SmashMouth

During the next couple of weeks we are going to find out if the New Orleans Saints own an important component that goes a long way toward winning a championship.

I have always felt that having a signature quarterback, having a defense that can create pressure and get turnovers and being strong on special teams are the key ingredients to winning a Super Bowl title.

But the last element is having a very good offensive line.

In watching the Saints in the first six weeks of the season, they have one of the elite players in the NFL in quarterback Drew Brees, a defense under Rob Ryan that is creating turnovers and has registered 20 sacks (after it only had 30 sacks in 2012) and a pretty strong special teams unit.

The big question is do the Saints have enough up front along the offensive line.

Today that group faces the toughest defensive front it has faced all season long in Kyle Williams, Mario Williams and Marcell Dareus of the Buffalo Bills. In 2013 the Saints are averaging 3.4 yards per rush behind that offensive line.

In 2009 the Saints averaged 4.5 yards per rush and won the Super Bowl. In 2010 the Saints were ravaged with injuries at the running back spot and averaged 4.0 yards per rush. In 2011 the Saints averaged 4.9 yards per rush and in 2012 the Saints averaged 4.3 yards per rush.

There has been a talent drain for the Saints along the offensive line, and it shows. Gone are left tackle Jermon Bushrod, guard Carl Nicks, center Jonathan Goodwin and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer.

And it has not only been in the run blocking part of the game that the talent loss and coaching shuffle have been impacted.

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