Sunday, October 20, 2013

Ivory had 'hot hand' in Jets' win over Patriots

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Chris Ivory hadn't gotten a ton of work through six weeks this year, thanks partly to an ailing hamstring but mostly to the success of fellow New York Jets tailback Bilal Powell.

Ivory got his Sunday.

The Jets ran the ball 52 times in a 30-27 victory over the New England Patriots, with 34 of those touches going to Ivory. Powell, who had been the Jets' primary back through the first part of the season, carried the ball just three times.

"Ivory had the hot hand and we fed him," Jets coach Rex Ryan said Sunday, via ESPN New York. "We rode Ivory a little more than normal, but it was just a good game."

Ivory tallied just his fourth career 100-yard game and first as a Jet, gaining 104 yards with a long of 17.

The veteran back hinted last week that he was in the market for more carries after an uneventful start to his tenure with the Jets, but he insisted Sunday that the increase in the team's win total was more important than his carry total.

"I don't think this game had any effect on me to where I say, 'This is what I've been looking for,'" Ivory said. "I just want to win."

Rookie quarterback Geno Smith was responsible for six of the Jets' rushes, one of which went for a score. Fullback Tommy Bohanon had six carries of his own, and newly-acquired all-purpose player Josh Cribbs handled the ball three times on offense.

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