Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Coming into the NFL as a Heisman trophy winner, Mark Ingram had fairly high expectations. He went late in the first round to the New Orleans Saints, and joined a team that was built around passing. Ingram didn’t join the Saints as a guy who would be a workhorse, he joined a team that had multiple running backs that split time on a pass-heavy offense. Safe to say, he hasn’t exactly gotten a ton of carries in his first two seasons.

It’s too early to tell if Ingram is yet another Heisman bust in the NFL, because we simply haven’t seen a large enough sample size. Over his first two seasons, Ingram has rushed the ball 278 times for 1076 yards, and found the end zone on 10 occasions.

Where Ingram hasn’t fit in with the Saints – the passing game. He’s only caught 17 passes for 75 yards in two seasons. Not exactly what you’d expect from an eligible receiver in New Orleans…

However, I don’t really view that as a bad thing. Ingram is what he is – a running back. He’s a very versatile back, with a good mix of speed and power. He’s an Emmitt Smith-type of running back, that’s just going to get the job done.

I think the Saints need to give Ingram more carries in 2013. It’s time for him to be a bigger part of their offense, because it’s one in desperate need of some balance. Ingram has averaged 10 attempts per game so far in his career, and that number should increase to somewhere between 15 – 20.

Mark Ingram is the best true running back the Saints have, and it’s time they gave him a real chance to show what he can do in the NFL

Read more at New Orleans Saints: Mark Ingram Needs to Emerge

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

agreed he does need more touches but what he and the saints need is too add some power blocking to the running game. It would also help if Ingram was more apart of the passing game. Defenses see him come into the game there is no guessing for them. Its a run.

Was just going to post similar.
Let him get involved in the passing game and get defences on their toes.Teams see Ingram and step up and crowds the line.

If Ingram gets regular carries(200) this year he goes for over 800yards and 8TDs.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

I believe Sean Payton said exactly this in a recent interview.

Ingram is ready.

If Ingram wants more carries he should demonstrate the ability to read and react, not just drive right up someone's ass. He has not demonstrated the patience or vision needed yet.

He runs with 1-10 just like he runs with 3-goal on the 2yard line.


What separates good from great? Watch Ingram run then watch Foster/Peterson run.... Foster and Peterson usually have a hand out, that's either to feel which direction the lineman is trying to drive or to direct the linemen to go.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

I somewhat disagree, Oak. I think that for every one play that is run that allows Ingram to go off tackle and follow his blockers there are three other plays where he is asked to just plow it up the middle between the tackles. We also don't do much zone blocking like the Texans do, & that makes the comparison to Foster unfair. The zone blocking scheme requires him to be patient and make reads where a standard power run game requires more of a battering ram approach. I think it's an entirely unfair comparison between AP, Foster, & Ingram. If Ingram is like Emmitt Smith, then it's like comparing Emmitt Smith's run style to Earl Campbell and Barry Sanders. The comparisons between Smith and Ingram were valid because they were both workhorses and hard runners with slightly above average shiftiness. Ingram, like Smith, is a guy that you must feed and allow to get into a rhythm and wear down a defense. That has yet to be seen, and most of the blame is on the play calling and the transition of the league to being predominantly a passing league. My $.02.

I've heard that "theory" before. Who feeds the ball to a RB averaging 2 YPC? That's nonsense. Furthermore if you have to wear a defense down to gain running yards it's not because of your RB, it's because your o-line can't block them.

Answer this, how do you sustain a 40% run game when the RB is ave 2.3 YPC? You can't wear a defense down by punting.


At the end of most plays Ingram is a licensplate on a linemans ass. He needs to learn how to find holes. Cut back.

Blocking style has little to do with a running back finding a hole.

I've never heard of any team selecting a RB based on the way their O-Line blocks.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Hah! So true.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Emmitt also had the Moose, best FB to ever play the game and only one voted to a PB up to that point. I think Ingram will be fine, he was doing great before he got hurt and came back around when they adjusted the play calling which will continue.

Ingram has some damn good guards. There is no excuse for Ingram but Ingram. Fragile Ivory gets it done behind the same line, with the same FB....

