Reggie Bush Is Saints' X Factor, Say ESPN's Mel Kiper, Coach Mike Ditka

Reggie Bush is all glitz and glamour, loves the spotlight, and was born for show time.

So it should comes as no surprise as WWL Radio 's Bobby Hebert pointed out Wednesday night that Bush appears to be holding nothing back in his quest for a Super Bowl ring.

No longer running out of bounds to avoid a linebacker's smackdown—to the contrary, Bush appears to have discarded the notion of saving himself as he ran over Arizona Cardinals players on two occasions last Saturday night.

Since entering the league in 2006, Bush has always been viewed as finesse over physical. More symphony; less rock 'n' roll. In Saturday's thrashing of the Cardinals, Bush, perhaps for the first time in his New Orleans Saints career, combined physicality with flash and dash, accounting for 217 total yards and two touchdowns.

He was the difference maker for the first time in quite a while. The guy Saints fans haven't seen since his rookie year when he played an integral role in leading New Orleans to the NFC Championship Game.

Interesting to note, Bush had Minnesota's number last year with two punt returns for TDs—almost a third but the turf monster got him on that one.

This week some national media notables view him as the Saints "X" factor in Sunday's matchup with the Vikings at the Superdome.

ESPN NFL analyst Mel Kiper doesn't buy into what the Bush-bashers are promoting.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning Kiper said:

(Bush is) the most overly-criticized player we've seen in a while in the NFL. I don't get it. When he's hurt what can he do? When he's out there and he's healthy, he's a dynamic player. People forget his first year, he carried this team to an NFC championship game. He's poised now to maybe have this team in a Super Bowl.

Bush has the ability to break a game wide-open as he did last week because of his unparalled versatility.

If you put No. 85 on this guy, he could be a great slot receiver or wide receiver. He could have been No. 85 in that game Sunday. He's that good a player in that regard. He's certainly worthy of the money, certainly worthy of being the pick that he was. 

Kiper scoffs at those that say the Saints would have been better served by drafting Houston Texans DE Mario Williams in 2006. Williams was selected as the overall No. 1 pick of that draft as Bush fell in the Saints' lap.

Says Kiper, "Hey, I like Mario Williams but how many playoff games has he been to?" Don't criticize Reggie Bush and act like they would be better off with Mario Williams. New Orleans is in great shape because of Reggie Bush this year. He's everything they (the Saints) thought he would be."

"He's the best decoy I've seen in a long time. When he goes around, two guys follow him, three guys follow him. Reggie Bush has great value, especially the way the game is played right now. This kid is a heck of a talent. Enjoy watching a kid like this and he's a guy that been very Val-U-ABLE to the New Orleans Saints," stretching the word for emphasis.

Former Denver great and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth admits he has never been big a fan of Bush because of what he perceives is his tendency to rely on athleticism over toughness but he says Bush's performance against the Arizona Cardinals is making him a believer.

That's the thing that was different for me. I watched him last week (against the Cardinals) and it's like, finally, that's the guy I thought he could become out of college. His first two touches of the ball, he ran people over. Now all of a sudden as a defender you're like 'this guy is powerful enough to run me over but he has also got the ability to juke me and leave me looking like a fool.'

When I saw him run two guys over on his first two touchdowns, I said that's what we have all been waiting for. I'm sure that's what the Saints are looking at going 'we knew you could be that guy.' And as long as he does that, he's going to be an effective player in this league because he becomes that double threat. 

Mike Ditka adds, "Right now I don't see how your going to shut down the New Orleans offense. I really don't. Take a guy like Reggie Bush who really had been kind of quiet. It's a mismatch from hell because how are you going to matchup. How are you going to matchup?"

Bush himself says all he needed was an opportunity:

"Every game. Every week. I'm just waiting for my number to be called and we have so many talented guys on this team that we can spread the ball around. But I think Coach (Sean) Payton saw an opportunity to get the ball in my hands this game and allow me to do what I do."