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The NFC South may not have nearly as much of a vested interest in this as it did last year, but Gruden’s QB Camp is returning for a third season this spring.

Last year, Jon Gruden, the former Tampa Bay coach and current "Monday Night Football" analyst, had a fascinating session with Cam Newton. Their time in the film room gave us all plenty to talk about as we waited for the Carolina Panthers to select Newton at No. 1 overall.

This year, I don’t see any NFC South team taking a quarterback in the first round. But I do think you could see some NFC South quarterback moves later in the draft. Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson is similar to New Orleans’ Drew Brees in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t be all that surprised if the Saints took Wilson in the middle rounds and try to groom him as the heir apparent to Brees. There even has been a bit of a buzz that the Panthers could look at Wilson as a guy to complement Newton.

The Falcons and Buccaneers also could be keeping an eye out for potential backups in the draft.

Wilson’s session with Gruden will air April 11 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

The show will debut with Andrew Luck on March 31 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The segment with Robert Griffin III will air at 9 p.m. ET on April 2 on ESPN. Kellen Moore will be featured April 12 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Kirk Cousins’ episode will be shown April 16 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Case Keenum will be featured at 5 p.m. ET on April 17 on ESPNU. The segment on Brandon Weeden will air April 18 at 8 p.m. on ESPNU. Brock Osweiler will be featured April 19 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

A segment on Nick Foles will air April 23 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU and Ryan Tannehill will be featured April 24 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees broke a record Monday night. He also broke a rival.

In one massive swoop, Brees set an NFL passing record for yards in a season, won an NFC South title and sent a very clear message to the Atlanta Falcons, who had been surging lately, that they can’t compete with the Saints right now.

“It couldn’t have happened in any other way,’’ Brees said. “It was perfect.’’

It was perfect because everything was on Brees’ terms in a 45-16 victory against the Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on "Monday Night Football." It was perfect because Brees broke the record Dan Marino set in 1984 by throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to Darren Sproles, a former teammate in San Diego and the running back Brees recruited to New Orleans as a free agent this past summer.

It was perfect because the Saints (12-3 and still in contention for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs) were so in control of the game that Brees didn’t have to worry about the distraction of chasing a record in a tight game. It was perfect because tight end Jimmy Graham, a former college basketball player, went leaping into action to grab the historic football after Sproles spiked it and it was high in the air and headed for the stands.

It was perfect because Brees couldn't even see Graham pulling off one of the more athletic moves of his career because a wall of offensive linemen descended upon the quarterback.

“The next thing I know, I’m getting bum rushed by all the (offensive linemen),’’ Brees said.

Brees entered the game needing 305 passing yards to break Marino’s record. He finished with 307.

“Drew is all about winning,’’ wide receiver Marques Colston said. “I’m just glad this came in a win.’’

That’s the way Brees felt the record had to come.

“He never mentioned (the record) one time,’’ said offensive guard Carl Nicks.

Nicks was one of those linemen who surrounded Brees as soon as Sproles crossed the goal line. They all took their turns hugging Brees, but Nicks picked up the quarterback and put him on his shoulder. Nicks and several teammates said they wanted the record for Brees more than the quarterback wanted it himself.

“If they made a movie about Drew, I don’t know if Tom Cruise could even play him,’’ Nicks said. “He’s just the best guy. We all love him, like literally love him.’’

That feeling was pretty obvious on the field and in the locker room after the game. Even Sean Payton, who often comes across as a gruff football coach, was borderline emotional as he addressed the media.

He began to read some biographical date on Marino that he had also read to the team in the locker room. Understandable because Brees was about to turn 5 years old when Marino set the record, Colston was a year old and some of the other Saints hadn’t even been born.

“I think it’s important to recognize the history of the league,’’ Payton said. “To understand how great (Marino) was helps us to understand how great Drew Brees is.’’

Brees was closing in on the record by the end of the third quarter. He had 258 yards and the Saints led 31-13 as the fourth quarter began. But the Saints and Brees hit a little bit of a lull early in the fourth quarter. Three drives stalled quickly and there undoubtedly was some speculation that Payton should have taken Brees out of the game to eliminate the possibility of injury.

