WhoDat!656

Terron Armstead, Brett IngallsAP
Maybe when he’s finished playing in the league, Terron Armstead will become an official.

Because after a debut that earned him far too much of the wrong kind of acclaim, the Saints rookie left tackle said he hoped to be a little more anonymous this week.

“I plan on it being a whole lot smoother. I plan on you guys not noticing I’m out there,” Armstead joked, via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.

It was hard not to notice the third-round pick last week, as he was abused by Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, following Saints coach Sean Payton’s curious decision to start an untested player in their biggest game of the year.

“I feel like I played a pretty solid game,” Armstead said. “I had a few mental things that are unacceptable and can’t happen, that needs to be fixed ASAP. But I feel like I had a pretty solid game.”

Payton is sticking with his guns, leaving Armstead in instead of switching back to Charles Brown (who lost his job after he was shelled by Rams defensive end Robert Quinn). And he defended the rookie, who was drafted with the thought of grooming into the left tackle of the future.

“I think one of the things that we saw in the running game, he did a really good job finishing,” Payton said. “I thought we did a good job up front overall. There were a number of times in protection that we were encouraged with. So, when you grade the film out, there’s a handful of things going on with how we protect. We had him for two sacks, but overall, we were pleased. First time out on the road against a good player like he went against and a good front, that’s encouraging. It was real encouraging.”

That’s one way of putting it. Having him not make the highlights this week would be more encouraging still.

Terron Armstead hoping his second start less noticeable | ProFootballTalk

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

bobdog86

He'll get better, really only one true way to improve….line of fire. Game speed, situations

dizzle88

He responded to a bad first half with a much better second half which was good to see

He's a rookie at the end of the day and he was thrown into game time against one of the best front 7's in the NFL, there will be some growing pains but i look forward to seeing him improve

jeanpierre

I hope his games coming up will be noticeable, but on the other end of the scale...

While we're not in the locker room, meeting rooms, practice field, I sure wish he had been put in sooner to acclimate for the back end of the season and post season...

Because from what we've seen of Brown, and Payton expressed his concerns when he first returned, we need a Left Tackle...

halloween 65

The Panthers were good up-front that day, I think he was nervous as he could be but settled in nicely. I think he will be nervous for a much shorter period of time the more he plays. I'm a firm believer of
baptism by fire. Sometimes the school of hard knocks is the best way and in his case I think with Charlie Browns poor play we found our LT.Not bad coming from a small school in Arkansas.

hagan714

less noticeable ????????????????????

yeah right our future at LT is up in the air so he kiss that idea good bye.

microscope will be upon him

so far he has passed the eye ball test and gets an ok in game 1.

Cruize

Should have got some snaps before last week in the easier wins. Everyone on defense gets some snaps along the way. Everyone on the roster will be needed sooner or later during a NFL season.

NonieT

They probably should have put Armstead in a lot sooner than they did. Brown has been a disaster at Lt. tackle all season. Armstead did as bad as Brown has done all season and steadily improved in the second half. Brown's has 3 years experience, Armstead had none. That says it all.

Rugby Saint II

I was surprised that he didn't get more help from double teams or chipping from the running back or TE. He was left out there alone mostly. No wonder he had so many penalties and sacks.

jnormand

Agreed! And from what I saw Brown got help often. So if this kid can hold his own then he's an upgrade.