Mark Ingram has hit a few rough patches on his way to NFL stardom. He just doesnt look the Heisman Trophy winner he once was in college. The former Alabama standout has certainly showcased flashes of his ability while with the New Orleans Saints, but it looks as if hes on his last straw after stretching the patience of the Who Dat Nation for several years now.
I feel like too much is expected from the young running back, however. Obviously, youre not going to hit the 1,000-yard mark while wearing Black and Gold and I hope all of the fans know that. Thats just not the style of Crescent City football. The Saints have been playing with a three and even four-headed monster at times in the backfield for years now. There is no feature back in New Orleans. There are no 30 carries per game, so maybe fans can ease up on the kid a tad bit.
What can we really expect from a guy who only touches the ball 78 times (2013) all year? Okay, maybe he got off to a slow start, but it is tough to find your pace when your snaps are limited. As last season progressed, Ingram began to find a rhythm a rhythm that came with an increased workload, which assisted the running back in finishing the year off with a solid 4.9 yards per carry average (led the team).
2014 will be a fresh start, and with Darren Sproles now out of the picture, this is Ingrams chance to prove his critics wrong. He is a much better fit in a ground-and-pound system and the emergence of power-back Khiry Robinson may actually force Sean Payton and company to rely on the running game more than ever. Developing a nice one-two punch with Ingram and Robinson while Pierre Thomas takes over third-down duties for short yardage and screen plays sounds beautiful. The opportunity is hard to pass up and it would ease a bit of pressure off Drew Brees without a doubt. Its just an idea, but dont be surprised if we see a heavier ground attack this season.
After New Orleans passed on the opportunity to exercise his fifth-year option, the former Crimson Tide superstar is more determined than ever. The sky is the limit, he told interviewers after Fridays practices at training camp facilities in West Virginia. I want to be the best back to ever freaking play the game of football. Since the Saints decided not to exercise that option, Ingram becomes a free agent after this year rather than the 2015 season, so he better at least play his best game of football.