But that wasn’t really a consideration, and, if you know Payton, you know his decision fit his character. While admitting he normally wouldn’t have had Brees throwing the ball late in a game with a big lead, he said this wasn’t an ordinary situation.

“I thought it was appropriate,’’ Payton said. “Just the right thing to do.’’

"I hope (Atlanta coach) Mike Smith knows that we weren't trying to run up the score at all,'' Brees said.

The Falcons, who have had a fierce rivalry with the Saints in recent years, might not view it the same way, but Payton did the right thing. There really wasn’t any sense in letting the record -- and all the attention that goes with it -- linger for another week.

“It seemed like the right thing,’’ Payton said. “As a coach, a lot of times, you have to trust your gut.’’

Everyone knows what is in Payton’s gut runs directly through the offense, specifically the quarterback.

“I wasn’t surprised,’’ receiver Robert Meachem said. “(Payton) is the quarterback too. That was a gusty call, but that’s the coach we have.’’

And Brees is the quarterback the Saints have. Records aside, what he did against the Falcons was about more than making history. The game was pretty much over at halftime, right after Brees threw a touchdown pass to Graham to give the Saints a 21-10 lead. Brees finished with four touchdown passes.

More importantly, he sent a strong late-season message to the 9-5 Falcons, who could be a playoff opponent, that they’re not capable of staying with the Saints, who have beaten Atlanta twice this season. Maybe more important than that, Brees might have sent a message to the rest of the league, particularly Green Bay and San Francisco, that the Saints are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason. They’ve won seven straight games and are carrying plenty of momentum.

"This game couldn’t have been more important than it was,'' Brees said.

He wasn't talking about the record. He was talking about the Monday night venue and playing an opponent that still had a chance to steal the NFC South title.

They were all on the table. They were all taken care of methodically, and setting the record just sort of fell into place.

That’s precisely the way Brees wanted it. In 2008, he came just short of Marino’s record. But the Saints were ordinary and didn’t make the playoffs that season. This year, they’ve already clinched a playoff berth and the record seemed appropriate.

But Brees said he’s not ready to start savoring his spot in history. Winning a second Super Bowl is the goal that’s been on his mind all season and that hasn’t changed.

“I’m sure after the season I’ll spend time to reflect on (setting the record),’’ Brees said. “But, right now, there’s still so much to be done.’’

NEW ORLEANS -- The Saints will be without several injured players for the “Monday Night Football’’ game with the Atlanta Falcons.

No big surprises since all three of these were pretty much expected. Running back Mark Ingram, linebacker Jonathan Casillas and defensive end Turk McBride have been declared inactive.

Also inactive for the Saints are cornerback Leigh Torrence, offensive tackle William Robinson, tight end Michael Higgins and receiver Adrian Arrington.

NEW ORLEANS — No big surprise here, but the Atlanta Falcons will be without two injured defenders in their “Monday Night Football’’ game with the New Orleans Saints.

Linebacker Stephen Nicholas (groin) and nickel back Kelvin Hayden have been declared inactive. Veteran Mike Peterson likely will start in Nicholas’ place. Dominique Franks likely will be Atlanta’s nickel back.

The other inactives for the Falcons are quarterback John Parker Wilson, center Brett Romberg, tackle Kirk Chambers, receiver Kerry Meier and defensive end Cliff Matthews.

I’ll be back with the inactives for the Saints as soon as I get them.

NEW ORLEANS — I’m in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and getting ready for the “Monday Night Football’’ game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

Not much going on here right now, other than rehearsals of the festivities surrounding the national anthem and about six players on the field either playing, catching or stretching out.

I’ll be back with the inactives about 90 minutes before kickoff. Also, please join us for the Monday Night Live chat that will start right when the game does, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Here’s the link to get you into Monday Night Live.

NEW ORLEANS -- The Saints are focused solely on their “Monday Night Football’’ game with the Atlanta Falcons right now. A victory will give them the NFC South title.

But fans and media have been getting ahead of the game and comparing the Saints to the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans’ quarterback Drew Brees to Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There’s also been a fair amount of debate about which of those quarterbacks should win the Most Valuable Player award.

