The first Kansas City player who tried to tackle Mark Ingram II almost always failed.
Sometimes, Ingram broke two or three tackles, running with a determination that made him Baltimore's best offensive player during a 33-28 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ingram finished with 103 yards on 16 carries, while scoring three touchdowns. It's just the second time in his nine-year career that he's scored three rushing touchdowns in a game.
He also caught four passes for 32 yards, showing the versatility the Ravens saw when they signed him during free agency this offseason.
Had the Ravens won, Ingram could have celebrated. However, his performance was a great sign for the Ravens' running attack moving forward.
"We've got a whole bunch of guys on this team who don't quit," Ingram said, giving praise to Baltimore's offensive line. "I wouldn't rather run behind anyone else. They created some seams for us to run through. They dominated all game long. That's testament to those guys."
On Ingram's first touchdown, strong blocking opened a hole for Ingram, giving him the alley for a 2-yard touchdown run on which he went in standing up.
On his third touchdown, Ingram slashed to his right through a hole and made a nice stiff-arm against Chiefs defensive back Juan Thornhill to reach the end zone. Ingram's great vision allows him to find holes quickly, and his physicality makes him difficult for defenders to tackle. Ingram was exuberant after the score, playfully shadow boxing with a Chiefs logo painted on the wall.
"Just tying to make a play to help my team, that's all," Ingram said. "Sometimes everything won't be blocked perfect. You got to find a way to fight and get yards, make plays for the team."
Perhaps Ingram's most impressive run came in the third quarter on third-and-5 he simply would not be denied, breaking tackles and moving the pile to make a first down to keep a scoring drive alive. Through three games, Ingram is Baltimore's leading rusher (257 yards), averaging 6.0 yards per carry with five touchdowns.
But his focus is on helping the Ravens win. The defeat in Kansas City didn't change Ingram's opinion that Baltimore could have a special season.
"We feel like we can be the best team in this league," Ingram said. "We just have to make more plays, not give up plays. I think we're going to respond the right way from this."
