Originally Posted by ESPN (Post 312381)

New Orleans was one of only two teams in 2010 to start the same five offensive linemen in all 16 games. So why do we have a Saints offensive lineman on our list of injuries to watch? The answer is threefold. First, Stinchcomb may have avoided missing a start, but that seems to have been because of a superhuman pain threshold. It turns out he played more than half the season with a torn right quadriceps that required surgery after New Orleans was eliminated from the playoffs. Second, one of the reasons the Saints were unable to defend their title was an inability to run the ball efficiently, as they fell from first in 2009 to 25th in 2010. A revolving door at running back was a factor in the decline, but so was the fact that Stinchcomb was playing at less than 100 percent: New Orleans' largest directional decline was on runs behind right tackle (fourth to 23rd).

Finally, as late as one month ago, Stinchcomb was still not fully recovered from his injury. In April's draft, the Saints selected the highest-rated running back, so half their problem appears to have been solved. However, they also ignored offensive tackle altogether, which means that the other half of the solution depends primarily on Stinchcomb's surgically repaired knee.

Originally Posted by Speedy Ron (Post 314520)

this is the first i hear of this injury