Well, the looking down the road continues. In this Insider post, Chris Sprow goes into great detail about how well Brees has played in the past six games. He says that if Brees continues playing the way he has been, the Saints can beat the Packers, even if it’s in the NFC Championship Game in Lambeau Field.

He then points to several other reasons why the Saints might be better than the Packers, including the New Orleans defense and the continued emergence of Jimmy Graham.

Even if you had Drew Brees' cell phone number, there’s no way you could reach him right now.

You wouldn't even get a ring, you'd hear “This mailbox is full.’’ It’s been that way for weeks now and you can’t really blame the quarterback of the New Orleans Saints.

Contract talks? They can wait until after the season.

Dan Marino? He can wait, too.

“(Marino) actually reached out to me this week and wanted to do something, but I’d really like to just focus on the game,’’ Brees told the New Orleans media Thursday. “I respectfully just kind of said let’s wait here and just kind of let everything fall into place the way it is and then we’ll definitely sit down. I would love to do that.’’

There’s no disrespect toward Marino intended and we will get to how much respect Brees has for Marino’s record of 5,084 passing yards in a season in a minute. You also can bet Brees will be more than willing to resume the contract talks he tabled weeks ago.

Just, not right now!

The way Brees is approaching life these days is pretty much the same way he approaches a drop back. He’s still looking at his first read.

A contract extension that could make him the highest-paid player in history and sitting down with a Hall of Famer are also in the playbook. But they’re down the list of progressions and Brees isn’t ready to check off anytime soon.

It may sound corny or cliché, but Brees is focused entirely on one thing. He wants what he and the Saints got in the 2009 season. He wants a Super Bowl championship.

“Honestly, I’ve tried to just kind of numb my senses to the whole thing right now and just think about winning football games, executing this offense, being prepared as I can be, focusing on the process and just knowing that the result will take care of itself,’’ Brees said.

If you’ve spent much time around Brees, you’d know that what might seem corny and cliché from others is simply Brees being himself. You can’t shake Brees on the field with an 11-man blitz and it’s the same way off the field.

Brees is every bit as aware as the rest of us that he needs only 305 passing yards to break the record Marino set in 1984. He’s also very aware his contract expires the moment the season ends, and he’s smart enough to know he has as much market value as any football player on the planet.

But Brees only wants to talk about one thing. He wants to talk about the “Monday Night Football’’ game with the Atlanta Falcons. If the Saints (11-3) win, they clinch the NFC South title. Brees has been locked on this progression for months.

“We all looked at the calendar prior to the season starting,’’ Brees said. “We all said, 'Hey, Monday night. The day after Christmas. Atlanta. Week 17. That’s going to be a meaningful game obviously within the division.' Then you add on some of the other stuff and it just makes it more meaningful. I guess we can’t make this game any bigger than it already is.’’

Even though that’s precisely what Brees is trying to avoid, you can make Monday night much bigger than he describes it. Brees is on the verge of breaking a record that was set just before he celebrated his fifth birthday.

This is football’s version of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s record or Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire slugging it out. This is history and Brees has been down this road before. In 2008, he spent much of the season on pace to break Marino’s record.

But he finished that season with 5,069 yards, which seemed appropriate at the time because that New Orleans team was mediocre and didn’t make the playoffs. At that point, Brees did sit down with Marino, who took his team to the Super Bowl in his record-setting season.

“We talked about it after the ’08 season,’’ Brees said. “At the time it was kind of just like, ‘OK, we made our run at it and the chances of that happening again are probably really, really slim.'"

Well, it’s happening again. The Saints are winning and, in Brees’ eyes, it won’t be a shame if he breaks the record this time around, as long as some other things happen.

“Is that a significant record?’’ Brees said. “Yeah, I’d say that’s very significant. ... All those are significant records, but the most important thing is winning this game to win the division, to continue our win streak and also stay in line with our goals to continue to progress as we move towards the playoffs here.’’

Critics have said breaking Marino’s record won’t mean a lot. They say the league has changed to make life easier for quarterbacks and much more difficult for defenses. They also point to the fact that New England’s Tom Brady also is on pace to break the record and Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning aren’t far off.

