Mark Ingram insists his march into Saints history was never fueled b

NEW ORLEANS (AP) —y criticism that he was a bust during his underwhelming first few NFL seasons.That doesn’t mean the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner with Alabama Authentic Marshon Lattimore Jersey , and 2011 first-round draft choice by New Orleans, was able to tune out such slights entirely.“I know people wanted me out, calling me a bust, this and that. I heard all that stuff my first few years, but I never really paid attention to the naysayers,” Ingram said Monday after tying Deuce McAlister for the most rushing touchdowns in Saints history with 49.“I always do it for the people who love me, for the people who care about me, for the people who believe in me,” added Ingram, whose father, Mark Sr., was an NFL receiver. “I have a great support system. I have a good mind, good head on my shoulders and I’ve always had that belief in myself that I could be a great player in this league.”Ingram’s record-tying touchdown embodied the determination that carried him beyond the lean early years. He dragged Buccaneers safety Andrew Adams several yards before bowling into the end zone, giving New Orleans a more comfortable 11-point, fourth-quarter lead in its NFC South-clinching, 28-14 comeback victory in Tampa Bay on Sunday.“I was hungry to make the play,” Ingram said, crediting leading receiver Michael Thomas for a key block. “It was a big play in the game, and it was just a lot of emotions in that game having to come back, very gritty. So, very passionate and I was happy to be able to make that play for the team.”Ingram said he also was pleased to join McAllister — whom he admires and considers a mentor — in the record books with a memorable run.“That was a good run to be able to tie Deuce,” Ingram said. “He had such a great career here and set the standard for running backs coming through New Orleans. He’s always been supportive of me and I appreciate him, so just to be able to have a run in that fashion to tie such a great record in this franchise, it’s good.”McAllister retired after the 2008 season Limited Marcus Williams Jersey , but remained in the New Orleans area and close to the Saints, working as a team ambassador and eventually becoming a radio analyst.Ingram said McAllister always has been “encouraging” and “supportive,” describing how McAllister sometimes attends running back video sessions and shares his thoughts. “Or if he sees something in a game, he might send me a message.”“It has just been a good relationship over the years and I appreciate him,” Ingram continued. “I’m thankful for his mentorship and he’s been a good asset to my career.”While Ingram showed promise as a rookie, he missed six games with injuries and was a bit of an afterthought on a record-setting offense that featured quarterback Drew Brees, tight end Jimmy Graham, receiver Marcus Colston, and running backs Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas.Ingram rushed for 602 yards and five TDs in 16 games in 2012, then managed just 386 yards and one TD in 11 games for what was a playoff team in 2013.The overwhelming majority of his pro production has come since 2014, when he rushed for 964 yards and nine TDs in 13 games and was named to his first of two Pro Bowls. He has surpassed 1,000 yards each of the previous two seasons and had a career-high 12 TDs last season, despite splitting carries with Alvin Kamara.A four-game suspension, tied to a positive test for a banned substance, likely will prevent him from hitting 1,000 yards this season — his final campaign under contract. But he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry and has rushed for 519 yards and five TDs in nine games.“He’s run with confidence,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “His health has been outstanding really the last year and a half, two years. I thought the (touchdown) run (Sunday) was impressive and he’s been real consistent. That’s pretty good company when you look at what Deuce accomplished.”Meanwhile, Ingram has established himself as a team-first, locker-room leader, most notably for how he’s gone out of his way to hasten Kamara’s development and celebrate his success, becoming close friends with the young running back in the process.“If I’m bringing younger players along, making them better, teaching them and helping them and encouraging them Alvin Kamara Jersey Salute to Service , it makes the team better, and it makes the competition stronger, which makes me better,” Ingram said.Ingram said if any younger players approach him for help, “I’m going to tell them what I think, what I see, what I would do. And try and encourage them and help them anyway I can just because that’s just like what a good person would do in my eyes. I would never shun somebody just because I feel threatened. I’m going to compete. I’m going to work my butt off. I have confidence in my abilities no matter what.” The NFL trading deadline passed and the New York Giants decided to stand pat despite speculation they would be wheeling and dealing with a second straight season going down the tubes.Linebacker Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Landon Collins will finish the season with the Giants, who are 1-7 for the second straight year and have virtually no chance of making the playoffs in Pat Shurmur's first season as coach.Cornerback Eli Apple and 2016 All-Pro defensive tackle Damon Harrison were the only players traded, and they were shipped the week before the deadline.Heading into their bye week, the question facing Shurmur is where does the team go from here.To be honest, there isn't a lot he can do. This team has only made the playoffs once since winning the Super Bowl in 2012. There is not a lot of depth.The one change fans and the media want is at quarterback. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is as stationary as a quarterback can be and that does not work in the NFL, especially when his offense line is playing poorly. The 37-year-old has been sacked 31 times and this past Sunday he seemed to ducking as soon as the pressure got near him.Many wanted Shurmur to put in rookie Kyle Lauletta to see what the fourth-round pick out of Richmond could do.That's probably not going to happen now.The 22-year-old was arrested Tuesday on motor vehicle and related disorderly persons offenses while driving near a road construction site to practice.Weehawken police said he failed to obey a police officer's order and almost hit the officer while making an illegal turn. He was charged with eluding police, obstructing administration of law and resisting arrest. He was also charged with reckless driving, disregarding an officer's directions, improper turn and failure to remain in a marked lane.He might face a league suspension. The Giants would look foolish replacing Manning for him. Veteran Alex Tanney also isn't the answer."We're trying to do what we can to win this season, and certainly you always do what you can in the short run," Shurmur said before heading into the bye.What the Giants will do is evaluate all facets of their games to find plays that work.There is little they can do with the offense line. It was revamped to start the season and 60 percent has changed. Center Jon Halapio broke a leg and is done for the season. Right tackle Ereck Flowers was cut and free agent right guard Patrick Omameh struggled, was hurt and lost his job. Left tackle Nate Solder, the big free agent signing who has struggled at times, and rookie second-round draft pick Will Hernandez are the only starters remaining.The talent in the skill positions is obvious. Odell Beckham Jr. (61 catches for 785 yards) and Sterling Shepard (40 for 542) are outstanding receivers.Shurmur needs to find a way to get second-year tight end Evan Engram more involved. He was an explosive receiver last season and that has been missing.Saquon Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, has helped the passing game, catching 58 passes for 497 yards and two touchdowns.The biggest need is to get the running game going. Despite getting 519 yards from Barkley Authentic Tommylee Lewis Jersey , the rest of the team has contributed just over 100 yards. It has allowed opposing defenses to play the pass, limiting the offense. The unit has hurt itself with penalties and sacks that have created too many third-and-long plays, and it has settled for too many field goals, averaging 18.5 points."We got good players," said Manning, who wants to remain the starting quarterback. "There's some good football. There are some good plays. There's some big plays, some explosive plays. There's just some bad football as well. So, it's just cleaning up the bad stuff."The positive for the Giants has been James Bettcher's defense. It has given the Giants a chance to win games. Its only drawback is it has not taken the ball away more. New York has seven takeaways."We always said from the beginning, we got all the weapons that we showcase, and we expected to win," Collins said of the season. "So yeah, I'm very surprised by it."Barkley, who lost only five games in his last two seasons at Penn State, said losing in the NFL has been an adjustment for him, as it has been for many of his teammates."It's part of the NFL, it's a part of the sport. It's adversity right now," Barkley said. "When we get this thing going, and we get this thing rolling, we're going to look back at this and laugh, and see how this made us tougher." Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys