1998 Ford Taurus What is this? Should it be bent?

While looking for the cause of my leak on my 1998 Ford Taurus SE stationwagon I saw something and wondered if you could tell me what it is and does? Around what would be the bottom of the radiator is a steel pipe that runs in front of the radiator. It is contected on both sides to other piping and on the pipe itself looks to be something like steel flaps on it. Now mine "looks" to be bent as it is up almost aginst the radiator itself plus some of the flaps are bent. I am guessing this isn't how it's suppose to be?