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The Los Angeles Rams are suffering from a severe Super Bowl hangover. Sean McVay had the Rams’ offense looking like an unstoppable force before being held to just three points against the New England Patriots. In 2019, the Rams are 7-5 and in third place in the NFC West.
The Rams have been held under 20 points four times this season. Jared Goff has taken a significant step back after signing a massive contract extension. The NFL seems to be catching up to McVay but it all starts with Todd Gurley. The star back who rushed for 1,251 yards and led the league with 21 total touchdowns last season needs to see the ball more.
Gurley has 10 games this season with less than 20 carries, including two where he carried the ball less than 10 times. In Week 13, Gurley finished with 19 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown and played a key role in a 34-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He averaged five yards per carry and was looking like the Gurley of last season.
If the Rams want a chance to make a run this season, they will need Gurley to show up every week.
Rams Need Gurley in Wild Card Race
The Rams have four games left on their schedule. Two of them are against the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. At 7-5, the Rams are three games back in the division but just one game behind the Minnesota Vikings for the second NFC Wild Card spot.
In Week 14, the Rams will host the Seahawks in their biggest game of the season to date. Seattle is one of the hottest teams in the league having won five consecutive games. Russell Wilson is playing at an elite level and they are using two backs to run the ball effectively. On the defensive side, the Rams will have to play a perfect game to slow down the Seattle offense.
On offense, it has to be Gurley time. Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are having strong seasons but they would be a lot better if they had a consistent quarterback. The Rams experienced success last season when Gurley was the focus of the offense. This season, McVay has been quick to abandon the run game and get pass happy. Even if the Rams opt to pass, Gurley can be used. He has just 22 receptions this season.
Gurley is one of the best running backs in the league despite his mediocre season where he may be dealing with unknown injuries. The Rams know what they have and need to start implementing him more if they want to make a playoff push. It begins this week against the Seahawks.