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OAKLAND, Calif. — After a slow start to the season, New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram has run the football with authority the past two weeks.

He’s not lacking in confidence, either, as evidenced by his 27-yard scoring run in the opening seconds of the second half of Sunday’s game with the Oakland Raiders.

Ingram, who had 67 rushing yards for the second straight game, bounced a simple off-tackle run outside and headed to the end zone of O.co Coliseum that’s famously known as The Black Hole because of its rowdy occupants.

After drawing a penalty for taunting Raiders safety Matt Giordano as he approached the goal line, Ingram celebrated some more by firing the ball at a sign that reads: “The Black Hole — The Most Notorious Fans in Football.”

As inhabitants of The Black Hole screamed and flashed gestures at him, he jogged back to the sideline after giving the Saints a commanding 28-7 lead of an eventual 38-17 victory.

“I feel good. … The running game’s getting going,” Ingram said after averaging 5.6 yards per carry on a dozen attempts and leading a Saints’ ground game that pounded out 153 yards. “We’re drawing up a lot of different looks for the running game, so it’s just a team effort.

“Getting a few carries to get into a rhythm has been good these past few weeks,” he added.

The Saints certainly realize it.

Read more: Ingram, running game coming on strong | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

dizzle88

The whole running game is producing every week and catching fire at just the right time, glad ingram is improving.
Even when sproles comes back, I think it would be unwise to reduce carries to ingram and ivory, they are in a rhythm and we need to keep feeding them the ball

halloween 65

I hate to say this and will here a lot of things for it, but Spoles is the one that needs to see the field less, our run game has caught fire and Ivory, Ingram and PT are in tune, why change anything, I have nothing at all against Sproles and he should be used but not as much as we were using him. I like the power game and it's working, it don't need to be tweeked or fixed in any way shape or form. Sproles can be used as a decoy or situational back, but don't change anything!!

voodooido

Ivory has pushed Ingram into the running back we all expected. Looks like sproles may be the odd man out next year.

TheOak

Thats not exactly a fair statement. Our offensive game plan changes with out Sproles, and the O-Line is preforming a lot better...

But to make sure I understand you, you want to take the most productive all purpose back in the NFL off of the field?

From back field to 2-3 yards past the line of scrimmage is O-Line, after that its vision, and ability to break tackles... Ingram could barely get past the line of scrimmage.

AGAIN - Sproles has nothing to do with Ingram, PT, or Ivory... His role is being covered by Cadet.

halloween 65

I'm not saying completly, but you have to admit the power game has opened everything up, take that away and we know what happens. The way we're winning and the running backs running the way their running, I would not change a thing!!

TheOak

No. Our "power game" has only come to fruition because our o-line is preventing defenders from tackling our RBs in the back field.

For clarity... Sproles being on the sideline does not effect Ingram running what so ever.

NOW..... If you want to tell me that Vitt being back has allowed Aaron Kromer to focus on the line and get their game play to improve to the level of play they were at last season, I will gladly buy that.

Mardigras9

Maybe Ingram saw his future fading with Ivory running the way he does.

QBREES9

Funny what you can do when your being pushed.

saintfan

Let's keep it real. We HAVE been running better.

This week against the 49ers will tell the tale on just how good it has (or hasn't) become.