Gurley raring to go on Super Sunday
Give it to Gurley: The Rams’ go-to player who was quiet for a game holds the key to beating New England.
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Todd Gurley is fine.
And he’s looking forward to playing in the Super Bowl, whatever role Sean McVay has in store for him.
“We’ve been winning,” Gurley said. “I’m going to my first Super Bowl. I’m good.”
The Los Angeles Rams’ running back isn’t letting the least productive performance in his four-year career dull his excitement over the team’s run to Super Bowl Sunday.
“It’s been fantastic,” Gurley said. “It’s a great feeling. You just sit back and you’re just like, ‘Damn, we’re going to the Super Bowl.’ You just say it randomly.”
And contrary to speculation, he says there is no issue with the knee injury that kept him out of the final two games of the regular season.
“If there was an issue on my knee, it would be on the injury report,” Gurley said. “Come on now. I’m at practice. I’m playing.”
Gurley, who won the Offensive Player of the Year award at NFL Honors the night before last year’s Super Bowl in Minnesota, doesn’t mind working this year.
“I’m used to going to the Super Bowl, being with my boys, hanging out,” Gurley said. “But we actually get a chance to play in it this year.
“So it’s cool, man. It’s a great feeling. We’re all happy. I’m happy. It’s no better feeling than how we’re feeling right now.”
Considering Gurley’s elite production in his two seasons playing for McVay and the New England Patriots’ struggles against running backs in the passing game — they allowed two touchdown receptions to Kansas City Chiefs running back Damian Williams — Gurley’s performance might be the most important X factor in Super Bowl LIII.
“You live for moments like that, but like I said, you live, you learn,” Gurley said. “I don’t give a damn what I do, honestly. I just want to win.”
Gurley and McVay both attempted to take the blame for the running back’s usually unproductive performance in the NFC Championship Game.
Gurley had just 13 yards from scrimmage on four carries and a reception in the Rams’ comefrom-behind, 26-23 overtime win in New Orleans.
The yardage represents the least productive game of his four-year career. He had 14 yards from scrimmage on seven touches in his NFL debut Sept. 27, 2015, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I for sure should have done a better job of getting Todd more involved,” McVay said. “The opportunities were so limited. He did a lot of good things. We didn’t get as many attempts as we would have liked to. … Credit New Orleans. They did a good job.”
Veteran C.J. Anderson had more snaps and more carries than Gurley for the second consecutive playoff week.
Gurley led the NFL with 21 touchdowns and was second with 89.4 yards rushing per game.
“I thought C.J. had some tough, hard runs,” McVay said, “but I definitely think I should have gotten Todd a little bit more involved.”
Anderson carried 16 times for 44 yards and had a 5-yard reception in 37 snaps. Gurley was on the field for 32 of the Rams’ 69 offensive plays and did not touch the ball for the entire third quarter.
Anderson has had 466 yards and four touchdowns on 82 carries in the four games since he signed with the Rams as a free agent.
“That’s my teammate,” Gurley said of Anderson. “That’s my boy. We help each other out. … Whoever comes on the team, we embrace them.”
McVay pushed back against the notion that Gurley, who sat out the final two games of the regular season with a knee injury, continues to carry an injury.
“To start, Todd is healthy and he’s feeling good,” McVay said. “He sure looked pretty healthy on that touchdown run where he ran through guys and demonstrated some explosion.”
Gurley told ESPN after the New Orleans game that he just didn’t play well.
“I was sorry as hell today,” Gurley said. “I was sorry. So, C.J. did his thing and the whole team did its thing.”
Said McVay: “I think it epitomizes what’s right about our football team, the ownership that he talks about, with regards to him saying, ‘I’ve got to play a bit better.’ ”
McVay made sure to praise Gurley for his “unbelievable” 6yard touchdown run, which pulled the Rams within 13-10 with 23 seconds left in the first half.
A day later, he praised his running back for his work in pass protection.
“One of the things that doesn’t show up,” McVay said, “if you watch some of the two-minute drills, when they were bringing some zone dogs, different things like that, watching the way that Todd Gurley ends up putting his face on some people in protection, enabling Jared to be able to sit in the pocket and make a third-down conversion to Brandin Cooks on a big-time drive that leads to a touchdown.”
Pro Football Focus gave Gurley its worst rating among Rams’ offensive players in the game. He was credited with allowing two quarterback pressures, including a quarterback hit and a hurry.
Gurley allowed just six pressures for the entire regular season, according to PFF.
“He didn’t have a lot of opportunities to play much better, so I think that’s where I’ve got some ownership in that as well,” McVay said. “The great thing about it is, he’ll get a chance to make a big-time contribution and have a big role in our game against the Patriots.”