New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) celebrates his touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014. The Saints won 44-23. (AP Photo/Rogelio Solis)
Saints running back Mark Ingram bagged his second career FedEx Ground Player of the Week award on Thursday.
Ingram earned the award after rushing for more carries (24) and yards (172) against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night than he ever had since entering the NFL as one of the Saints’ first-round draft choices in 2011. He also scored a touchdown in the 44-23 pummeling of the Packers during what was the most productive outing by a Saints running back since 2003.
Ingram was nominated for the award alongside Houston running back Arian Foster, who had 20 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans’ 30-16 victory against the Tennessee Titans; and Dallas’ DeMarco Murray, who rushed for 141 yards and added 80 yards receiving for 221 total yards from scrimmage in a defeat against Washington on Monday night. Fans voting at NFL.com/FedEx lodged more votes in favor of Ingram than they did for either Foster or Murray.
Ingram has won the FedEx Ground Player of the Week once previously — after Week 10 last year, when he rushed for what was then a career-best 145 yards as well as a touchdown in a 49-17 rout of the Cowboys.
He leads the Saints in rushing yards this year with 331 and is tied for first on his team in touchdowns scored (four). He’s also No. 1 among NFL running backs who rush the ball at least 6.25 times per game in the yards per carry category (5.7).
After beating the Packers (5-3), the Saints (3-4) had a short week to prepare for a visit to the Carolina Panthers (3-4-1) on Thursday night.