve threw some snowballs back in the crowd. (laughter)”
