Gurley helps keep Rams undefeated with win over Broncos
DENVER — Not the wintry weather nor the Denver Broncos’ spongy defense could slow down Todd Gurley.
The Rams running back rumbled for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, and Los Angeles celebrated defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ homecoming Sunday with a 23-20 win over the reeling Denver Broncos.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it with out those guys up front,” said Gurley, whose previous high was 159 yards at Green Bay in 2015. “It was kind of easy for me, honestly, because those guys did such a great job.”
defense succumbed
And Denver’s again.
A week after allowing 323 yards rushing in a loss to the Jets, including 219 by Isaiah Crowell, the Broncos were gashed for 270 yards on the ground.
“We knew we were going to be a little bit leaky in the run today because the pass was our focus,” Von Miller said. “But 270 yards is just, you know, ridiculous.”
“We didn’t tackle well. We didn’t fit well,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said. “That’s two weeks in a row — unacceptable.”
The Rams, who had surrendered 31 points in back-toback games, improved to 6-0 in sending the Broncos (2-4) to their fourth straight loss.
The Broncos pulled to 2320 on Case Keenum’s 1-yard dart to Demaryius Thomas with 1:22 remaining, but Rams receiver Robert Woods knocked Brandon McManus’ onside kick out of bounds, and the Rams ran out the clock with Keenum’s one-time understudy Jared Goff (14-of-28 for 201 yards on his 24th birthday) twice taking a knee.
Phillips was the Broncos’ beloved bandmaster when they were celebrating their Super Bowl 50 triumph, but his contract wasn’t renewed after the 2016 season and he joined Sean McVay in sunny Southern California.
After an overnight snowstorm, the game-time temperature of 25 degrees marked the second-coldest in Denver prior to November in franchise history.
The cold did nothing to slow down Gurley, who scored his 10th and 11th touchdowns of the season.
One was on a 10-yard run on fourth down that gave the Rams a 13-3 halftime lead, the other, a 1-yard run that made it 20-3.
Gurley’s first score came after a boneheaded move by Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who thought he had a 44-yard TD catch and jabbed a finger in cornerback Troy Hill’s face, drawing a taunting foul.
Upon review, Sanders was ruled down at the 1, and the unsportsmanlike 15-yard penalty pushed the Broncos back to the 16.
Instead of an extra point to give Denver a 7-6 lead, McManus ended up kicking a 28yard field goal.
Sanders, who had a 22-yard TD catch in the second half, blamed himself for the loss.
“Me, honestly, I feel like the league is getting soft,” Sanders said. “I’m having fun. I didn’t do anything crazy to the guy besides say, ‘Hey, I got you on that play.’ I pointed my finger at him. And they threw the flag. … But it cost my team. We lost by three points. I feel like we could have easily punched that ball in and gotten four (more). I guess this loss is on me.”