We’re on Day 75 in our countdown to the New Orleans Saints‘ season opener with the Arizona Cardinals, and that means this 75-yard touchdown run by Mark Ingram II is our pick for the Saints Play of the Day. This was the longest run of Ingram’s NFL career, which you can watch for yourself here, and it proved decisive in a much-needed win on the road for the Saints back in 2016.
The Saints had dismissed Rob Ryan midway through the previous system, and by the time they reached 2016’s midpoint Dennis Allen was still working to get the defense shipshape. New Orleans went into this game with a 3-4 record and desperately needed to get back to .500. Just before Ingram took this handoff 75 yards for a score, San Francisco 49ers running back DaJuan Harris had scored from 46 yards himself, outrunning free agent bust Jairus Byrd on his way to the end zone.
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So it was gratifying to see Ingram answer that touchdown with one of his own. He burst into the open field and took off with two 49ers defenders in hot pursuit, but neither of them could put a hand on him. That put the Saints on top again, and New Orleans won the day in a 41-23 blowout. It wouldn’t have happened without Ingram’s 158 yards on the ground.
Ingram ended his career with multiple Saints franchise records to his credit, including the most rushing yards (6,500) and touchdown runs (52) of anyone to ever wear the black and gold. Of course those records didn’t stand too long, with Alvin Kamara hitting his stride at the same time Ingram called it a day, but there’s no hard feelings between them. As Ingram later said, “When you set a record, there’s going to be someone who comes behind you shooting for that. I’m just glad it is my fam, it is my brother.”
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Mark Ingram’s career-long 75-yard TD run is the Saints Play of the Day