SmashMouth

It must have seemed like Christmas for New York Jets running back Chris Ivory.

Ivory piled up 34 carries for 104 rushing yards two weeks ago in a Jets win over New England. Ivory received a grand total of 40 carries all of last season in a crowded New Orleans Saints backfield alongside Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram and Travaris Cadet.

When told Wednesday he nearly equaled his 2012 carry total in one game this season, Ivory said without hesitation and with a laugh, "Uh yeah. It was probably about that much."

Ivory said he wasn't upset when the Saints traded him to the Jets during Day 2 of last April's NFL draft for a fourth-round pick. New Orleans packaged that pick and its other fourth-rounder and traded them to Miami to move into the third round to select defensive tackle John Jenkins.

"It was an opportunity for me to come here and not be in a crowded backfield," Ivory said. "Now, they're still over there with five running backs. They're still playing just three. It was just crowded. I think he (Sean Payton) knew there were too many backs. No need to just let me sit around. Time was going by. I was happy what he did.

"Now I'm here trying to make great things happen. Taking it slow. ... I didn't ask for a trade. I just felt like for me it was time for other moves.

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