Mark Ingram, Saints Running Game Hitting Their Stride

This week Marshall Faulk wants to know which Saints coaches are putting in the work that has their units executing at a high level. After the last two performances this past week, this question is easy to answer. It's got to be Bret Ingalls and Dan Roushar, the offensive line and running backs coaches, respectively.

The Saints running game has never looked better under Sean Payton. Mark Ingram has rushed for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns the last two games, including a career performance against the Packers on Sunday. At the midway point of the 2014 season, the Saints already have more rushing first downs than they had all of 2012. And they're on pace to equal their total rushing yardage output of 2011, when they had a record-breaking offense. Even better, the success of the running game has opened up the passing game and allowed the entire offense to operate on all cylinders.

Dan Roushar, who is now in his second season as running backs coach with the Saints after coaching college football his entire career, certainly deserves some credit for the recent success. I'd also give Sean Payton himself props for finally dedicating himself to running the ball and taking advantage of the talent that's always been there. And of course the running game wouldn't be so successful without help from the big boys up front, so the offensive line and their coach Bret Ingalls deserve to be acknowledged as well.

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