By Leslie Williams, The Times-Picayune

November 13, 2009, 1:53PM

If the latest New Orleans Saints accolade shared Thursday afternoon on ESPN radio’s Scott Van Pelt show had been a musing of one of the dozens of muddled talking heads in the sports world, it would have been just another gentle ripple through Who Dat Nation.

But it was Madden speaking about New Oreans’ 8-and-O team, as in John, a tsunami in the National Football League, a former offensive and defensive player in college, a stellar head coach with the Oakland Raiders, a revered NFL color commentator — and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After Van Pelt and Madden began a conversation about the “most valuable protectors award,” Madden declared: “If we had this contest right now at the half-way point (of the season), and you would say who is the best offensive line in football so far, to me, it’s the New Orleans Saints.”

Drew Brees’ protectors — Jermon Bushrod, Jonathan Goodwin, Jahri Evans, Jamar Nesbit and Jon Stinchcomb — take note.

Listen to the entire interview. It begins 23 minutes into a 33-minute segment  also featuring the coach of Villanova and Van Pelt’s notions about the Dallas Cowboys.

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