Analyzing Chris Ivory’s Breakout Performance on Sunday

Nov 3, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Ivory (33) before the game against the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/The Star-Ledger via USA TODAY Sports

Chris Ivory ran like he was mad at the turf on Sunday. Despite the fact that he said it was just another game, he ran like he intended on showing the New Orleans Saints what they were missing when they traded him away. 18 carries for 139 yards and one touchdown is a breakout performance. Chris finally performed the way the entire fan base hoped he would.

Let’s take a look at it in more detail:

SUCCESS ON THE EDGE: Finally, the Jets gave Ivory the chance to get out into space, and he made the defense pay. His greatest success was on the edge, the left or the right side. Chris ran around the left end twice for 41 yards, a 20.5 yards per carry average. Around the right end, Chris ran it three times for 53 yards, a 17.7 yards per carry average. Ivory didn’t run for over 10 yards per carry anywhere else, and only between center and right guard did he average over four yards per carry.

It shows us that if you give Chris the chance to start downhill with a head of steam, you are going to reap the benefits. He isn’t as good between the tackles, but when you get him moving, look out!

He also broke or made six tacklers miss. Get Chris a head of steam and he is elusive.

YARDS AFTER CONTACT: We have talked many times about the yards after the catch in the passing game. That in a “West Coast” offense, yards after the catch make the offense go.

Well, yards after contact in the running game don’t hurt either, and Chris Ivory piled those on against his former team. Of his 139 yards, 100 of them came after contact. Clearly, when Chris gets his feet moving, he is a tough man to bring down. If he can stay healthy, he can be the guy we all hoped he would be, coming down the stretch for the New York Jets.

Let’s hope.