New Orleans Saints Tackle Terron Armstead
Video Call with New Orleans Media
Thursday, November 5, 2020

Obviously, I know Drew Brees and Tom Brady are going back and forth with that record for all time passing touchdowns. I was just wondering if, as a team, you guys, you know, really want to kind of help him get that record this week and kind of give him a leg up on that race?
"No, I can't say that we're focusing on the record. That's not what we're going to try to accomplish, (the) ultimate goal is to win the game. And you can ask Drew (Brees) the same thing. We run up five rushing touchdowns, we all will be extremely excited."

Can you speak about the play of Cesar Ruiz this season and what stands out to you about him the most?
"He's impressive, man. He's impressive. I spoke about him during camp and early on in the season. I like him a lot. I really do. He goes about his business. He's a fighter and he's excited to embrace his journey and write his own story in the NFL. He's a guy that asks a lot of questions. So you know that he's someone that is continuously working on his craft and trying to be the best player he can be."

You were in for all 100% of the snaps last week? How did you feel out there just knowing that everybody's working through stuff, including you?
"Yeah, for sure. For sure. It's part of the game. You know, those injuries, no matter what you're dealing with, just some adversities and some challenges. You know, professional sports, we're master compensators. That's what we have to do. We can't use our left shoulder as much, you have to use more of the right shoulder. And we just try to find a way to get it done. And Sunday was another case of that. And, but it was great. It was great being out there. I hate missing time."

Are you guys just excited to see what you even look like with all of your offensive players at your arsenal? I think Emmanuel (Sanders) and Mike (Thomas) have only played like maybe 40 snaps together all season?
"Yeah, yeah. No, absolutely, absolutely. It'll be great to get all of our weapons out there at the same time and get us rolling. It's great, we just don't feel like as a team, we don't feel like we played a good game yet. Like a complete game. All three phases. Which is fine when we're on a winning streak when we still have that thought process. So we're just trying to get better, trying to improve and put a good one together."

Obviously Tampa has the league's top rush defense statistically, but do you expect them to maybe do anything different or give you guys any different looks because of how effective Alvin's (Kamara) been as a pass catcher this season?
"Everybody's first game plan assignment is Alvin (Kamara). Every defense we go against, that's their first goal, is to try to minimize his production. And I don't see that changing, no matter who we're playing. They definitely defend the run extremely well. They got guys that know where they fit. And those linebackers are exceptional, that duo is fun to watch and fun to play against. So it'd definitely be a challenge. But we're up for it for sure."

With some of their pressures and stuff they do, do they have one of the better design defenses that you guys see throughout the year?
"Yes, it's pretty complex. It's pretty complex. They drop a lot of D lineman and bring safeties and corners and on. And all type of stuff. They're not afraid to, to send you their best, send you their best shot. And, so this is a situation where your eyes got to be in the right place. Understanding the protection, understanding the technique, so we don't have no run throughs and clean shots and not."

In that Carolina game, it just looked like you kept trying to kind of give it a go out there and it just wasn't working. Like, did that happen in game? And then kind of as a follow up to that, do you have to like, learn how to compensate with stuff as the course of your career progresses? Like is that something like a skill that you can acquire as you play in the league more?
"The Carolina game was a situation where, with what I was dealing with was a beyond the pain part. It was like a lack of function. So if I couldn't function and do my job properly, it's just, I'm not helping myself or anybody else by being out. And I tried to keep going, but it was progressively getting worse. As far as compensating, yeah. Yeah, you have to learn how to just handle adversity, not always trying to compensate. But you know, just trying to deal with adversity, having enough tools in the toolbox to get the job done and be effective, being limited with my right side, my right hand, right elbow. And I am a right hand guy like that is how I have protected for eight years. So not having that, definitely having to make adjustments to get my job done and be effective."