Todd Gurley workload

[Mojo Ram]

Stop the bull shit.

Calm down.

 

[rams1fan]

has he had 25 touches in a game, all year? It would prove something to me, I know

No he has not, But if he does? then what is the narrative.

 

[Riverumbbq]

well like there are different levels of "injured"

But if you are going to use stats to try to claim he isn't issue - I don't think that's a good argument.

One huge diff is he has always been a good reciever... 10 ypr... he avg like 5 years per reception now and seems to drop half of his passes.

True, we don't really know what's going on with Gurley, but that doesn't explain McVay's declining balance in the pass/rush department. We have 3 very good RB's and are running less on average, so any argument that Henderson & Brown are to be picking up the slack due to Gurley's inability to get on the field go right out the window.

Speaking towards Gurley's dropped passes, for the time being I have few options other than to believe it's a lack of concentration as his drop in use/playing time is affecting his psyche' somewhat. jmo.

 

[Ellard80]

What if Gurley gets 25 touches this week? Will he suddenly be healthy?

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Here are Gurley's carries per game since he missed games at the end of last year due to knee injury (this includes postseason)

I think i see a pattern....

 

[“Turbo set!”]

He is a used up RB. There is nothing to discuss.

I love Gurley and it saddens me that we will not see any more greatness from him but that is reality.

 

[Bootleg]

Therefore sidelining your best player at THE most critical part of the game AND when he was bashing the Steelers is mind blowingingly reckless dumb stupid you name the adjectives.

This!

I can handle the team losing. In the end if they gave it their best shot, then tip your hat and move on.

But if you lose because you refuse to play your best player, then that just makes me not want to tune in. It's one of the reasons I've soured on the Dodgers. Dave Roberts does some mind blowing stupid moves when the season is on the line. I don't think the Dodgers will ever win it all with that guy at the helm. McVay so far has been great... but man...

 

[rams1fan]

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Here are Gurley's carries per game since he missed games at the end of last year due to knee injury (this includes postseason)

I think i see a pattern....

Ok, So if he gets 25 touches this week then your narrative is incorrect? Right?

 

[Riverumbbq]

lol...

1. This is already present in 10 threads... we needed one more!
2. It's just amazing to me that people really believe this - its just.. like dumfounding beyond belief.

Ever since Gurley sat out from his knee issue end of last year - he has never had the same amount of touches.

It's plain as day.

McVay himself has called for better balance, but that's not what's being delivered. Gurley rushed 18 times against Atlanta just 3 games ago, are you saying 18 carries would somehow be out of the question against Pittsburgh ? This discussion is about balance just as much as it's about Gurley, a more balanced attack involving the rush actually helps open up the passing game. No-one is asking for a 50-50 split, but McVay's reliance on the pass now averages 39 per game to 24 rushes per game. This last game was very close, it's likely the importance of the game comes with play-off repercussions, but limiting our best RB to 12 carries, and none in the 4'th quarter when the game is on the line, and then bashing fans for questioning it, well ... that's amazing to me. 41 passes to 21 total rushing plays, that's not balance.
jmo.

Rams striving to find run-pass balance 'that puts defenses in conflict'

The offense hasn’t been balanced this season, but Sean McVay wants that to change.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Loyal]

No he has not, But if he does? then what is the narrative.

It says that he is rugged enough to endure the load. It says he's a great back, still.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Sean McVay admits he should've used Todd Gurley more vs. Steelers

Cameron DaSilva

The Los Angeles Rams could do very little offensively against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, picking up only 16 first downs, 306 total yards and scoring zero touchdowns. What they did do well was run the ball with Todd Gurley.
He had 12 carries for 73 yards in what was his most productive game since Week 1 when he had 97 yards on just 14 rushes. Yet, Gurley didn’t touch the ball in the fourth quarter and wasn’t even on the field for the first two drives.

