Saints WR Henderson hitting his stride

METAIRIE, La. ? In a season in which the Saints' run game is as good as it has been in years, it might be seem a bit odd to point out a receiver as a major reason that change has occurred instead of the offensive line.

But talk with any offensive player on the team and they all point out Devery Henderson, calling him one of the biggest reasons New Orleans is a top five run team in the NFL.

"I've seen him make some really good blocks and some really key blocks," running back Reggie Bush said. "Even if it doesn't spring us loose, it's still a mentality and it still puts that fear in the secondary's minds that they're not just going to run up and get free hits on the running backs."

"I think he takes on a pretty aggressive mentality and takes pride in getting down there and shadowing a guy, getting in front of him, helping our running backs be able to get to that second level and turn a 10-yard gain into a 25-yard gain," quarterback Drew Brees said.

Indeed, in Henderson's fifth season with the Saints, he's finally breaking out into the all-around receiver they hoped he would be when they drafted him with the 50th selection in the 2004 draft.

While it's his downfield threat that separates him - "He scares the lights out of guys when they see him on film," receivers coach Curtis Johnson said, - it's his blocking that makes him smile the most.

When told the running backs singled him out when talking about the improved run game, Henderson just smiled and humbly asked if they "really said that."

It's what he takes pride in the most right now.

"I do," Henderson said. "Starting off, I made a couple of good blocks early on and just kept it going and noticed the significance of them. I just take pride in being that type of receiver.

"I worked my butt off to get those blocks and now they put me in position now to make those types of blocks. As a man, you know you've got to man up and do them."

Things haven't always gone so well for Lafayette native. He was battered by fans for continually dropping passes. He had trouble gaining the confidence of the coaching staff. And he didn't necessarily take things as seriously as he should have.

But Johnson says he sees the 5-foot-11, 200-pound receiver as more mature player now. In fact, Johnson said the 27-year-old is watching film now and understands the offense and his role in it.

"His maturity about attacking what we're doing, the maturity about the play book, the maturity about getting to meetings and getting something out of all the meetings - along with all that, he has had success," Johnson said.

The growth has come in Henderson's head, he said. Instead of focusing on the negatives, he said he's now keeping a "level head" and moving on to the next play.

"It was a problem at times," he said. "You make a bad play or miss a block or any little thing and it'll carry on if you let it. I learned to forget about it and move on to the next play."

Nevertheless, it's his speed and long-ball threat that put Henderson at a different level.

Two of the past three seasons for Henderson put him in the top six all-time in highest receiving average since 1950. In 2008, he averaged 24.8 yards per catch while in 2006, he ended with a 23.3 average.

He led the Saints in the season-opener with five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, the score coming on a 58-yard reception. A week later, he caught three passes for 71 yards, coming up with a key 38-yard catch on a third down.

Henderson is second on the team this season with 241 yards. Nearly half his yards have come on third down, where he is tied for 28th in the NFL with seven catches for 107 yards.

He's confident now.

"You just go out there and have fun," Henderson said. "That's the main part. I'm going out there and I know what I'm doing. I've done it over and over again so why shouldn't I be able to do it.

"Just have confidence and know that when the ball is coming my way, I'm going to catch it."

And he's getting noticed from those who count the most. Namely, Brees.

"He's really becoming more of a complete route-runner, ball-catcher, deep threat - all those things - a good blocker in the run game," Brees said. "I'd say he's as good a player now as he has ever been."