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Jed Collins. Payton uses him all the time as lead blocker (and sometimes uses him with the ball for surprise, the FB has always been one of Payton's favorite surprise toys). Pete Carmichael, evidently, not into him so much. Collins was okay but kind of a non-factor last year.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

No one can argue with what Ivory has done when he's healthy. The kid can be a beast. I agree that Ingram should work on his recognition, but I just don't buy it that he's missing obvious holes left and right. His yards per carry average gets demolished by the fact that he is the only back they use for short yardage situations. Those are situations where they are running plays that are only designed to gain a few yards. Guys like Ivory and PT are given FAR more opportunities with the play calling to bounce runs outside and get up the sideline. The more game tape you watch the more it is painfully obvious that Ingram to often does not get the same chances to "pad his ypc average" that the other backs do. It's to easy to just look at the numbers and declare a victor, but if you delve into the situation a little deeper it becomes obvious that we have yet to utilize 100% of Ingram's abilities. We got close at the end of this past season, and he began to put on a show. There was even a seven game stretch there that he averaged almost 5 ypc. It's pretty odd how he had a much more productive second half in which he received the ball nearly twice as much as the first half of the season.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

I agree with the lisence plate theory.

The guys just cant seem to find the whole, even it lands on his pole *wink*

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

What Ingram needs is to not be surrounded by 3 defenders in the backfield as he gets the handoff.

He is the opposite of a Saints Reggie Bush...... Bush did nothing but dance from right to left hoping a red carpet would roll out for him.

All Ingram needs to do is wait the .5s to see what is developing.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

1. ingram probably would have been more involved if sean was around. 2. We have above average linemen in the passin game, but below avarage in the run... i mean when is the last time we had a 1000 yard rusher? it cant just be the backs

The only reason is we don't have a 1000 yard rusher is how many carries each back gets.The carries are far too split.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Payton stated that Ingram will need to be given several carries in a series to afford him a rhythm to be effective...

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

They need to be less predictable with ingram, dont run him on first down every time and get him involved in the screen game!

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

I was big on Ingram coming out of Alabama(Roll Tide). I've soured on him a bit. He has that taunting mentality and seems to be a bit of a thug.

But mostly, he didn't run with passion until after Sproles broke his hand and Ingram was splitting carries with him. Ivory came out slamming the defenders. He was running hard and looking good. That was the game in my opinion when Ingram felt threatened and came out running like he was posessed.
I don't know if we have to keep Ivory around to bolster Ingrams run game or not. But I am worried about how much heart he has.

I really wanted him to be like Emmitt Smith. Humble and hard working. Payton knows how to motivate players so I'm hoping for big things from Ingram after coach watched him run last year while yelling at the TV.:saintsfan:

Excuses........... excuses......... Could we possibly think of more?

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

I saw mostly reasons, not excuses.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

It did seem that when Ivory came in for plays it changed Ingrams desire. I can't prove that but it sure seemed like it.

I do not see any thug in Ingram. Like Graham, I think that he can get emotional but I'm not seeing thug.

And Emmitt Smith was NOT humble. Hard working maybe, but certainly not humble and he'll tell you that himself. He was just like Irvin. Obnoxious but pretty darn good football players. Many people with football knowledge picked Ingram to be the next Emmitt Smith but many people also pegged Reggie Bush to be the next Gale Sayers.

My thinking is yes, Ingram needs more carries. Work the kid and let him get into a rhythm. And I hope that Payton lights him up at every chance he gets to make sure that he's ready to be the RB that the Saints traded up to get a couple of years ago.

EDIT: I'm waffling now but if MI gets the majority of the carries this season that would mean less chances for PT to be on the field and Thomas is a better all-around back, in my opinion. Perhaps I'd just like to see Ingram wear teams out in the second half of games.

"He doesn't play enough to play well"?
If a prerequisite to more play is not good play, what is? We should just play a player more because......

"Going around blockers is not his style"
I scratch my head in this one.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

You should have quoted those instead of the numerous valid reasons his stats aren't better.

I'm not buying the more carries argument either. I think better blocking and less predictable plays would help him more than anything else.

I don't view those as excuses.

I did quote those. The only items I have addressed here are his not enough runs, and its a blocking scheme reason, from what I recall.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

If I could've liked this comment five or six times I would've.

