At this time last year, Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley had suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for the final two weeks of the regular season and severely limited him in two of his three playoff games.
Here we are, almost exactly a year later, and Gurley still seems to be showing the effects of the injury.
Through 15 weeks, Gurley — who has played 13 games in total — has rushed for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 3.9 yards per carry. He has also logged 29 catches for 186 yards and a couple of scores.
Bad numbers? Not really.
Numbers we are accustomed to seeing from Gurley? Hardly.
Last season, Gurley racked up 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground, registering 4.9 yards per attempt. In addition, he hauled in 59 receptions for 580 yards and four scores, making the Pro Bowl while also earning a first-team All-Pro selection.
Gurley posted similar numbers in 2017, totaling 1,305 yards while reaching the end zone 13 times as a rusher, recording 4.7 yards per tote. On top of that, he caught 64 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl selection and notching first-team All-Pro honors, and, of course, winning the Offensive Player of the Year.
Even though that was over the recent span of the preceding two years, it feels so far in the past.
While Gurley has shown flashes of his former self in 2019, it's obvious that he is not even remotely close to the halfback who dominated the NFL over the first several years of his career.
His touches are down, his efficiency has dipped, and his overall impact has plummeted.
As a result, the Rams' offense has stalled, and with just two games left to play, Los Angeles' playoff chances are on life support.
Now, it's hard to blame Gurley for his lackluster performance this season. You can't blame him at all, because it's clear as daylight that he is not himself.
That explosiveness isn't there, and even though he is only 25 years old, you have to wonder if it will ever return.
Remember: throughout the offseason, people questioned if Gurley's knee issue would become chronic. While Gurley bristled at just about every mention of his knee, he never actually denied that it could be a long-term problem.
That's scary.
Running backs typically don't have long shelf lives in the NFL, but they generally last longer than 25 years old, which is where Gurley's career has reached a standstill.
Of course, there is plenty of time for Gurley to get back on track in the coming years, but it has gotten to the point where you have to wonder if he will ever be a consistent No. 1 back anymore.
Sean McVay and Co. have tried to limit his carries this year, but it hasn't worked. Yes, Gurley put together a few solid outings between Weeks 11 and 14, but he still wasn't doing a whole lot with his touches, as he averaged four yards per carry or better just once during that span.
Last week, he carried the ball 11 times for just 20 yards in a blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
No one knows for sure what the future holds for Gurley, but I can say this: you have to give him credit for gutting it out this year and for not making any noise about his lack of playing time.
Taking all of those factors into consideration, I'm giving Gurley a B grade for his performance this season, even if he hasn't been incredibly productive.
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