Saints place Mark Ingram on season-ending IR

The New Orleans Saints have placed starting running back Mark Ingram on injured reserve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Ingram, who has been listed on the Saints’ injury report since Week 12 with a left shoulder injury, underwent further tests on Wednesday and has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2015 season.

On Thursday, the Saints announced that Ingram would undergo surgery on a torn rotator cuff.

The Saints are in the midst of a four-game slump, and losing Ingram is a blow for an offense that has been inconsistent throughout the season. Ingram has been one of their top performers with 769 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground this season. Ingram has been a factor in the passing game, as well. Drew Brees has connected with Ingram for 405 receiving yards on 50 catches.

Ingram’s first touchdown in four weeks came in Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers. The score gave the Saints a temporary 38-34 lead over their undefeated division rival, and Ingram was understandably excited.

New Orleans’ rushing game ranks 25th in the league with an average of 94.4 yards per game. The Saints will look to C.J. Spiller and Tim Hightower to perform in place of Ingram. In 11 games this year, Spiller has run for 108 yards on 31 carries. Hightower, whose first NFL snaps after a 2011 ACL tear and a subsequent infection came in the Saints’ Week 10 loss to Washington, has 48 yards on 12 carries so far this season.

At 4-8, the Saints have not been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but a loss on the road to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 will effectively put an end to their postseason aspirations. The Buccaneers have the seventh-best run defense in the NFL, allowing just 94.7 yards per game and five rushing touchdowns all season.