The Redskins' defense will key in on running back Chris Ivory -- one of the toughest players in the league -- during Sunday's Week 6 matchup with the Jets.
A player that is believed to have just about everything – quickness, agility, power, good ball security – the Washington Redskins know that the key to the Jets' offense is running back Chris Ivory.
Through his first three games this season (he missed their Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles with groin and quad injuries), Ivory has tallied 63 carries for 314 yards and three touchdowns.
His five yards per carry is also the fourth highest average among running backs with at least 60 carries.
Nose tackle Terrance Knighton, who ranks among the most notorious run stoppers in the NFL, understands that it's going to be a challenge trying to stop Ivory Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
"Last week against Atlanta they ran a lot of outside zones, it was hard getting to them being on the inside," Knighton said. "A team like this that takes pride in the inside guys they have with Mangold at center and two big guards a power back they are going to challenge guys like me, Bake [Chris Baker], and [Jason] Hatcher on the inside."
It wouldn't be a highlight bout without a little pride involved.
"Me personally, I'm looking forward to the matchup," Knighton said. "Everybody's talking about Ivory's running, I'm looking forward to it."
This will be the second time Ivory is coming off a two-week layover between games played, as the Jets enjoyed their Bye Week during last week's play.
Against the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 3 in London, Ivory carried the ball 29 times for 166 yards and a touchdown.
"I think he's a really good back," Hatcher said. "He's got a good O-line running in front of him and he runs violent. If we can just keep him at the line of scrimmage and not let him get to the secondary, because if he gets to our secondary he is punishing and dropping his hat. So hopefully we can keep him off our secondary and at the line of scrimmage and I think we will be okay. He is a very good back."
It's difficult to gameplan for a running back that's so big and physical, especially without any tackling being involved during weekly practices.
So the Redskins decided to call upon a familiar face to help the defense ready for such a powerful player: fullback Darrel Young, who played the role of Ivory in practice this week.
Young, of course, can create problems for interior defensive linemen.
"At least when we're making contact in practice, we wanted to get the force of a bigger body there, so that's why and DY did give us a good look at that," said Redskins defensive coordinator Joe Barry. "[No.] 33 [Ivory] is a very physical, hard runner. He's had that ever since he was in New Orleans. I think he's if not the leader, one of the tops in the league as far as yards after first contact. He's always been that style of back. He's a big, physical, downhill runner."
Barry added that "most of the time when you play against a big back we talk about a tackling plan."
"As a tackler, you've got to have a tackling plan," Barry said. "You can't just go at this guy and tackle him like a normal running back. So, you've got to have a plan against a big, physical back which [No.] 33 is definitely that. He runs hard."
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