Big Homies: Saints Offensive Line in the Trenches

Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater gives credit to his success with what he professes as the "BIG HOMIES", the New Orleans Saints Offensive Line.

The memories exist of those massive and athletic offensive linemen all entrusted with protecting New Orleans Saints quarterbacks over the past 53 years of the organization’s existence.  My memories recall the names of Saints legendary players on the offensive line - Hall of Famer Willie Roaf, Max Unger, Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks, Zach Strief, Jonathan Goodwin, Jermon Bushrod, Ben Grubbs, Jammal Brown, Wayne Gandy, Jon Stinchcomb, Jeff Faine, Brian de la Puente, Stan Brock, Jerry Fontenot, LeCharles Bentley, Kyle Turley, Chris Naeole Steve Korte, Jim Dombrowski, Brad Edelman, Jake Kupp, Conrad Dobler, J. T. Taylor, and Joel Hilgenberg are the names with standout careers in Saints lore.  Many of these players were selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.

Today, the names of Terron Armstead, Ryan Ramczyk, Andrus Peat, Larry Warford, and rookie Erik McCoy are frustrating their defensive opposition in 2019.  Khalil Mack, one of the NFL’s premier defensive-ends, left the Bears-Saints game without a sack.  According to Next Gen Stats, “… offensive line held Khalil Mack to just 1 pressure on 26 pass rush snaps.” Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater in his Instagram post, coined the phrase to describe the Saints O-Line as "BIG HOMIES".   

The Big Homies stand tall, build the wall, wreak havoc, and take pride defending Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill.  These men are better than mere quarterback protectors, they are a “Band of Brothers”.   Brothers warring in the trenches against opposing defensive lines and opening momentary windows of running lanes for Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray to pound the ground at a clip of 4.3 yards per carry.  

View the video below from the NFL Network's Analyst Brian Baldinger.  He believes Saints offensive line is playing the best in the NFL at this point of the season.

Christopher Dabe wrote for SI.com earlier this season on the Saints offensive line:

The Saints have an offensive line that includes two first-round selections in left guard Andrus Peat and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. Second-round drafted rookie Erik McCoy is the expected starting center after delivering the opening snap in three preseason games.  Left tackle Terron Armstead was a third-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft and is about to begin the third season of a five-year contract worth up to $65 million. The only starting offensive lineman the Saints did not select in the draft is right guard Larry Warford, whose four-year contract worth up to $38 million runs through the 2020 season, a needed financial investment.

Offensive Line Coach, Dan Roushar in his third year, is definitely coaching these guys on playing as an dominating unit.  You can sense the confidence Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and Teddy Bridgewater all have with the 2019 offensive line.  It's a confidence which conjures the spirits of those past successful lines entrusted to "serve and protect" Saints quarterbacks. 

Drew Brees has been fortunate over his 14 seasons in New Orleans to have dependable offensive lines, especially playing well at the time of his return from injury.  Teddy Bridgewater can owe a majority of his recent success to these QB Protectors.  The guys he calls the "Big Homies."  Well Done, Big Homies.