It’s hard to imagine why the Rams abandoned their most effective player on Sunday, and Sean McVay didn’t have a good explanation. On Monday, he did admit that he should’ve done a better job getting him involved more throughout the game, which hardly grants him a pass for that decision.
“Getting a guy like Todd Gurley more involved and more a part of it is definitely something that yesterday benefitted,” he said. “That’s where you say in hindsight, I should have done a better of doing that consistently throughout the game.”
The real reason Gurley was on the bench for most of the fourth quarter has to do with two things: Malcolm Brown and the Rams defense’s inability to get off the field. The former is something McVay can control. The latter is not.
When asked Monday why Gurley wasn’t part of the fourth-quarter game plan, McVay pointed toward Brown’s ability to “make some plays.”
“I think it really just had to do with that we had kind of gone into it and just feeling it out, we feel like he is doing really well, he’s playing at a high level. Malcolm made some tough hard-earned runs too. He’s been a guy that’s demonstrated he can make some plays,” he said. “It’s nothing really other than that. I think like anything else, when you want to be reflective as a coach, you say, ‘Could there have been some things that you wish you had done to maybe keep him in that rhythm?’ I wouldn’t argue with that. I would say, ‘You probably should have done that.’ Those are things that I’ll never claim to make all the right decisions. I think yesterday was something where you probably could have given him an opportunity to continue with that rhythm that he did have going there.”
The second part of the equation was that the Rams didn’t have the ball very much in the fourth quarter. They had it for less than two minutes in each of their first two drives to open the fourth quarter. They gave it up with 10:46 left to play and didn’t get it back until 2:46 – a span of 10 minutes without the ball.
McVay said that obviously played a role in Gurley’s lack of involvement, but there’s little reason to pull him from the game in favor of Brown, who only had 6 yards on two carries entering the fourth quarter.
“(Gurley) did a good job,” McVay said. “You really look at it, the two drives that he did miss, that second drive that Malcolm was in was at 12 and a half minutes left in the game. Then, the next drive starts at two and a half minutes. I think there was a little bit longer time in between drives that typically you usually see. It wasn’t necessarily like that was the true crunch time. Todd had been running really well, but that was the beginning of the fourth quarter in those drives that Malcolm was in there. Then, when you do get the ball back offensively, you’re in two-minute mode, playing down where you’re playing for a touchdown with 2:39 – I want to say – left in the game.”
He continued, admitting he would’ve gotten Gurley the ball if he knew the Rams would go 10 minutes without being back on offense.
“I think there’s always things that you look at as a coach and say, ‘Would you do it differently?’ I think – not to take anything away from Malcolm – but if you knew that that was going to be the last possession you get until two and a half (minutes) left, you probably would say, ‘I would’ve preferred to have Todd get into more of a rhythm and maybe get some touches there.’ There’s nobody to blame there but me,” he said.
Gurley said after the game that he’s “used to” not getting the ball in the fourth quarter. He also said “not really” when asked if he wants it more in crunch time.
McVay said didn’t seem too concerned about Gurley’s answers, saying “anytime that you’re a playmaker like him, you’re going to want that ball and you’re going to want more.”
This situation doesn’t seem to be sorting itself out, but McVay has to find a way to get Gurley more involved – even if it means abandoning the plan to conserve him for the end of the season. The Rams are reaching desperation time and they can’t afford to lose many more games.

Sean McVay admits he should've used Todd Gurley more vs. Steelers

Sean McVay tried to explain why Todd Gurley didn’t get in the game in the fourth quarter, saying Malcolm Brown was making plays.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Legatron4]

I refuse to believe Gurleys knee is just deteriorating. He mostly likely consulted a doctor this offseason and discussed his options. If he was told he wouldn’t be able to handle more then 13 carries per game, I just don’t think he would continue playing.

He looked very good vs Pittsburgh. He made a jump cut earlier in the game that really impressed me. If his knee was hurting, it didn’t show.

Here’s the confusing part. When does McVay decide when TGs has enough touches? Is there a point where he talks to him and Gurley tells him he can’t handle anymore? And if so, why keep him in there to block? That’s a lot of stress on that knee. Also, why did he get 18 carries vs Atlanta? I mean, he wasn’t really having to break a ton of tackles on Sunday and was just running free for the most part. That can’t be that painful, right?? But yet, he’s allowed to run into a brick wall 18 times!?!? SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE!!!

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Screw the repercussions, just give Gurley the ball. Brown looked like he was running in quicksand and I'm not sure Henderson even gained a yard with his carries. The rams need to win and Gurley is their only hope.

.

 

[Farr Be It]

What if Gurley gets 25 touches this week? Will he suddenly be healthy?

That is just the point. He has not had 25 touches in a long time.

He is a used up RB. There is nothing to discuss.

I love Gurley and it saddens me that we will not see any more greatness from him but that is reality.

That is a bit much. Let’s see how it goes before shoveling dirt on his grave

Ok, So if he gets 25 touches this week then your narrative is incorrect? Right?

You keep saying 25 touches this week. If he does over a few games, then yes, it would be self-evident.

 

[Ellard80]

Ok, So if he gets 25 touches this week then your narrative is incorrect? Right?

Not really.. but it's not my narrative - but a narrative that follows a clear time-line that has nothing to do with what I think.