There’s some validity to the argument about the game changing to favor offenses. But you can’t blame Brees for that.

The guy just happened to come along and hook up with coach Sean Payton, an offensive mastermind, who probably could have taken Brees and exploited defenses in any era.

“Having Sean Payton has been everything for me,’’ Brees said. “Having the opportunity here to be with him, to be coached by him and mentored by him. I think he brought out a confidence in me that I didn’t have before. I’ve always been a really confident guy, but I think there were certain things that might not have ever come out unless I was with him. I think that that has showed. Each and every year I feel like I’ve gotten a little bit better and that’s always been my goal, was just to get a little bit better. And statistics don’t always show that. But in my heart, I know that that’s true and he’s a huge part of that.’’

The statistics are showing that Brees is getting better. In his heart, the record and the new contract will mean a lot more if they come in tandem with another championship.

The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints just filed their final injury reports for their “Monday Night Football’’ game.

New Orleans running back Mark Ingram (toe) is doubtful. Don’t expect to see him Monday. The Saints also have Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles and Chris Ivory at running back. They’re better off resting Ingram and making sure he’s fully healthy for the playoffs. Linebackers Jonathan Casillas (knee) and Ramon Humber (knee) also are listed as doubtful. Receiver Lance Moore is questionable with a hamstring injury and was held out of Saturday’s practice.

The Falcons are listing cornerback Kelvin Hayden (toe), receiver Kerry Meier (groin) and linebacker Stephen Nicholas (toe) as doubtful. Cornerback Brent Grimes is questionable as he attempts to come back from knee surgery. But the Falcons seem optimistic Grimes will play. If Grimes plays and Hayden doesn’t, look for Dominique Franks to be used as the third cornerback. If Nicholas doesn’t play, veteran Mike Peterson likely will start in his place.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 16:

Ryan's on fire: The Falcons appear to be getting hot at the right time. In the past six quarters, against the Panthers and Jaguars, Atlanta has outscored opponents 65-14. Quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in those two games. Ryan also is playing for a spot in the record books. He is 42-18 in his career. Joe Flacco, who also entered the league in the 2008 draft, is 42-20. Each already has won more starts in his first four seasons than any quarterback since the Super Bowl era started in1966.

Monday Night Fever: The New Orleans Saints have all sorts of streaks going. They’ve clinched a playoff berth for the third straight season. They’ve won at least 11 games in each of the past three seasons. They’re on a six-game winning streak. That ties them with the Patriots for the longest active winning streak in the NFL. Finally, the Saints have the NFL’s longest active winning streak in “Monday Night Football’’ games. They’ve won six straight and haven’t lost since a 2008 game against Minnesota.

The “other’’ record: Understandably, most of the talk surrounding the Saints has to do with Drew Brees’ pursuit of Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season. But another member of the Saints is chasing history. That’s second-year tight end Jimmy Graham. He’s on pace for 99 catches and 1,338 receiving yards. The NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end is 1,290, set by San Diego’s Kellen Winslow in 1980. Graham also has had at least five catches in six straight games.

Making history: Even in a season that hasn’t been filled with wins, the Carolina Panthers have a chance to make some very positive history. Running back Jonathan Stewart needs to gain just 6 rushing yards to reach 600 for the season. Fellow running back DeAngelo Williams already has 717 yards and quarterback Cam Newton has 609 yards. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last two teams to have three 600-yard rushers in a season were the 2006 Falcons (Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood) and the 1978 Patriots (Sam Cunningham, Horace Ivory and Andy Johnson).

Losing at historic rate: Some unflattering notes on Tampa Bay’s eight-game losing streak. It’s the longest active streak in the NFL and the first time the Bucs have lost eight straight in a season since 1987. If the Bucs lose to the Panthers and make it nine straight, it will set off some more statistical bells. The Bucs haven’t lost nine straight in a single season since starting 0-9 in 1985.

Just so we don’t end up having post offices in Tampa getting filled with mail from every city in Wisconsin, let’s start this off with a clarifier.

