Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears: Friday Fact or Fiction

Chris Ivory will receive more carries than T.J. Yeldon: FACT

The Jaguars went into the season with the plan of having a running back by committee – why else would you sign Chris Ivory to a lucrative contract when you already have T.J. Yeldon? The move looked smart during the preseason when both backs looked spry, but Ivory’s medical issue that sideline him in weeks 1 and 2 threw the backfield for a loop. Yeldon has been just OK (he looked better last week), but the Jaguars are clearly hoping Ivory can take over a bulk of the early carries when he’s fully healthy.

I think the transition begins this week against the Bears. Yeldon had 14 carries to Ivory’s 8 against the Colts last week, but it’s become public now that Ivory wasn’t 100%. With a week of rest and time to make sure he gets incorporated into the offense, the Jaguars will make a concerted effort to give Ivory more touches.

I still expect Yeldon to start the game – the coaches seem to like his ability to catch out of the backfield and his patience to wait for blocks on screens. But I expect the Jaguars to turn to Ivory in the second half with the hope that his bruising style will give them an edge against a tired defense. Let’s say the workload will look something like 16 carries for Ivory to 12 for Yeldon.