 

[Merlin]

16
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Here are Gurley's carries per game since he missed games at the end of last year due to knee injury (this includes postseason)

I think i see a pattern....

Nice post. It is obvious that Todd Gurley is on a ~15 touch count. We know this and I think it's safe to assume that it is because of his arthritic knee and them wanting to prolong his career.

From there we get into theories. And mine is that he hates being on a touch count but that he's onboard and has accepted it as a reality of his condition. I also think his not rocking the boat and weathering the press questions has in turn earned him points with the team, but nobody is happy with the situation from McVay on down to Gurley. And last but not least (and most unfortunately) the losing has potential to shake all that up.

Rams need to find their way forward without him. He's not the horse any longer. Give someone in that backfield the carries you used to give Gurley and if he can't handle it then go on to the next guy until you get the production or if not then it's time to make a roster move. They have to solve that run game and at least get it rolling a little bit.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Rams need to find their way forward without him. He's not the horse any longer. Give someone in that backfield the carries you used to give Gurley and if he can't handle it then go on to the next guy until you get the production or if not then it's time to make a roster move. They have to solve that run game and at least get it rolling a little bit.

Which brings us right back to the OL again. Fix the OL, let Henderson & Brown get equal time if Gurley can't handle it, ... both Goff and the offense in general will be all the better for it. We already know what Goff can do with a quality OL and strong rushing attack, so let's just get back to the basics and apply resources to that OL. jmo.

 

[Ellard80]

[

Nice post. It is obvious that Todd Gurley is on a ~15 touch count. We know this and I think it's safe to assume that it is because of his arthritic knee and them wanting to prolong his career.

From there we get into theories. And mine is that he hates being on a touch count but that he's onboard and has accepted it as a reality of his condition. I also think his not rocking the boat and weathering the press questions has in turn earned him points with the team, but nobody is happy with the situation from McVay on down to Gurley. And last but not least (and most unfortunately) the losing has potential to shake all that up.

Rams need to find their way forward without him. He's not the horse any longer. Give someone in that backfield the carries you used to give Gurley and if he can't handle it then go on to the next guy until you get the production or if not then it's time to make a roster move. They have to solve that run game and at least get it rolling a little bit.

Yeah I'm sure it's a reality that he isn't thrilled about.

 

[thirteen28]

I refuse to believe Gurleys knee is just deteriorating. He mostly likely consulted a doctor this offseason and discussed his options. If he was told he wouldn’t be able to handle more then 13 carries per game, I just don’t think he would continue playing.

He looked very good vs Pittsburgh. He made a jump cut earlier in the game that really impressed me. If his knee was hurting, it didn’t show.

I won't pretend to know one way or another if his knee is deteriorating, arthritic, or if the Rams are just being overly cautious with him at this point. But I know what I saw on his 12 carries on Sunday, and that was a Todd Gurley that looked more like the 2017 and 2018 (1st 11 games or so) than at any point this season.

And now you've got McVay admitting he wished he would have used Gurley more in the 4th quarter.

 

[Ellard80]

I won't pretend to know one way or another if his knee is deteriorating, arthritic, or if the Rams are just being overly cautious with him at this point. But I know what I saw on his 12 carries on Sunday, and that was a Todd Gurley that looked more like the 2017 and 2018 (1st 11 games or so) than at any point this season.

And now you've got McVay admitting he wished he would have used Gurley more in the 4th quarter.

Because as it's been posted many times - McVay is always going to take the blame.
It's funny how on this message board there is all this "moral" and "positivity" gang mentality - and yet people are ganging up on McVay for actually doing a moral thing and taking the brunt for his players.

Ironic and sad.

 

[Merlin]

Which brings us right back to the OL again. Fix the OL, let Henderson & Brown get equal time if Gurley can't handle it, ... both Goff and the offense in general will be all the better for it. We already know what Goff can do with a quality OL and strong rushing attack, so let's just get back to the basics and apply resources to that OL. jmo.

Yes however I do feel like we're missing a power element that nobody on our RB depth chart can deliver. It doesn't have to be CJ (who I have been fixated on), but he's a good example of what this offense can do when there's a guy back there that can mix it up with power and in the Dallas playoff game worked really well with Gurley. Our offense looked eerily similar late last season until they added CJ.

Either way the Rams obviously feel differently and that's fine and all but with their struggles and Brown's inability to be counted on I think it's becoming more and more clear they made a poor choice to match Detroit's offer.

OL is clearly the problem. But the RB can add to or subtract from what the blockers are doing. So for right now barring a roster addition they need to feed Henderson and give him a real chance to be the featured back in this attack.