I’m not saying the New Orleans Saints will knock off the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. ESPN "Monday Night Football" analyst Jon Gruden, who also lives in Tampa -- although I’m certain he’s in another ZIP code -- isn’t saying the Saints will beat the Packers.

But Gruden said in a recent conference call with the national media that he believes the Saints could beat the Packers.

“I took the Saints earlier this year to go to the Super Bowl,’’ Gruden said “I think if they get an opportunity at full strength, I think they can outscore anybody in the league, including Green Bay. I've seen them do that.’’

I’m sure sirens are now sounding from Sheboygan to Eau Claire and everywhere else in Wisconsin. But I do have to agree with Gruden about the Saints’ ability to outscore anyone. Their offense has been good since Sean Payton and Drew Brees arrived, but it’s better than ever these days. A potential shootout between the Packers and Saints in January could be a lot of fun to watch.

But even Gruden, who comes from a purely offensive background, said a clash between those two teams could come down to more than offense.

“I really think [New Orleans defensive coordinator] Gregg Williams and this defense, if they can find their stride and start to get turnovers, they're a very hard team to play against,’’ Gruden said. “Gregg Williams with the lead, with that offense in his pocket has been able to do that during his career, and I think that's what makes the Saints a doubleedged sword.’’

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 42-20 victory against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Mall of America Field:

What it means: The Saints improved to 11-3, marking their third straight season with at least 11 wins, a franchise record. The Saints held onto their lead in the NFC South and can control their own destiny by winning their next game. More importantly, the Saints also kept pace in the race for the No. 2 seed (San Francisco is 10-3 going into Monday night’s game against Pittsburgh) in the NFC playoffs, and the more chances they have for home playoff games, the better their shot at the Super Bowl will be.

What I liked: A lot of people have said the Saints aren’t a good road team. But for the second week in a row, they’ve gone on the road and come away with a win after some early adversity. Granted, beating the Vikings might not be as impressive as defeating the Titans last week. But once the Saints got past a few early mistakes, they dominated the game.

What I didn’t like: Sean Payton’s decision to go for an onside kick when the Saints had a 14-6 lead in the second quarter. It didn’t work and the Vikings scored a touchdown to close the lead to 14-13. It never got closer than that again, so there’s no real need to dwell on the decision to go with the onside kick. Plus, Payton sometimes has a tendency to out-think himself or be a little too aggressive. Maybe it’s a good thing he got that out of his system now, rather than in a game in which a controversial call could end up haunting him.

Another milestone: Drew Brees threw five touchdown passes. That gives him 37 for the season. His previous career high was 34, which he reached in both 2008 and 2009.

What’s next: The Saints host the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 26 in a "Monday Night Football" game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Let’s go ahead and declare it the “Game of the Year’’ in the NFC South. If the Saints win, they will be the NFC South champion for the second time in three seasons. These teams have developed a great rivalry in recent years and the Saints won in overtime when the teams played in the Georgia Dome earlier in the season. That game involved a controversial decision by Atlanta coach Mike Smith to go for it on fourth-and-inches. The Falcons will be out for revenge, and they look like they’re a better team now than they were earlier in the season. Then again, I think the Saints also have gotten better as the season has gone on.

ATLANTA -- Thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons’ 41-14 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night at the Georgia Dome:

What it means: The Falcons are 9-5 and very much in the playoff picture. They won with ease and might have put forth their most complete game of the season. There were explosive plays in the passing game and from the pass rush and it all came together in a short week. The best news of all might be that the Falcons can build off this performance because they’ll have a few extra days to get ready for their next game, which might be the biggest game of the season (see below). With the big lead, coach Mike Smith began resting some of his starters late in the third quarter. The extra time off might allow the Falcons to get injured cornerbacks Brent Grimes (knee) and Kelvin Hayden (toe) back in the lineup.

Throwback game: Defensive end John Abraham is 33 and, because he came into the game with just five sacks on the season, there was some talk that age was catching up to him. But Abraham showed he’s got something left in the tank. He had 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and was a major reason Jacksonville couldn’t get anything going in the passing game. Abraham had plenty of help. Defensive tackle Corey Peters and defensive end Ray Edwards also were productive in the pass rush.

