Looking at the Los Angeles Rams offense now, it is hard to imagine how far they have come from their insufferable 2016 campaign. Not only did they finish dead last in nearly every major offensive category, but running back Todd Gurley and then-No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff had unfairly been labeled busts before they even got a fair shot.
Now that they have flourished with new head coach Sean McVay, the consensus is that these are two of some of the most promising stars in the NFL. In fact, Goff and Gurley were both listed ESPN’s annual list of the NFL’s Top 25 players under 25:
The Rams’ offense in 2016 was a disaster for reasons that went far beyond any one individual player. Set aside that lost season as an outlier, and Gurley’s statistical production becomes sensational. He has 1,860 yards and 17 touchdowns in the 22 games he has played across the 2015 and 2017 seasons. Only Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson (1,909) has more rushing yards across those seasons. No one has as many rushing touchdowns as Gurley in that span.
Goff came in at No. 20 while Gurley cracked the top-10 at ninth overall. Topping the list was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who was taken second behind Goff in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The resurgence of the Rams’ young stars is evidence of how much coaching can influence performance and development. With new head coach Sean McVay now at the helm, the sky is the limit for this young duo that has fueled the NFL’s highest-scoring offense.
