New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram had a strong sense of deja vu following the second game of the season.

Ingram took his glove off in the locker room following the Saints 26-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sept 14. He stared at his swollen thumb.

The thumb had hurt throughout the game after he landed on it after a run, but not to the extent that he couldn't play through it.

But he knew it wasn't good looking at it in the moments following the loss. That meant X-rays, which led to a prognosis of a fractured thumb and surgery.

"They sent me to get an X-ray and that's when we figured out it was broken," he said.

So for the second time in a year, Ingram was glumly facing the prospect of sitting out Week 3.

"Week 2 got me two years in a row!" he said. "I just want to get through Week 2 healthy next year."

Last season, Ingram emerged from the Saints 16-14 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a toe injury. He wasn't able to return for almost two months, missing five games in the process.

The difference this time around was that Ingram seemed to be moving forward instead of backward. Ingram was the subject of much criticism following his eight-carry, 20-yard game against the Buccaneers last year.

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Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

The Lions allow 3.3yds per attempt. Why do you think we're going to win solely by running?

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

I think we're all familiar with "why" you run and "what" it leads to.

So would you like to compare Dallas's O line to ours now? They're not built the same and don't do the same things.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

all hands on deck forgive the pun.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

A good run game is an excellent weapon for any team to have but it is not "the key element to winning games"

The Jets have an excellent running game and they're 1-6.

Of the top 10 running teams in the NFL right now, half don't have winning records.

It's good to be able to run but it's just part of the bigger picture.

2014 NFL Team Rushing Stats - National Football League - ESPN

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

Awesome to hear Ingram's back. It'd be even better if Lorig played this week too. Austin Johnson has played well but Lorig is supposed to be a serious road grader and Tampa's run game has really suffered without him. Maybe Ingram and Lorig can elevate the Saint's run game to an elite level.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

Watching Ingram's status week-to-week this year is like a freakin' video game...he's 50%...uh oh he's 75%, so look out...oh yeah he's 100%. Time to dominate this Tecmo Bowl game.

Real-World: We need this man to run possessed, and something tells me he will.

Block, O-Line & whichever FB we have, BLOCK yo man down.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

the Jets are -9 and we are -8 in turnovers, but keep screaming run the ball :rolleyes:

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

You missed this one...

Of the top 10 running teams in the NFL right now, half don't have winning records.

And of the top 10 passing teams, only 4 have a losing record.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

Regardless of where our O ranks

We are 13th in scoring and dead last in turnover margin, as a team, that is killing us.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

Agreed,

Offensive giveaways - we're tied for 18th

Defensive takeaways - we're Dead F'ing Last in the NFL!!!

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

It wasn't meant to be deceiving it was meant to show that just because you're a good rushing team doesn't necessarily mean you're a winning team.

So we can also look at it the other way around...

The division leaders

Philly is 15th in the NFL in rushing yards per game
Detroit is 29th
Carolina is 28th
Arizona is 30th
New England is 19th
Cincinnati is 12th
Indianapolis is 16th
San Diego is 25th

Not one of those teams is running the ball more than the Saints, none of them are in the top 10 and only 2 of the eight are even in the top half of the league, half of them are in the bottom quarter of the league, yet somehow they're all leading their respective divisions.

The point I'm trying to make is a good running game is a good tool to have but it's not necessary to have a winning team.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

I agree that some teams have the personnel to pass 40 or 50 times per game and make it work. Unfortunately at least right now I don't think we can. I think we need Ingram to run like a pro bowl back if we wanna win a championship. I think he's got it in him and I can't wait to watch this week.

Re: New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram back to 100 percent after thumb injury
 

The Saints are a pass first team. They've got one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game and a coach that loves to pass first. So they will continue to pass the ball a lot.

Fortunately, there's nothing that says that passing and rushing are mutually exclusive.

I don't think the Saints will win a championship if they force either the run game or the pass game. They have to be complimentary.