It is no secret that the Los Angeles Rams have struggled to get their running game going in 2016, something that was their biggest strength a season ago.
After a rough start to the season when they were shutout 28-0 by the San Francisco 49ers, teams have been loading the box to stop the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Todd Gurley, daring quarterback Case Keenum to throw the ball down the field.
Keenum has responded well as the Rams have won three consecutive games since being shutout, but Gurley has still not been able to get going as through the first four games he ranks second to last out of qualified running backs in yards per carry at 2.6.
According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, despite struggling to find holes, Gurley is not concerned with his production as long as the team keeps winning:
“As long as I keep winning, I can care less,” Gurley said after his team’s third straight win on Sunday. “It don’t even matter to me.”
In Sunday’s 17-13 road victory over the division rival Arizona Cardinals Gurley carried the ball 19 times for 33 yards, a career-worst 1.7 yards per carry. After third-down running back Benny Cunningham went down with an injury, Gurley was forced into the passing back duties and he caught a career-high five passes for 49 yards, something that encouraged him:
“Obviously the running game hasn’t been going as well,” Gurley said Sunday night. “But hey, I got a couple passes in the backfield. That was key.”
Overall on the season Gurley has carried the ball 82 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He only has eight catches for 58 yards, but look for his role in the passing game to expand in the coming weeks.
