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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Chris Ivory is a marked man.
"Defensive coordinators from other teams are watching and seeing how the offensive line gets off their blocks, how aggressive they are, and seeing what I'm able to do after I get into the secondary," he said. "It makes it tough for them where they say, OK, we're going to focus on stopping the run.
"I think they already knew who I was, at least the guys in our division," Ivory said. "To me, they've shown that they know we have a good running game and they know that so far,NFL Jerseys Outlet, these past two weeks, the focus has been on stopping the Jets' run game."
"They feel like when they stop the run, we're one-dimensional."
"Chris is a great running back and he's definitely the jumpstart to our offense," fullback Tommy Bohanon said. "When he's having a good game, we're all having a good game. He's kind of the cog that keeps us running."
Ivory is still well on pace for his first 1,000-yard season — and, finally, earning lots of respect around the league.
So, it makes sense that the offense has struggled a bit the last few weeks as Ivory tries to find the running room that got him off to such a great start.
"He can make something out of nothing, and his will,Wholesale Jerseys, I think, is what shows up," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "So, definitely have a tackling plan for him — a lot of guys to the ball taking good angles."
"I think my play," Ivory said after pausing to choose his words wisely, "is being noticed."
Ivory was asked if, in his third season with the Jets — and first as a true featured back — teams know who he is now. He was buried on the depth chart during his first three years in New Orleans and then shared carries the last two seasons in New York.
He speaks with his play — loud, physical runs that set the tone for the Jets. Stop him, teams surmise, and you can derail New York's offense.
The New York Jets running back knows it. Defensive coordinators around the league sure do, too.
Ivory insisted he doesn't think it's all about him when it comes to opponents drawing up plans to stop the Jets' offense, which ranks seventh in the league in rushing. He talked about the run game as a whole being a threat, and again mentioned how everything starts with the offensive line.
He ranks 11th in the NFL, and second in the AFC, with 518 yards rushing. But in his last two games, losses at New England and Oakland, Ivory has just 58 yards on 32 carries. That's after a combined 312 yards rushing in his two previous games.
Ivory has been consistent in his assessment of what made the running game so effective early on, complimenting wide receivers such as Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker for their presence outside, and his offensive line for opening holes and making the running backs' jobs easier.
"It starts up front," Ivory said. "We have to do a better job up front and know our assignments. We prepared well this week, so maybe it'll show out on the field."
That could potentially open some lanes on the outside, which is how Ivory was battering teams at the start of the season. He said he was able to turn the corner and beat defensive ends, but then linebackers started containing the outside,Wholesale Jerseys Authentic, making him less effective in the past few games.
Ivory is expecting,Cheap Jerseys From China, from what he has seen on film, that the Jaguars will try to load up the box and try to stifle the run game.
"Yeah," Ivory said with a smile after practice Thursday. "But I don't like to say that."
Last week at Oakland, Ivory was held to just 17 yards on 15 carries as the Jets moved away from the run after falling behind early and eventually losing 34-20.
The next test will be Sunday at home against Jacksonville,Cheap Jerseys Store, a defense that ranks 14th against the run.
"I feel like there were a lot of missed assignments," he said of the offensive line, "but coming in this week,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, we corrected those missed assignments." |
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