WhoDat!656

Chris Ivory has played so well the last two weeks there's almost no way the Saints can go back to shelving him on the inactive list again. If nothing else, he's secured his spot in the rotation as a situational runner for the Saints. But why did it take so long for the Saints to plug him in there, especially when Mark Ingram had performed so poorly, and why are the Saints still reluctant to commit to him? Well, turns out it's pretty simple: ball security.

Ivory has struggled with fumbles in the past, never worse than in preseason and training camp this year. The fact of the matter is, this Saints offense simply can't afford turnovers because they have zero margin for error with as bad as the defense has been. That's why the coaching staff largely feels Ivory is a liability right now. Even in the last two games, you can tell his technique scares them, and it should. Why else would only have seen 7 carries when darted 56 yards for the run of the Saints season? He carries the football far too wide and away from his body when making jukes and cuts. He's fortunate to not have fumbled yet, but you know the more reps he sees that it's coming.

Consider these statistics: Darren Sproles, in 1,098 career touches has fumbled 13 times. That's 1.18% of the time. Mark Ingram, in 206 career touches, has fumbled just once. That's 0.49% of the time. Pierre Thomas, in 851 career touches, has fumbled 4 times. That's 0.47% of the time. Then there's Ivory, who is 236 touches has fumbled 4 times. That's 1.7% of the time. So Ivory has a fumble rate about 3.5 times higher than both Thomas and Ingram.

So when you ask yourself why he hasn't been playing, the answer is pretty simple. The Saints don't trust him to be secure with the football like they trust Ingram, Thomas and Sproles. Ultimately, the benefit you may get in yardage from Ivory over any of those three is in theory negligible enough that it's not worth the extra turnovers. While Ivory is a great back, his lack of playing time has less to do with the Saints coaching staff and more to do with his poor ball security. Fix that problem, as there is no more excuses for not playing him.

Saints Nation: The Only Thing Holding Chris Ivory Back is Ball Security

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

AlaskaSaints

Are you F****** Serious?!

This is the most ridiculous four paragraphs in print. LOL
Let the man carry the ball. He's yard for yard one of the better backs to wear a Saints jersey.

Brees throws interceptions. So what.

And INGRAM? Ingram? In 206 carries, what does he have, 205 yards? Not much threat of a fumble running over the back of a guard now is there?

If it's insensitive to say "retarded", then this waste of written word is well, RETARDED.

Alaska

whodat4life

C'mon! He hasn't fumbled in 2 games. I'll admit I questioned him a lot in his first year with the Saints because he did seem to fumble a lot but now he seems to be holding the ball well. People can talk smack about ingram all they want, but he hasnt fumbled yet to fumble this year and he has really been getting it going these past 2 games.

AlaskaSaints

Did you question that he was our leading rusher?
And Ingram has been getting it going because he has Ivory's cleated foot up his azz.

Alaska

whodat4life

Leading rusher means nothing if you cant hold on to the ball.

AlaskaSaints

That's like saying leading passer means nothing if you throw interceptions.

Ridiculous.

Alaska

whodat4life

I fail to see your comparison, but ok?

Marlboro Man

What fumbles has Ivory committed this season??? I can't remember seeing one. Oh and the "Ivory can't catch" thing is also moot.

MatthewT

Keep running Ivory until he screws up is my take. So far this season, he hasn't screwed up. But seriously, I get the position the Saints have on him. It is very true that a single turnover can and probably will cost the Saints a win. For the most part Ivory isn't that great at protecting the ball, but I think he is getting there. The only way to get better is to keep playing, so lets see.

If Ivory can get past the issues of protecting the ball, and the Saints staff can get confidence in him, he is a legitimate threat to have a 1600 yard plus season. Not this year, but maybe moving on.

westbankdaze

Wow the ivory haters are back! Didn't take that long.

BRING THE TUSK! We have a good chemistry with the Ingram + Ivory combo right now with Ingram getting more carries.