Mark Ingram Apologizes For Bad Moment During Saints Collapse Against Buccaneers
It was a moment that started the New Orleans Saints collapse against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night and Mark Ingram knows it.
That's why he is apologizing.
This shows accountability which is commendable. But in the moment the play was a very bad look for Ingram.
Consider the Saints led the Bucs 16-3 with six minutes to play when Andy Dalton threw a swing pass to Ingram. Ingram, seeing open field, headed right for the sideline and ran out of bounds after a 7-yard gain. He was not touched during the play.
It was second-and-8 at the time.
And the problem is Ingram could have easily picked up the extra yard. And a first down. He could have bullied his way for the extra acreage. Or he could have held the football beyond the marker as he was going out of bounds
Anything except run out of bounds short of the markers, which by the way, saved time for the Bucs.
It was a bad look.
Ingram Play Leads To Saints Meltdown
The problem is the Saints then faced a third-and-1 situation and, being a losing team, they did what losing teams do. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael asked quarterback Andy Dalton to throw on third down.
Incomplete.
Then, with that yard still separating his team from slamming the door on the Bucs, coach Dennis Allen punted on fourth down. From the Tampa Bay 44 yard line.
The rest is history.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Linebacker Lavonte David wraps up New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram during the regular season game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tom Brady engineered two touchdown drives in the final 5:21. And the thing is, the winning score came with three seconds left to play.
Had Ingram picked up the extra yard it would have given the Saints a fresh set of downs. That probably would have carved nearly 1:40 more off the clock. It would have made Brady's two-score comeback nearly impossible.
This must be said: Allen told reporters afterward that Ingram knicked his knee on the run out of bounds. He was seen being attended to by trainers on the sideline.
But, again, just a tad more awareness would have helped. It could have allowed Ingram to hold the ball in front of him to easily gain that extra yard.