Milestone time: Atlanta’s Roddy White went over 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth consecutive season, a franchise record. White also became just the eighth receiver in NFL history to have five straight 1,000-yard seasons with at least 80 catches in each season. White started slowly this year, but has come on strong lately. He caught two touchdowns against the Jaguars and now has at least one touchdown catch in each of the past four games.

What I liked: The Falcons were consistently good throughout the game. I don’t think you could say that about their previous 13 games.

What I didn’t like: Rookie punter Matt Bosher was having a good game, until he had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Troubling trend: Running back Michael Turner was held under 100 rushing yards for the fourth consecutive game. Since his arrival in Atlanta in 2008, Turner has had only one other four-game stretch in which he failed to reach 100 yards.

What’s next: The Falcons play the Saints in a "Monday Night Football" game in New Orleans on Dec. 26.

Some viewers in Jacksonville brought complaints to the AFC South blog about some of the television shots used as part of the pregame show and telecast of "Monday Night Football" -- one of the Charlotte skyline and at least one scenic shot of Jacksonville that was outdated.

I reached out to an ESPN spokesperson for explanation.

Here’s what he offered:

“The Charlotte aerial was an inadvertent mistake. It should not have aired. We apologize that it was part of the telecast.

“The scenics of Jacksonville that were used during 'Monday Night Countdown' were shot the night of the previous MNF game there in late October. We did not have a crew shooting scenics Monday. There were no graphic or audio mentions indicating the shot was live, though we understand viewers may have been under this assumption.”

Hope that serves to clear things up. A reminder not to shoot the messenger.

Drew Brees is on pace to break all sorts of passing records. Darren Sproles might be the best free-agent pickup of the year and Jimmy Graham is well on his way to becoming the best tight end in the NFL.

Oh, and let’s not forget a group of receivers (Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem) that’s as deep as any in the league. All of the above are huge reasons why the New Orleans Saints are 7-3 and sitting atop the NFC South.

But if the Saints are 8-3 on Tuesday morning, it won’t necessarily be because of the previously mentioned guys. It will be because of the best thing the Saints have going for them right now.

That’s the offensive line. Yep, seriously. A group that struggled with adversity from training camp right up until the midseason mark suddenly has become one of the team’s biggest strengths. That offensive line will have to be stronger than ever Monday night when the Saints host the New York Giants at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Giants come into New Orleans tied for second in the league with 31 sacks. Jason Pierre-Paul is No. 3 with 9.5 sacks, and Osi Umenyiora is tied for 12th in the league with 7. There’s no doubt the Giants can get after the quarterback, but I’d give the edge to the New Orleans offensive line right now.

This unit has suddenly found itself, and it’s only going to keep getting better.

“The offensive line is the group that has to play with the most continuity,’’ Brees said. “They have five guys that need to be on the same page every play. It’s hard to do, and yet I feel like we have smart, tough guys that do that.”

But it wasn’t always this way. The New Orleans offensive line has been flawless only the last two games. In victories against division rivals Tampa Bay and Atlanta, the Saints haven’t allowed a sack. Note what Brees said about continuity. That’s why I’m saying the New Orleans offensive line will continue to get better.

Coach Sean Payton has a brilliant offensive mind, and his offensive coaches have worked very hard to fix some early problems. The linemen have put in a lot of work after a flaw that could have ruined the season was fully exposed to the rest of the league.

On October 30, the Saints strolled into St. Louis as huge favorites against the Rams, who were winless at the time. The Saints left embarrassed, and Brees was battered like he’d never been battered since joining New Orleans in 2006. He was sacked six times and hit at least an additional 10 times.

It added up to a 31-21 victory by the Rams and a lot of tape for the rest of the league to look at. The season could have spiraled out of control right then, but it hasn’t.

That’s because the Saints limped out of St. Louis knowing something like that could never happen again, and it hasn’t. Brees hasn’t been sacked a single time – or even pressured very much – since that day.

That’s because the Saints finally have figured out who their five best linemen are, and they’ve finally been able to get them all on the field at the same time. It just took about half a season for all the pieces to be on the table.

