What's the problem with Gurley?

[bwdenverram]

The obvious as most have said is defenses are sending so many to the LOS that holes have been almost non existent.
It does feel like at times Gurley just runs into the pile rather then maybe being patient but given the OL hasn't done much to help him can't really blame him.
I would love to see Boras run from less obvious formations though. Spread it out and open it up a bit. Even when they do the option runs he tends to have better lanes. The biggest problem I think is the running plays look obvious. If us arm chair QB's know when it's coming you can be sure the pro's do.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Have we even run from a 3wr set? I think I remember one run from a 4wr or a 3wr and TE (with them split wide) set. I'd like to see a few runs without a second TE or FB there to switch things up.

 

[Legatron4]

The guy in fantasy league with Gurley just offered me a trade for him. While the homer in me wants to jump all over it, he wants Gordon from San Diego who has been pretty dang good fantasy wise. Would you guys do it?

No. Wait until Gurley has s big game and then offer him Gordon and another player.

 

[PA Ram]

Yeah--I think it may indeed be a combination of things and that includes Gurley himself--probably impatient, probably pressing, and most certainly frustrated. I would try to mix up whatever they're doing because--it ain't workin!

But remember this: the Cleveland Browns have more rushing yards than anyone in the league right now.

They're 0-4.

Take what they give you, write your own story, make your own way--and just win.

 

[Fatbot]

I think it's a little of everything that's already been mentioned:

* Play calling is poor, too predictable, setting the runs up to fail against too many in the box.

* OL is slowwww right now, maybe there's some injuries but seem to be thinking too much, technique is poor, not on the same page with calls with each other, combos/scoops are half-assed or not happening so second-level blocks are virtually non-existent, and missing too many blocks/simply getting beat too much. Way too much talent on this o-line for this to be happening.

* TEs are getting zero drive on the edge, which doesn't give Gurley much to read on outside runs.

* Gurley is missing reads and his timing is off with the OL.

 

[Faceplant]

Agree with most here. Pretty much some blame to go all around. I remember hearing someone on the telecast say that TGII only has 1 100 yd game since week 8 of last season. It looks as though defenses have figured out our run tendencies (shocker) and I do not expect things to get better unless the scheme changes. Are the Rams still mostly using a ZBS??

 

[DaveFan'51]

The defenses are stacking the box bigger than crap. Almost daring the offense to pass instead of run. No RB or O-line can consistently beat a defense when they are selling out on stopping the run by trying to run the ball through them.

This ^! And I think Opponents have had the idea "Stop Gurley, and make Keenum try to beat us with his Arm!" !
Well ... you can see how well that DIDN"T work last week in Arizona! Sooo I think Team, starting with Biffalo, will start backing off on that idea, and our O-Line and Gurrrley will be more successful! JMHO:mrburnsevil:

 

[tklongball]

I feel like the biggest problem is our running game play design & play calling. I feel, as an armchair MLB, I not only have a really good feel for not only when we are going to run, but where we are going to run. And if I can do it at home on my couch... I don't see a lot of misdirection in our play design. We seem to never run from a spread set, and I can't remember the last time we ran a draw that wasn't on 3rd and forever.

Obviously running into 8 & 9 man boxes is difficult and needs to be countered with and intermediate to deep passing attack, which I feel like we have gotten a tiny bit better about each week.

 

[RamBall]

SF showed success by putting a lot of bodies at the LOS and confusing the OL. Teams will continue to copy that until the OL gets its shit together, with so many defensive players stacking on the LOS the OL dont know who is coming and who if anyone is dropping into coverage, which results in unblocked DL getting to Gurley before he can get to the LOS.

 

[12intheBox]

So it really has nothing to do with the ability of Gurley?

I don't know - its not like there are a lot of lanes that he is missing or anything. I thought maybe he was hitting the hole too hard and needed to give it another half a sec to develop but there isn't time.

Often, D lineman are double teamed - which is great and all except it leaves two other guys right there untouched.

You can't block everyone - I get that. With the QB and the RB, there are 9 potential blockers out there so at least a few guys are going to have to be either sucked out of the play or flat out beaten by TG. You can suck guys out of the play by stressing their responsibilities - so when Tavon fakes a reverse - it should stress whoever has end contain on the side he is going to. If a receiver goes deep - it should stress the corner and maybe even a safety who has deep responsibility.

But either no one is falling for the fakeouts or they just aren't there in the play design - and the way it looks on hindsight is that they just aren't there.

The other thing the play designs don't do well is put the lineman in leverage situations - where they will have an advantage based on the presumed motion.

I'm sure the coaching staff knows this - they have to. I just hope they are doing something about it.

 

[99Balloons]

Rams play calling is very predictable. Defenses will crowd up to the LOS and pop Gurley the instance he gets the ball.

