Saints lose Pro Bowl lineman shortly before facing Chiefs in Week 5

The New Orleans Saints learned some bad news on Tuesday that they would be forced to miss the dependable play of center Erik McCoy in the heart of the offensive line for the next several weeks.

According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the Saints are preparing to be without McCoy for six to eight weeks as he deals with a groin injury.

The Chiefs' next two opponents will be down some significant players.

The blow is a big one up front for a Saints team that started this season hotter than any other NFL franchise. The Saints began 2-0 with an eye-opening 91 points of offense in those first two weeks. While the Philadelphia Eagles brought them back to earth in Week 3, Klint Kubiak's offense is still an exciting unit with so many playmakers at the skill positions.

As for McCoy, he's the bright young centerpiece for the offense up front who made his first Pro Bowl last season at the age of 26. It likely helps to have Jason Kelce retired at this stage, because McCoy might just be the best center in the NFC without him. Now the Saints will have to reconfigure some things for the next two months.

As for McCoy's replacement, starting left guard Lucas Patrick took over for McCoy when injured and he's listed on the team's depth chart as their backup center as well. It seems that the Saints will then figure out how to compensate at guard while keeping a reliable veteran presence in the middle to replace McCoy. Patrick was starting center for the Chicago Bears last year for 15 games, so he is well-suited to handle the shift.

Without McCoy, the Chiefs will certainly enjoy an easier time trying to disrupt what Kubiak and Co. want to do offensively from the interior. Turk Wharton has enjoyed a breakout season, and together with Chris Jones, it will be interesting to see how they try to take advantage.

The Saints are on the road for the next two weeks. They'll travel to Atlanta for an NFC South matchup in Week 4 before pulling into Arrowhead Stadium in Week 5 for a Monday Night Football showdown.