What’s shocking about this column is Schein’s picture. I’ve been listening to him on the NFL Network via Sirius and pictured a 285-pound former linebacker. Not a skinny music man from  Jersey…

Look who’s back, just in time for a playoff push to start the second half.

Ladies and gentlemen, re-introducing your 2007 New Orleans Saints.Write it down — AGAIN — the Saints are headed to the playoffs.

Buried by some, but not here, after an unfathomable 0-4 start, New Orleans has won four straight and tore apart the vaunted Jaguars defense 41-24 this past weekend.

According to receiver David Patten, it was more than just one single “W.”

Patten said Monday, “I really cannot truly express what winning this game, in the fashion that we won it, what this does for us. This is a great opponent. We not only get back to .500, we beat a quality opponent, a great defense. This is exactly what this team needed.”

And the Saints are doing what they did during their incredible ride in 2006; they are winning with the passing attack.

First, we need to give a lot of credit to the offensive line. Drew Brees’ bodyguards were so good last year, then so strangely out of whack to start the season. They have evened out their play, starting with the Seattle game, and it has made a huge difference. There is no reason to believe they will regress.

And that has allowed Brees to play like the MVP we thought he was going to be in the preseason.

He put on another clinic, showing a quick release, supreme confidence and pinpoint accuracy against the Jags. Distributing the ball brilliantly, he finished with 445 passing yards. For the second week in a row, Brees hit nine different receivers. You can’t stop that if you are an opposing defense.

Patten offered high praise for Brees.

“I’ve seen him do some drills that I haven’t seen any quarterback do, including Tom Brady when we played together in New England. He is s meticulous in the way he goes about his business and preparing himself. I truly believe it is his confidence combined with his work ethic that makes Drew so great. It doesn’t matter if we win by 21 or lose by 21, he’s the same guy working the same way, acting the same way in front of the guys.”

Patten totaled 81 receiving yards and a touchdown vs. Jacksonville. The veteran has been incredibly instrumental during the turnaround. When we talked to Brees last week, he told us that Marques Colston has regained his confidence. It showed this week; Colston had 10 catches for 159 yards. Reggie Bush is thriving as both a runner and receiver. Lance Moore, Devery Henderson and Eric Johnson have made key contributions.

There is no reason to believe New Orleans will slow down.

Yes, the defense can still be beefed up a bit. So can the special teams (how does Olindo Mare hold a job?)

While it is so dangerous to dive into a schedule in the NFL, the Saints have a great chance to make it seven straight. They have a home game against St. Louis, followed by games at Houston and division rival Carolina, which handed New Orleans one of its early-season ugly losses. A rematch with the Bucs looms large the first weekend in December.

But as Brees, Bush, Patten and Scott Fujita have all told me over the last two weeks, the key to the club morphing into a winner was everyone staying together. There was no finger-pointing, no second-guessing and no back-stabbing.

An energetic Patten told us, “It is so fun playing for Coach Payton. He is so filled with confidence and knowledge. And he has no fear. He kicks on-sides kicks. He lets Drew be Drew. We feed off of that.”

And the Saints will keep feeding until January.