IMO a large part of Ingram's problems lay in his largely one-dimensional use in the past. First down, Ingram up the middle for 1-3 yards. Never much, but almost always moving forward.

Instead, get him a couple screen passes, a couple of dump-offs (although admittedly Sprolesy is much better in that area) and vary what the defense expects to see from him and I would imagine we see different production. Right now when he comes in the opposing defense stacks the box and he goes nowhere or, more often, they tie up our line and meet Ingram in the backfield. He can't run if there are no holes/space for him to utilize

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Ingram and Ivory would make a great tandam, both could be used to tighten the field to leave the D guessing, honestly I love Sproles but would trade him for picks in a heartbeat. Ingram, Ivory and PT could make for an excellent trio with Cadet in waiting.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Brees needs to look for him in the passing game as well. I noticed SEVERAL times last year Ingram was WIDE open and Brees ALWAYS forced the ball downfield. Being intercepted several times. Yet, he ALWAYS looks to get the ball to Sproles when he's on the field. I personally would prefer a RB squad of Ingram, Ivory, Cadet and a UDFA pickup. Roles would be definded and the ridiculous one play in and out rotation of backs needs to be gone. I love Thomas and Sproles. They would be great on teams that used them properly and they deserve that. As it is, NONE of the Saints RB's are used properly. Ingram has the most upside. Ivory is a beast and playmaker. Cadet may have the best hands on the team and can play special teams. Dump the salaries of Thomas and Sproles, getting some late round picks in the process, and move forward.

Seriously?

You would take on an entire season with Ingram and PT? Ivory is good for no more than 6 games, Cadet is very unproven... Ingram is a consistent 2.6 YPC...... If PT goes down your running game is tanked, and the defense knows who does what because you have no all purpose.

Gonna trade away Sproles of all people for draft picks so we can draft players that "may" start next season "if" they make the team....


No brother... I couldn't do it. That is a definite down grade.


Right now we are restructuring the defense.... You start swapping key players on the offense and you've jumped into full blown rebuilding.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

It's a combination of not playing enough to get a rhythm and also not utilizing him to his fullest potential. Payton has said it himself. I don't understand. If it were a WR that we only threw 5 yard out routes to then everyone would say we need to throw it to him across the middle some or down the field. We'd say no wonder he always gets 4 catches for 20 yards, but since it's a RB some how it's magically different. Color me baffled....

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Where the hell are people getting this 2.6 YPC from???? Are these made up numbers???

From what I saw, his YPC was 3.9 for both seasons. 4.0 is AVERAGE. And is everyone not taking into account that he goes in nearly every single time for short yardage gains where the defense is stacking the box???

Or the 1-2 yard touchdown carries??? Or did you think those don't count against his YPC?? This conversation is getting ridiculous. I agree he isn't an Adrian Peterson, and he could be better, but let's not get carried away.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

if the saints do not address the OL or expand the play calling for ingram just do him a favor and trade him

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

I think Payton is going to use Ingram a lot more this year. In Ingram's first year, Payton said that the only thing from keeping Ingram from being rookie of the year is Payton.

There is a reason that the Saints moved up in the draft to get MI. Sean salivates over offensive toys. We should expect to see more of #22 at the expense of the better all around RB in PT.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

You questioning the man's heart; watch out, the Bama Posse may come looking for you...

(Immediate hysterical laughter)

Motivate him or trade him...

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

People need to realize the order of things...

Drew Brees = Michael Jackson
Pierre Thomas = Tito Jackson
Jimmy Graham / Darren Sproles= Jermaine Jackson


I have no freaking clue what Jackson Mark Ingram is.
Alls I know he isn't Michael...

Did you just equate certain Saints to Jackson's?

Insta mancard revocation.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Ha! Hilarious! Never thought anyone could relate our Saints to the Jackson family. Lmao bro.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

All this BS he needs more carries, seems to me he needs more heart. Say what you want about Ivory being fragile, hurt or whatever, IMO I believe the so called injuries last year had to do with low balling him or he got cross ways with someone. When the man got a chance to play he ran hard and played with heart which is more than I can say for Ingram.

Re: Mark Ingram Needs More Carries
 

Imagine! A running back needs to "Run with the ball" in order to be more productive!! That's like saying a QB needs to throw more to complete more passes and if you win more games your record will also improve!!