Why the Rams badly needed Gurley,
ATLANTA – We might never learn the real story about Todd Gurley. But that wasn’t the guy we know out there in Super Bowl LIII.
We know that outside of a strong performance in the divisional round of the playoffs, he hadn’t looked like his usual dominant self for quite some time. We know suspicions of lingering knee problems continued to swirl over the all-pro running back. And we know that he and his coaches continued to proclaim him fully healthy as they prepared for the Super Bowl.
But in the moment of truth, Gurley wasn’t himself, and as a result, neither were the Rams. The Patriots, however, were their usual efficient selves, and as a result, they won their sixth Super Bowl title since 2001, dispatching the Rams 13-3.
Disappointment hung heavy over the Rams as they trudged into the locker room, stripped off their uniforms and reflected on their loss.
They just didn’t have what it took. They received a strong effort from their defense for much of the game. Until the fourth quarter, the Rams kept the Patriots out of the end zone again and again and got the ball back for their offense.
But offensive struggles — a 3-for-13 showing on third downs, an anemic rushing attack and punts on eight consecutive possessions to start the game — created too heavy a weight on LA’s defenders, and eventually they crumbled beneath that weight.
The Rams needed their go-to guy,
Gurley.
All season long, he provided a two-dimensional threat that helped ensure balance and versatility for their offense. He gashed teams with his running ability, and he served as a security blanket for young quarterback Jared Goff as a passcatching threat out of the backfield.
But one carry for 5 yards in the first half, and another 30 yards on nine attempts in the second half wasn’t enough.
Not having an effective Gurley translated into an identity crisis for the Rams’ offense.
You see, although Sean McVay can design all kinds of entertaining pass plays, the run game is the foundation of his playbook. The Rams use the run game to
set up their passing attack. They call play-action pass plays (running them on 35 percent of their snaps) more than anyone else in the league.
But without the threat of the run, without the production that they were accustomed to for the majority of the season, the pressure mounted on Goff, and that played into the hands of the Patriots. They entered the game with the goal of harassing the third-year pro, and as he dropped back again and again to throw, and rushed throws to beat the pressure, and missed his mark more times than not, Los Angeles’ Super Bowl hopes faded.
Yes, quarterbacks get all of the attention and the big bucks. And in today’s NFL, running backs frequently are viewed as expendable. But Gurley is definitely not that. And although C.J. Anderson generated a feel-good story for the last several weeks, he’s no Gurley, as his six carries for 18 yards indicated.
Bill Belichick and Brian Flores’ defensive game plan was masterful. They remained
a step ahead of the Rams all game. Their defenders knifed through the gaps of the line, taking away those signature cutback lanes that LA’s stretch-zone run plays generally generate.
But the Gurley in his MVP form always possesses a little something special. He manages to get a step on defenders and create something out of nothing. But this Gurley we saw Sunday, and who we’ve seen in two of the last three postseason games, lacked the explosion, the wiggle and the heroics needed.
One man doesn’t make a team. But there’s a reason Gurley is regarded as a game-changer. The Rams knew that this task of upsetting the Patriots wouldn’t be easy. They were reminded throughout the week of preparation that they couldn’t afford to cripple themselves with mistakes. They knew that the Patriots rarely make mistakes in these bigstage moments. So they had such a small margin for error.
The Rams didn’t make many mistakes.
Their defense played valiantly. But without their difference-maker, they just weren’t up to the task against the most dominant dynasty in NFL history and the greatest defensive mind in Belichick.
Los Angeles has a good foundation in place. Based on the past two seasons, it’s reasonable to think that the Rams will find themselves back on this stage soon.
But for now, they’ll have a gnawing and sinking feeling. Gurley no doubt will have frustrations, and we’ll always wonder “What if?” and how differently this game would have looked had the dynamic back not been a shell of himself in this physical championship game.