Veteran running back Mark Ingram II apologized on social media Tuesday for his role in the New Orleans Saints’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Tom Brady orchestrated a late fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Saints, 17-16.
With the Saints leading by 13, Ingram failed to get a fresh set of downs on second-and-8 with about six minutes left in the game. Andy Dalton threw an incomplete pass intended for Marquez Callaway on a third-and-1 at the Tampa Bay 44, and Brady took care of the rest.
Saints head coach Dennis Allen said after the game that Ingram injured his knee on the previous play, but for Ingram, that was no excuse.
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"I'm sick about this one," he wrote in a tweet Tuesday.
"Regardless of circumstances or how I feel I have to get that fresh set of downs for the squad. I apologize to my teammates, my coaches, and my city for a crucial mistake. We work way too hard and sacrifice blood sweat and tears. I will be better."
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The loss guarantees a losing season for the Saints at 4-9, and Tampa Bay tops the NFC South division while improving to 6-6.
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"It makes it tough because I felt like we had an opportunity really to win this game," Allen told reporters Monday night. "And we didn’t finish, and we didn’t get it done."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.