tempests
Hall of Fame
- Joined
- May 25, 2013
- Messages
- 2,977
Gurley and SJ were both great Rams and I'm glad they were ours.
SJ wasn't a complete player when he first started out but to his credit he was humble and committed enough to improve. He wasn't the only one who did that jump cut. LDT and Edge James did it too. Pat Willis always said it made it harder on him to tackle, not easier. Added pass catching and pass blocking to his game and checked off every box as an RB. His 2006 season remains among the best a RB ever had. 7th most yards from scrimmage in a season and only the second RB, other than LDT, to rush for 1500 yards and catch 90 passes in the same year. But his 2009 season was probably even better. Led the NFC in rushing on a 1-15 team and played against eight and nine man fronts and through a herniated disc in his back. Too many hopeless Sundays back then but Jackson was a pro's pro and could carry an offense on his shoulders.
He didn't score as many TDs as others but running backs who play on bad teams usually don't. Their teams don't make many trips to the red zone. And for the Rams in that awful 15-65 stretch they were frequently outmatched at the LOS, and didn't have a single TE or WR near the goal line that the other defense had to respect. Or an offensive coordinator that could be creative. Everyone knew SJ was going to get it and they could stack the line with impunity.
On an offense where he had more help he undoubtedly would've had more scoring opportunities.
Gurley came into the league and also played for a miserable offense but he quickly showed his great speed and making defenders look silly with numerous memorable performances his rookie year. For my money he was the best offensive player in the 2015 draft. I remember Fisher telling one of his scouts to demonstrate to the draft room where Gurley should be on their draft board. The scout took Gurley's name off the board and stuck it on the ceiling, showing how highly they regarded him more than any other player available at the no 10 slot.
And then in 2017 Gurley became an MVP candidate in McVay's offense(and probably should've been league MVP that year). 4 TDs in 2 1/2 quarters vs Seattle, that ridiculous 276 yard effort against Tennessee. We had the best screen passing game in the league that year too, he was such a dangerous player. And flawless in pass blocking too. As I recall Gurley didn't allow a single pressure as a pass blocker in 2017, the only RB to do so. In 2018 I really thought he was going to make a run at LDT's single season TD record, or Faulk's team record from 2000. And if he stayed healthy, he probably would've done so.
As Tony Gonzalez put it, Gurley was like a clydesdale, cheetah, and frog all rolled into one. And he was football smart, and a team player too. People made such a big deal about Brian Westbrook turning down the TD to run out the clock, the one time he did it. Gurley did it three times as a Ram, more than I've ever seen any other player do. I saved all his highlights as a Ram, and I'm glad I did.
If SJ39 had played on an offense that wasn't all him, and Gurley had been blessed with good health that other NFL players have had, I'm pretty sure both would've put up HOF numbers for their career. Unfortunately we didn't get those realities.
SJ wasn't a complete player when he first started out but to his credit he was humble and committed enough to improve. He wasn't the only one who did that jump cut. LDT and Edge James did it too. Pat Willis always said it made it harder on him to tackle, not easier. Added pass catching and pass blocking to his game and checked off every box as an RB. His 2006 season remains among the best a RB ever had. 7th most yards from scrimmage in a season and only the second RB, other than LDT, to rush for 1500 yards and catch 90 passes in the same year. But his 2009 season was probably even better. Led the NFC in rushing on a 1-15 team and played against eight and nine man fronts and through a herniated disc in his back. Too many hopeless Sundays back then but Jackson was a pro's pro and could carry an offense on his shoulders.
He didn't score as many TDs as others but running backs who play on bad teams usually don't. Their teams don't make many trips to the red zone. And for the Rams in that awful 15-65 stretch they were frequently outmatched at the LOS, and didn't have a single TE or WR near the goal line that the other defense had to respect. Or an offensive coordinator that could be creative. Everyone knew SJ was going to get it and they could stack the line with impunity.
On an offense where he had more help he undoubtedly would've had more scoring opportunities.
Gurley came into the league and also played for a miserable offense but he quickly showed his great speed and making defenders look silly with numerous memorable performances his rookie year. For my money he was the best offensive player in the 2015 draft. I remember Fisher telling one of his scouts to demonstrate to the draft room where Gurley should be on their draft board. The scout took Gurley's name off the board and stuck it on the ceiling, showing how highly they regarded him more than any other player available at the no 10 slot.
And then in 2017 Gurley became an MVP candidate in McVay's offense(and probably should've been league MVP that year). 4 TDs in 2 1/2 quarters vs Seattle, that ridiculous 276 yard effort against Tennessee. We had the best screen passing game in the league that year too, he was such a dangerous player. And flawless in pass blocking too. As I recall Gurley didn't allow a single pressure as a pass blocker in 2017, the only RB to do so. In 2018 I really thought he was going to make a run at LDT's single season TD record, or Faulk's team record from 2000. And if he stayed healthy, he probably would've done so.
As Tony Gonzalez put it, Gurley was like a clydesdale, cheetah, and frog all rolled into one. And he was football smart, and a team player too. People made such a big deal about Brian Westbrook turning down the TD to run out the clock, the one time he did it. Gurley did it three times as a Ram, more than I've ever seen any other player do. I saved all his highlights as a Ram, and I'm glad I did.
If SJ39 had played on an offense that wasn't all him, and Gurley had been blessed with good health that other NFL players have had, I'm pretty sure both would've put up HOF numbers for their career. Unfortunately we didn't get those realities.
