The New Orleans Saints are hoping to get their offense back on track after a slow start to the 2014 season. After losing some games and escaping other close calls, the offense is ready to hit the ground running in the coming weeks and that starts Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The Saints will literally be able to hit the ground running as they are expecting to get a fully healthy Mark Ingram back in the mix which should help balance things out for Drew Brees.
Ingram was looking like he could be putting together a career-high season after he started the year with 143 yards and three touchdowns in just two games. Ingram started 2014 as a full-time starter for the first time in his career, but a broken hand took him out after two weeks. Now, the running back is healthy and ready to return to form.
"I'm ready to go full go, 100 percent, full tilt," Ingram said, via The Times-Picayune. "I've been getting all the reps in practice. They haven't babied me or eased me into practice, so I've been doing everything, catching, running, blocking, everything."
Of course head coach Sean Payton would not confirm nor deny the return of Ingram, clearly trying to not to offer up any hints to the Detroit Lions. In his absence, the Saints have been relying on Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas as their running back tandem. That has been working out well. Robinson has the same style as Ingram while Thomas is a change of pace player while working well in the passing game. However, Ingram was averaging 6.0 yards per carry before he got hurt and if he can keep that up he is clearly the better choice.
"He's doing well, and we'll see how we handle that position Sunday," Payton said. "Obviously we value depth at that position. We'll look at his reps and look at the playing going into the game ahead of time."
The Saints need all of the offensive weapons they can get because their biggest one will miss the game against the Lions. Tight end Jimmy Graham continues to remain out of practice due to a shoulder injury. New Orleans expects their No. 1 receiving star to sit out until healthy which puts pressure on players like Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston to step up as well as the run game.
