Where does Chris Ivory fit in with the Saints in 2012
 

It's been a while since something positive and fun about the Saints came out of Yahoo Sports in recent history, and Yahoo Sports contributor Mike Patton does the job. He poses an interesting question for the upcoming training camp and 2012 season regarding the roll Chris Ivory may fill this season with the Saints. He discusses the Saints powerful offense, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, and Pierre Thomas. Then Patton begs the question "So where does Ivory fit in?"
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That is a tough question. But a good problem to have

In my opinion... These guys need to all get equal ball time... No work horse.... Mainly so we have them healthy down the stretch, play offs, and Super Bowl.

Ivory is fragile
Ingram has a history of knee issues
Sproles is... well he is just Sproles and we need him healthy for more than just our running game.
PT has proven to be our most flexible back and also needs to stay healthy.

Two minor scopes = history of knee issues?

With so many people running around with anxiety due to this summers issues, I was trying to soften it a little.

That's what we did last year. We had 3 guys with over 500 yards

I like this "problem" we have too. Wish we had it for the 2010 - 11 playoffs.

Can he play DE?! :doh:

On the bench, until needed.

No he can't, and he doesn't need to. We got dat covered.

Guess so... it's not like we were counting on Romeus!

Don't forget, we lose Will Smith for the first 4 games as well... That combined with Romeus gone puts a slight dent in our depth.

Didn't miss Smith last year.

Don't forget; we have a new DC

What's a new DC have to do with 2 less players to sub in and out? And losing Smith a starter for the first 4 is while not a real big deal, it does hurt a little...

That leaves us with Broughton, Galette, Cameron, Mcbride, Walker in the DE spot.

Cameron and maybe Galette are the only two that I see have the possibility of starting, the others seem sketchy at best...

Maybe Wilson, but I doubt he is anything more than a situational DE

I like Ivory, I say keep him and in tight games, run that mule. I love a grind game or a bad weather game every now and then.

This is exactly how our new DC helps. Teams won't know what's coming, Spags will make it work.

Ride the pine, wave the towel, and be ready when his number is called.

I don't have much info on Banyard but what I hear is that he's another powerful runner. Somewhere I read that he's also good at catching the ball out of the backfield.

Read the same thing. Made me wonder if Ivory may be on the bubble.

I have kinda said this before, but I feel like Payton has guys that he trusts, that are "his" guys, and he sticks with them through thick and thin...like Sproles, Pierre, Deuce was one, and of course Brees. Then he has these other guys, particularly running backs, that he just plugs in and throws them at the wall, to see what sticks. That second group of guys, if you are not giving him what he wants, he is really quick to give them the hook, and move on... It's like if you're in his doghouse, you become dead or invisible to him, really quick. And he kinda has attention deficit disorder, not a lot of patience with certain players or pieces of his offense.


And for some reason, I don't know why, I feel like Chris Ivory has never quite made it into that "lock" or "go to guy" category with Sean. My hunch is that I think it had something to do with fumbles, stuff like the fumble in the Falcons game in '10, which was kind of a game-blower. Because everybody fumbles, but to get Pierre Thomas to fumble you pretty much have to knock him flat out unconscious or break his leg (same with Colston). But when Ivory fumbles, they are either at TERRIBLE times in the game, or they're kinda like, avoidable, silly looking, or the ball just freakishly pops out or goes flying from his hand. Maybe that's not all of it,but for some reason I feel like Payton has never been completely sold on Ivory. Which makes me wonder about Banyard as well. And also not having Payton around this year makes it an even greater question mark.

Yea but Payton is not here to make personel decisions. I think this area is where we are going to miss Payton the most.

Hard to beat Ivory's strength and power downhill.
Ivory will get in where he fits in...
1st-and-10, Sproles goes in motion with Ivory alone behind Drew.
None of our guys will get 20+ carries a game unless we have another injury epidemic.
Situation, circimstance, scheme and strategy will dictate our rotation.
If Ivory busts one for 17 yds, there's no reason not to keep feeding the beast.
If Ingram is getting 7's and 12's on a certain team, he should be the man that day.
I love having 4 healthy and capable guys to help take the pressure off Drew.
...and none of these guys are draining the cap dry...yet!
But, Ivory is the odd man out if one of these rookies end up with high up side.
Ivory might be worth a late draft pick, or at least some more depth at defensive end.

Some of you guys are STONED. I swear.

It's laughable.

Alaska