Mark Ingram Rolls Along

While the clamour of the Baltimore Raven’s 9-2 start to the 2019 season will be reflected upon the trajectory and warranted hype surrounding Lamar Jackson, there is another player in the Ravens offense who is having as good a season and far exceeding expectations in his first season with a new team.

Mark Ingram moved to Baltimore from the New Orleans Saints in part due to the elevation of another running back which meant Ingram was no longer the lead back in the Big Easy. The arrival of Alvin Kamara – his dynamism as a pass catcher out of the backfield as well as his twinkle toes meant Ingram needed a fresh start.

This led Ingram to become the bell cow in Baltimore, a traditional three down back where necessary and becoming an integral part of the Ravens’ offensive schemes. With a dynamic fast quarterback under centre, you may wonder what does Ingram a violent downhill runner offer a high powered offense.

The evidence can be seen in the numbers, as Ingram is enjoying his best season in two years when he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2017, that was a season when the Saints were beaten by the Minnesota Miracle and denied the league’s best offence a Super Bowl berth. Last year, the Saints were again high scoring but the infamous non-pass interference call at home to the Los Angeles Rams again denied the Saints a big game ticket. 

This season Ingram after 10 games before the demolition of the Rams away from home is averaging 13.6 attempts a game, 4.9 yards per attempt and 66.7 yards per game with 8 touchdowns on the ground.  Last year in 12 games played for New Orleans following a four-game suspension to start the season; he had 138 rushes all season, he has 136 so far; for 667 total rushing yards compared to 645 yards last season in 12 games.

Ingram is seemingly reborn as the lead back, the onus is on him to pick up big first down yardage – he has 36 carries to make first down thus far - to make the play calling for Ravens and Lamar easier with less yardage to cover; the option of having Lamar who is able to run himself makes it almost impossible to defend. Like the Chiefs and Mahomes last year they are scoring at will, none more so than the fourth touchdown of the half against the Rams which was in the last two minutes to take a 28-3 lead at half time. The Rams had no answer and no idea whether to defend the run or Lamar who had no incompletions in the first half.

Further, he is getting involved in the passing game, something he is not renowned for. Thus far he has had 19 pass targets for 162 yards – last year he had 170 total receiving yards all season – for 9.5 yards per catch.

Ingram’s importance was never more relevant than in the third quarter when on 1^st and 18 he ploughed through the Rams who despite attempting to box in he and Lamar he found plenty for the first down, leaving three would be tacklers on the turf when he posed for the first down. Albeit, the score was 35-6 at that point but it was emblematic of the Ravens’ dominant rushing display, 285 yards total rushing (off 48 attempts, 5.9 yards per carry) last night against a Rams defence that averaged close to 80 yards rushing all season. That defence was blown out the water and the tone setter was Ingram who had 15 carries for 111 yards and one touchdown, averaging 7.4 yds per carry. 

The point remains while Lamar is going to be the League MVP, it appears his main hype man and fellow Heisman Trophy recipient deserves as much acclaim for the importance of his role.