Alternative play-calling is maybe adding two additional OL, no FB and no TE, and let the seven OL up front going against the nine Defensive Linemen and plow the running lane for Gurley. Put more beef up front and let Gurley blast through the hole and see how that'll work.

 

[RedRam]

Here's a 1000 words on the topic...

 

[yrba1]

Surprised we haven't ran a HB toss to Gurley off-tackle or a draw play. There's more to the running game than simple handoffs.

 

[Dan Poplawski]

Rob Boras

 

[IowaRam]

He's over rated ?

 

[Roman Snow]

The guy in fantasy league with Gurley just offered me a trade for him. While the homer in me wants to jump all over it, he wants Gordon from San Diego who has been pretty dang good fantasy wise. Would you guys do it?

I think @Legatron4 put it best: essentially you want to buy low, sell high, right? This guy is in a panic because Gurley is off to a slow start. He is doing the same thing people do on the freeway when your lane is not moving. You switch lanes....like 50 other people in your lane! Then the other lane begins to move, of course. (Sound familiar?)

Let that guy have the worst part of Gurleys season. Send Gordon to him. (Maybe you can even take advantage of his anxiety and get another player?)

Gurley will start to blossom. Gordon will level off and I ....er You will look like a genius.

 

[Fatbot]

Surprised we haven't ran a HB toss to Gurley off-tackle or a draw play. There's more to the running game than simple handoffs.

Agreed, but the point of a draw play is you run when the defense expects a pass, and defenses are playing the Rams pretty much to run every play, so it's doubtful they'd be fooled. But yeah mix in everything at this point!

As for the toss, how would the Rams block it? Pull Saffold? Wichmann? These guys look hobbled and slow, I can't imagine trying to pull them right now. And how are they going to get around a TE block that's not moving the edge at all?

So that leaves the Rams are trying to run Gurley outside with outside zone, and Gurley is not getting to the edge because he doesn't trust the seal block, reading the block to cut it off tackle, or he's simply not exercising the patience to give the corner a go.

The toss doesn't add much, and arguably takes away some of the RB vision to make the cut when needed, but they seem to run the toss + outside zone in college a lot, so why not toss it out there and force him to try to turn the corner. Maybe it would loosen up the middle a bit at least even if stuffed.

 

[Athos]

He's just not strong enough to run through a brick wall. Hopefully he starts getting some holes to run through.

Aye. Lynch is built like a tank. He, and maybe AP in his prime (2012 prime) are the only RBs currently or recently played I think could break that wall and still get decent yardage.

Todd looks a bit beat up/tired/frustrated by the stacked boxes.

But the other thing is that what is happening now won't last forever. Every team we've faced as loaded up to stop Gurley and dared us to beat them through the air. While the stat lines aren't spectacular, the last two weeks the Rams have done just that - their offense has beaten the opposing defense through the air.

Meh. They're giving up 8/pts game in 2 of their 3 wins. Teams aren't going to be changing things against the Rams until they're scoring more than 20 a game on average. Quicker to get their own D off the field by demolishing the run and giving up 3-4 yard passes and an occasional deep ball. Especially when it doesn't translate to much. And the Bucs D is godawful so. Rams are averaging 8pts/game themselves outside of that Bucs outlier. The Great Wall of China against Gurley will continue until that changes.

It'll be tough going against the Bills. They're top half in run D. Todd won't likely get a reprieve till Detroit who's been bad at stopping it. 4.8/attempt is pretty dreadful.

 

[thirteen28]

Meh. They're giving up 8/pts game in 2 of their 3 wins. Teams aren't going to be changing things against the Rams until they're scoring more than 20 a game on average. Quicker to get their own D off the field by demolishing the run and giving up 3-4 yard passes and an occasional deep ball. Especially when it doesn't translate to much. And the Bucs D is godawful so. Rams are averaging 8pts/game themselves outside of that Bucs outlier. The Great Wall of China against Gurley will continue until that changes.

It'll be tough going against the Bills. They're top half in run D. Todd won't likely get a reprieve till Detroit who's been bad at stopping it. 4.8/attempt is pretty dreadful.

I don't know. As I said, they didn't score any TD's against the Seahawks - a very good D - but they were able to hit some strikes downfield to convert third downs, extend drives, and flip field position. The Cards are a very talented D as well, and they were able to do the same - along with getting a couple of TD's as well. When they convert third downs, move the ball enough, and flip field position, they help our defense immensely. And our defense, with even this much help, is pretty damn good.

I'm not saying the O is anything great at this point - they are still below average. But at some point, teams are going to have to start thinking about defending the pass a bit more, because it's through the passing game in each of the last 3 weeks that the Rams have made enough plays to actually win games. A loss counts just as much if you give up a few big plays to Keenum and Co. as it does if you get carved up by Aaron Rodgers.

 

[Amitar]

The OL is horrible. Gurley is a great RB, nothing wrong with him.