00:00Right now for our post-game guest, and it's good to talk to an old friend
00:04of the post-game show.
00:05Of course, he's been on several of these with us a lot of times
00:07at the stadium here at NRG.
00:09You know that laugh.
00:10You hear it right there.
00:11He's joining us right now, and it was great to see this guy get back
00:13on the field.
00:14Damian Pierce, running back, joining us here on Texans post-game.
00:18DP, how did it feel to get your feet wet back out there
00:20against NFL competition today?
00:23Man, it felt amazing, man.
00:24It's been a long four-and-a-half months for me,
00:27but I'm glad to put my hands on to get them back popping, man.
00:30Just in time for this to you.
00:31Hey, let's talk about – you know, there's a lot of talk.
00:33We're lip-watching on TV today, and we're listening to the guys,
00:36the commentators, talking about stylistically and last year's scheme
00:39versus this year's scheme and how Damian Pierce just appears to be more comfortable
00:44with his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and getting downhill.
00:48Do you see that?
00:49Is that true?
00:49One, I guess.
00:50And number two, is that something that in this offensive scheme
00:54you seem to feel more comfortable doing and see more often?
00:58Of course, of course, man.
00:59I'm one of the guys who likes seeing the whole line of scrimmage.
01:02You know, nothing against Bobby, but, you know, we was, you know,
01:04kind of precedent on the outside zone and going lateral before we go vertical.
01:09But Kaylee, you know, he has a whole different approach to the run game.
01:13You know, he likes a lot of duos, counters, tight zone.
01:16And, you know, periodically he likes to throw a few tosses in there.
01:19But like I said, man, like I said in the early interview,
01:22Kaylee kind of knows how to cater to the guys on the field and our skill set.
01:26So, I feel like when he sees me in the game, you know, he keeps my shoulders square.
01:29Because, you know, that's when I'm at my best, I'm at my most dangerous and I'm at my most comfortable.
01:34So, that definitely is some truth to what the commentator was saying.
01:38I feel good.
01:39Hopefully I look good out there, man.
01:41You know, I'm just glad to be back out there.
01:43No doubt.
01:44Damian Pierce joining us here on the postgame show.
01:48So, Damian, they've been working you back in from your injury, kind of working you back slowly here.
01:53And it's been great to see you get back in pads and get out there and hit some people.
01:57We know how competitive it is for this roster and for rosters.
02:01How hard was it for you during training camp to be working off to the side as you're watching your teammates sit there and, you know,
02:09bang heads with each other in joint practices and in games and things like that to get worked back in?
02:15Was that tough for you to watch as that competition is ensuing?
02:18Yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:19For sure, for sure, for sure.
02:20You know, especially in the deep running back room we got, you know, as a competitor, you know, it kind of sucked.
02:25And, you know, I had my moments, you know, mentally going through, like, damn, I don't want to be out there so bad.
02:31But just looking at the big picture and looking at the end goal of what I want for myself, it kind of brought me back to earth.
02:37And with that end goal being, you know, when I get back to the field, I want to be dominant.
02:41I want to be explosive.
02:42I want to be the me that I know I can be.
02:44You know, not prove anybody else wrong.
02:46I just want to prove – I'm more so focused on proving myself right.
02:48You know, the last few years, you know, I kind of just let everybody get to me, you know, rightfully so.
02:55You know, this NFL, you know, everybody look at what we do.
02:57You know, from the moment we report the camp to the last game of the season, you know.
03:01But just being on the sideline, focusing on the main goal, you know, just getting back healthy so I can get back to my brand of football and my solid play.
03:10Hey, man, you're human, bro.
03:11Don't beat yourself up for being human, man.
03:13That's part of the grind.
03:14That's part of growing up in the game, man.
03:17Don't beat yourself up about that one, man.
03:18Do your thing.
03:19Hey, I do got a question.
03:20I'll be the first one to admit that.
