Mark Ingram II owned up to his ‘crucial mistake’ in Monday night’s loss to the Buccaneers, having gone out of bounds short of converting a critical first down
It’s easy to point to one moment as the biggest swing in Monday night’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Veteran running back Mark Ingram II went out of bounds a yard short of converted a first down late in regulation, setting up a short-yardage situation the Saints couldn’t convert. They wound up punting the ball away, which opened the door for the Buccaneers to rally back.
Afterwards, Saints head coach Dennis Allen admitted that Ingram injured his knee on the play, which appeared to be the case; team trainers and medical staff huddled around him after his knee gave out near the New Orleans bench. Ingram first injured that knee on the previous possession but Allen and the Saints coaching staff put him back in the game anyway over a healthy Alvin Kamara. It’s just the latest personnel decision they’ve bungled, but Ingram isn’t making any mistakes for himself, saying he felt “sick” about his impact on the game.
“Regardless of circumstances or how I feel I have to get that fresh set of downs for the squad,” Ingram wrote from his official Twitter account. “I apologize to my teammates my coaches and my city for a crucial mistake. We work way too hard and sacrifice blood sweat and tears. I will be better.”
Still, Ingram shouldn’t have been in the game anyway. Pete Carmichael Jr.’s plan for Kamara has been baffling. He was used primarily as a runner between the tackles in this game with Ingram getting looks as a receiver and rusher out on the edge, which is the opposite of how both their skills sets should be deployed. Maybe Carmichael thought the approach would throw off the Buccaneers defense, but he ultimately just looked too clever for his own good.
Now Ingram is on the mend. He’s already missed several games recently with a sprained MCL in his knee, which may be related to this new knee injury. It’s too soon to say. But the Saints have a real problem on their hands in how they’re making decisions about this football team. Coaches with Carmichael and Allen’s extensive pro experience shouldn’t be botching calls like this and putting less-effective, injured players into games over their better, healthier options.
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