The Saints came out of the lockout knowing they were going to have to mess a bit with the continuity of the offensive line, which might have been the league’s best during the 2009 Super Bowl season and wasn’t bad last year.

The Saints liked Jonathan Goodwin, but they weren’t going to pay huge money to keep a 32-year-old center. They let him sign with San Francisco. They’d prepared for Goodwin’s eventual departure by drafting Matt Tennant in 2010.

But the Saints looked at Tennant for the first few days of training camp and quickly realized he was nowhere near ready. They quickly went out and signed Olin Kreutz, who was two years older than Goodwin, to a much cheaper deal and hoped he could act as a bridge for a year until Tennant was ready.

The bridge collapsed quickly. Kreutz started three games before being sidelined for two games with a knee injury. Kreutz came back for one game and then decided to walk away from the Saints, saying he no longer had the desire to play. Subsequent reports said Kreutz’s decision might have been made because the Saints were about to bench him – not to go with Tennant, but to throw in the ultimate no-name player.

That was Brian De La Puente, who’d been bouncing around training camps since 2008 but had never appeared in a regular-season game until he started when Kreutz first was injured.

About the same time Kreutz was walking away, right tackle Zach Strief was dealing with a knee injury that sidelined him for five games. Strief didn’t exactly have a great pedigree to begin with. He’d been with the Saints as a backup since 2006 but was thrust into the starting job when the Saints decided to cut aging veteran Jon Stinchcomb in training camp. The Saints initially hoped the Goodwin departure would be the only change and they could squeeze one more season from Stinchcomb. But training camp quickly showed that Stinchcomb was at the end of the road, and the Saints handed the starting job to Strief. He started off pretty well, but then went down with the injury. Charles Brown struggled as Strief's replacement.

But Strief has returned to start the last two games, and de la Puente is getting very comfortable in the middle.

“Certainly the time on task, snaps and experience for a young center and Zach Strief coming off an injury, all those things help,’’ Payton said. “They’ve played very good football here of late. We think it’s a key to us playing good football games. Certainly from a repetition standpoint, the more those guys get to work together, the more they become comfortable with the center, who is going to making a lot of the calls and (identifying) the defense along with Drew, I think that’s very important.’’

It’s important to note that the Saints already had and continue to have the league’s best guard tandem in Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks. Left tackle Jermon Bushrod is never going to be a superstar, but he’s been starting for three seasons now and has become a very dependable player.

The Saints went through some changes and early adversity on their offensive line. But now that Strief and de la Puente have emerged as nice complementary players to Nicks, Evans and Bushrod, things have stabilized.

The Saints might have taken a couple initial steps back when they let Goodwin walk and released Stinchcomb, and they certainly took a hit when Kreutz didn’t work out.

But, all of the sudden, it’s looking like the adjustment period is over. The Saints might have an even stronger offensive line than before.

They’re going to need that against the Giants.

The New England Patriots (6-3) will conclude Week 11 in the AFC East with a game against the Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) on ESPN's "Monday Night Football."

Here are three things to watch for New England:

1. Will the defense continue to improve?

New England's defense made strides in last week's 37-16 victory against the New York Jets. But this often-criticized unit still has a lot to prove. The Patriots remained last in total defense entering Week 11. But New England has the NFL's easiest remaining schedule. Also, playing against Kansas City backup quarterback Tyler Palko should help. Expect New England, which had five sacks last week, to be fearless in pressuring Palko. The Patriots have to feel confident Palko cannot beat them with his arm.

2. What does Romeo Crennel have in store?

Very few coaches know New England's personnel better than Kansas City defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. He was the Patriots' defensive coordinator during their three Super Bowl titles last decade. Crennel's defenses had to practice every day against Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, and many are curious to see what Crennel draws up against his former team. Kansas City playing stellar defense is one of the few ways the Chiefs can pull off the upset.

3. Can the Patriots stay injury-free?

The last time the Patriots played the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008, Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury. This is exactly the type of thing New England needs to avoid Monday night. The Patriots are expected to win this game pretty convincingly. But that doesn't mean it won't be a physical game. The best thing New England can do is jump on Kansas City early, then allow some of the Patriots' key players to rest in the fourth quarter.