Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

The story in training camp for Chris Ivory has been his continuous problems with securing the football. Every day in practice Chris Ivory seems to put the ball on the turf and you have to wonder if this issue is big enough that the Saints may not trust him given the emergence of Travaris Cadet. I was curious how Chris Ivory stacked up against the other runners on the Saints in terms of fumble rate - so I came up with the following. Below is the fumble rate per touch of the top four Saints backs for their careers:

Pierre Thomas 0.58%
Darren Sproles 0.65%
Mark Ingram 0.75%
Chris Ivory 1.84%

Now granted, Ingram and Ivory's sample size is incredibly small. In Ivory's defense, after fumbling at a high rate his rookie season he did not fumble one time last year with 79 carries. Based on the number of career touches Thomas and Sproles have had, their low fumble rate is frankly astonishing. Those guys know how to take care of the football and have some of the lowest rates in NFL history. Kudos to both of those guys for setting the Saints' standard on fumble rates almost unrealistically low. Compared to his teammates Ivory is much worse at holding on to the football, but let's see how he compares to the greatest.

I then ran the fumble rate of Tiki Barber's career, known by most as one of the worst backs securing the football of all time. Granted the sample size is much much larger than Ivory, but his fumble rate for his career was 1.89%. That number is incredibly close to Ivory's fumble rate so far, which means two seasons into the NFL he's on par with the one back most known for having fumble problems. That said, Barber's rate was much higher before his last few seasons when he seemed to correct the problem and lower his career rate. Barry Sanders, who many consider the all time best, had a career fumble rate of 1.4%. Walter Payton's rate was even worse than Tiki at 1.99%. Jim Brown's fumble rate was 2.2%. So some of the all time best have had a high fumble rate too, but teams would tolerate it based on the upside. In two seasons Ivory has averaged 5.0 yards per carry, higher than Barber (4.7) and Walter Payton (4.4), even with Barry Sanders (5.0) and just behind Jim Brown (5.2). I tend to think the Saints can't let that kind of talent go, especially when he's only making ~500k, regarless of his ball security issues.

Still, Ivory's tenure with the Saints is in jeopardy due to his fumbling problems in practice, and a couple mistakes in a game situation in preseason coupled with Cadet continuing to perform well could do him in. Chris Ivory could do himself a lot of favors by fixing this glaring weakness in his game.


Saints Nation

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

This is great knowledge... Great work brother... Curious... Can you tell us what Deuce McAllister, George Rogers, Ricky Williams & LeGarette Blount's rates are?

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Something else... I think Ivory sticks... Just my feeling. Ingram goes down for any reason, I feel like Ivory is the closest in running style. I could be wrong. I'ved lived in OKC for a while now and don't get to see as many games.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

In the game is what counts..... Ivory has fumbled in practice but Cadet is the only back that has fumbled in a preseason game.


Its a wash.... Still

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Has Ivory's running picked up? I was thinking his lack of production itself might see him going somewhere else.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Not my work; saw it on another site.

Just didn't post link

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I'm thinking Cadets impressive play combined with his versatility may have more of an impact on Ivory's roster spot than Ivory's fumbles do.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I don't know, man I just love Ivory's style.. is that enough? I will just let the powers at hand decide that. I'll just bash them at the water cooler for it. ( that's the beauty of being a fan huh )

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

IMO Cadet is coming on strong to where he may cause Ivory to go elsewhere, I cant see the Saints getting rid of Cadet whatsoever.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

One thing is for certain, Cadet won't make it to the Saints practice squad!

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I don't think it helps his case any, thats for sure. I don't think he will be released based solely on his fumbling problems though as that can be corrected. What can't be corrected is his history of injuries, inability to play special teams, and the fact that he is one dimensional.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

if you ask me, Ivory has not been a great runner in finding the seam or open space to run like........pretty much every other RB on our roster. Least that is how it has been this preseason.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

And that is exactly what is happening...

Cadet is winning the job more so than Ivory is losing it...

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

No silly question, Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I dont get it.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

He can fumble all he wants, in practice. Practice is the place he is suppose to make those mistakes. As long as he does not do it in a game it is fine by me. Let him get it out of his system, in practice.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

It's not his fumbling issues, the problem seems to be his being one dimensional. That and he can't pick up blitz assignments......oh, and he doesn't catch out of the backfield. Let's not even talk about his health concerns.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

It wont be fumbling but the fact we have a decent replacement in Cadet and the fact that Ivory is soooooo injury prone.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Truth is the only two players we have who are not prone to injury are Drew Brees...





AND...





Drumroll please...






Scott Shanle! :smile:

Alaska

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I still like Chris Ivory, if only for his attitude!

The guy never gives up and when he gets it right, man he get it right!

Blood and guts football! He always seems to give 100%.

Its a pleasure to watch!

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Ill add Morstead

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Agreed, he is the only "imma run ya a$$ over" RB on the roster right now.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

PT definitely disagrees with you.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Don't be surprised if Cadet doesn't turn out to be one of the best RB the Saints have. May be saying bye bye to Ivory

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Welcome to Black & Gold Joker. We can guess how you'd vote in our weekly poll: Cadet vs. Ivory :bng:

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

PT has always seemed like a 'pinball' of an RB- maintains momentum after contact through spin moves and agility, but he has never struck me as a pure power RB, ala Ivory. Tusk has one direction he's gonna run and god help whoever is in the way. That being said, it's hard to watch Cadet and not like what you see. We have some cold weather football to play this season- does Ivory stay simply because we need a bruiser to keep Drew from having to air it out in the frozen north?

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I think we'll shuffle and see both on the roster this season.
Although of the two backs, I think Ivory has been less north/south and looked a little confused and stutter-stepping in the preseason games I've watched him.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Ingram is supposed to be that guy.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Cadet will win this job , Ivory has been good , but not great. For what our offense does Cadet is better , when Ivory goes in the game , its a run , EEEEVERYONE KNOWS IT . (San Francisco knew it ), Cadet in the backfield can be a running threat or a passing threat , I call him Ingram Sproles ...

Let the defense get tied up with Keeping Colston out of the Endzone , Jimmy off of the Goal Post , Moore from Dancing , Henderson from getting behind the coverage , they'll be in no position to defend a back out. I'm with it.

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

Just got to trust the coaches on this one, sure would help if Sean was around to add his imput

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

And no matter how 'multi-faceted' or 'explosive' the offense may be, having a guy to do that for the third and fourth quarters when we have the lead is essential. Smash mouth, bowling ball, "3 yards and a cloud of dust" SEC-style running closes out games, runs clock, and forces the opponent to take offensive risks, which if we're clinging to a lead in GB or NY may be the facet that our offense requires. I know Eli is 'clutch' (Or is simply a lucky mfer; I know, neither here nor there) but the percentages go way down the more he throws that long ball at the end of games.

In short I hate Ivory's "glass-like" injury history, but what he brings to the table is kinda unique on our squad, no matter how versatile Cadet is.

That being said I voted for Cadet (he's got those 'in-tangerines,' or what-have-you) anyway cause if we found one bruiser as an UDFA, what with our track record, something tells me we can find another

Re: Could Chris Ivory's Fumbling Cost Him a Roster Spot?
 

I'm not sure that applies to today's NFL anymore, and certainly not to our team.

Drew having 5 lethal options on every play trumps that 3yards of dust mentality of the 70's. Not to mention we don't have the power-run offensive line to play smashmouth.

With our current offense, I'll take Pierre Thomas or Mark Ingram to close out a game over a one-dimensional power back.