At the beginning of the season the New York Jets found much of their success due to Chris Ivory. The running back was in the midst of a breakout season for the team as he was one of the leading rushers in the league. However, over the past few weeks Ivory has been quiet, not putting up the big yards he once was. Heading into a critical matchup against the Buffalo Bills with a half-healthy Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ivory needs to pick up the pace once again.
According to Ivory, the Jets need to do a better job of blocking up front. The running back has 58 yards to his name over the past two games before having just 26 yards against the Jaguars as teams have loaded the box and adjusted to the run-heavy offense of the Jets. Ivory is no longer taking teams by surprise and they are adjusting to make him stop moving. Ivory put pressure on the offensive line to improve as the team prepares to face the Bills.
"It starts up front," said Ivory, via ESPN.com. "We have to do a better job up front and just know our assignments. We prepared well this week. Maybe it will show out on the field. I think my play is being noticed."
Another issue for the Ivory and the Jets is the absence of Bilal Powell. The backup running back continues to deal with injuries that are leaving Ivory to handle all of the work. Zac Stacy is simply not enough to keep the rotation fresh and moving. That has caused the Jets' offense to fall off balance. While it may have still been enough to beat the Jaguars, it might not be enough against the improved Bills.
Things might get worse before they get better. The Jets are dealing with injuries to Willie Colon and Nick Mangold leaving their offensive line to rely on depth. Having those two players hampered with injuries is a big hit to the team against a tougher defensive front. It could halt the run game while making Fitzpatrick's day very long.
The Jets are expecting to have a fully healthy receiving group. According to CBSSports.com, Decker participated fully in practice this week after dealing with a knee injury. He and Marshall will be good to go against the Bills while improved play from Kenbrell Thompkins and Jeremy Kerley could really help Fitzpatrick out. The Jets are looking for a revenge win over Rex Ryan and Ivory along with a healthy receiving group will be the keys to making that happen.
