Chris Ivory Still Limited and Falcons' Defense Plans to Plug Hole
The New Orleans running back Chris Ivory was "limited" again in practice on Friday, but who really knows the condition of his hamstring and just how effective he will be Monday night against the Falcons.
"I'm just going to take it day by day," Ivory told the New Orleans Times-Picayune after Friday's practice. Ivory told the paper he felt better in practice than the day before.
Ivory, the Saints leading rusher, has become their breakaway threat and that is significant against an Atlanta defense that has given up some big plays in the running game in recent weeks.
The Falcons talk about their "fits" in the run game with different players assigned to different gaps. There have been some misfits in some recent games, some of that presumably having to do with the injuries to linebackers Curtis Lofton and Sean Weatherspoon.
Mike Peterson, the veteran Atlanta linebacker, said opponents have schemed to take advantage of the consistent look of the Falcons' defense. The Atlanta run defense, which had climbed as high as sixth in the NFL, has slid to No. 12.
"The other team, they watch tape, too," Peterson said. "We had been running a defense the same way, same way, same way. Sometimes when you get into games you make adjustments.
"When you're doing so many things well, there's got to be something you are not doing well and teams will find that."
One of the issues is teams coming around and blocking down on ends John Abraham and Kroy Biermann. Suddenly the outside linebacker has to come up and deal with the run. The cornerback has to crash under the wide receiver and get in on the tackle, too.
It has been disappointing to Peterson to see teams get yardage in the run game.
"I've been with Coach Smith for seven years now and what he stands for, what we stand for is we're going to stop the run," Peterson said.
New Orleans is not typically a running team, but you have to wonder if the Saints might come with a changeup Monday night, especially if Ivory is ready to go.
"They game plan us, too," Peterson said of opponents. "This league is set up that when you show a weakness in one area, the following week you better prepare to see that same thing. It's just a matter of us correcting the little mistake we were making.
"It wasn't us saying after the game 'Oh my gosh, we got a problem'. If we do this, the problem is done."
How much of it is Lofton playing hurt?
"I don't know, you'll have to ask Lofton," Peterson said.
Lofton was listed as a full participant in practice on Friday.
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