03:22Hey, that's a big part of it, right?
03:24Hey, hey, here's the deal, Damian.
03:26I think one thing, if you look at the entire preseason games as well as Tramp that went to see,
03:34one thing that's probably the top of the list of things, if you will, that sticks out to me is the improvement
03:40that the running backs have made in pass protection.
03:44It seems like, you know, everybody struggled last year in pass protection,
03:47but it seems like this year, boy, the one thing that sticks out is top to bottom,
03:52and I think you may have even had a nice pickup today, but top to bottom,
03:56everybody that we've seen play the position that's come out of your position group
03:59has been able to protect at a very noticeably better level.
04:04What do you attribute that to?
04:05Do you see that?
04:06Do you agree?
04:07What's your thoughts?
04:08Yes.
04:09I wholeheartedly agree.
04:10I wholeheartedly agree.
04:11Well, for one, it starts with Haley and Cole.
04:16Cole is like our offensive line coach, so those two guys do a great job of, you know,
04:22making it clear and concise for everyone, not just the running backs.
04:24Everyone involved in pass protection from the quarterback to the O-line to us,
04:28and then even receivers being dialed in on their hots, you know what I'm saying?
04:31So big shout out to those guys.
04:33And then just to add more, you know, definition and, you know, being more concise on it,
04:40our running back coach, Coach D.B. does a great job of making sure we're mentally
04:44and physically prepared every day, you know, whether it's drills, whether it's film,
04:48whether it's just walking and talking.
04:50You know, that's probably the most we spend our time on in the running back room
04:56is pass pros because, you know, D.B. has this thing.
04:59He says, you know, we know how to run the ball.
05:00You know, we wouldn't be here if we didn't know how to run the ball.
05:02So just make sure we protect the ball and protect the quarterback.
05:05So we've spent a lot of time on it, and everybody has done a great job of binding to it
05:10and just, you know, putting our pride and joy into it.
05:13You know, we're very prideful about pass protection.
05:15We're very prideful about keeping seven off the dirt because, you know,
05:18when seven is clean, we have a great chance to win the football game.
05:22Hey, Damien, look, I want you to know how much you can trust me before we let you go, man.
05:26I want you to know how much you can trust me.
05:28I talked to you at practice a few days back, and you told me he was going to come back this week,
05:34and I didn't take it to air, man.
05:35I didn't tell nobody about it.
05:36I kept it under my hat, man.
05:38And I want you to know, number one, you can trust me, man.
05:41But number two, I want you to know, man, I can speak for Sean here, man.
05:43We're big fans of 31.
05:45We're big fans of Damien Pierce, man.
05:46It was good to see you back on the field today, man.
05:49Hey, man, I appreciate you, man.
05:50I know, hey, you know, this is a four-year relationship, man.
05:52We wouldn't have had it without no trust now.
05:53That's it.
05:54That's it.
05:54That's it.
05:55Well, DP, man, get out there.
05:56This is a four-year relationship, baby.
05:57Hey, how are the dogs?
05:59How's the family?
05:59How's everybody doing, man?
06:01Yeah, everybody good, man.
06:02The kids good.
06:03I'm good mentally.
06:05I'm on Dukes, I'm good.
06:06You know, everybody just waiting on 31 to get back to the field, man,
06:10because they know when I'm on the field, I'm my happiest.
06:12I love it.
06:13I love it.
06:13Well, man, go make some plays this season so we can get you back on the postgame show again,
06:17man.
06:17We love having you on.
06:18Yes, sir, man.
06:19Thank you all for having me, man.
06:20Hopefully I'll be on plenty more.
06:22Absolutely.
06:23Absolutely.
06:23Damien Pierce, man.
06:24We love DP.
06:25DP joining us on the postgame show.
06:28Hey, he was the, you could argue, the only bright spot of the Lovie Smith year when they
06:35went 3-13-1.
06:36That dude was on the postgame show with us probably about four or five times.
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