Unleash Todd Gurley On Sunday

After two weeks of waiting, it appears the St. Louis Rams are finally going to get the chance to play rookie running back Todd Gurley. Gurley, the number 10 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, has been on a plan to return for this weekend’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as he recovers from a torn ACL last fall while he was at Georgia.

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After a dismal performance on the ground in a 24-10 loss to the Washington Redskins – which saw Tre Mason have the most rushing yards from the running back position with 26 yards – the Rams need an insertion of running talent in the backfield. Todd Gurley is just the person to do that which is why Jeff Fisher and Frank Cignetti need to ensure Gurley plays a full workload this Sunday.

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Gurley appears ready for a full work load. He was not on the Rams Wednesday injury report. He was listed on the Rams Thursday injury report as a full participant, but remember the Thursday injury report is a projection for the Rams as they have changed their team day off from Tuesday to Thursday. Allow Wednesday’s injury report, and comments from Jeff Fisher, to be a good indication of Gurley’s current injury status.

“He’s had two good days,” Fisher said following Wednesday’s practice. “He had a good day today in pads and he had a good day in the three-quarter speed practice yesterday. So he’ll get a day off tomorrow and we’ll see how he is Friday.”

This came along with Nick Foles commenting on Gurley’s increased reps in practice, also a good indicator that he is ready to go. Gurley has reportedly been on the plan to play in Week 4 since early in the preseason, but all signs point towards Gurley being ready to play earlier than that.

As for #Rams RB Todd Gurley, don’t expect him the first 3 weeks. Team wants to make sure he’s back fully from his ACL injury. Often 10 mos.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 9, 2015

Anyone who watched Gurley play at Georgia knows the dynamic player he can be. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry in three seasons at Georgia, scoring 36 touchdowns on the ground in that time. He also hauled in 65 receptions and six touchdowns in that time. This playmaking ability will not only add another dimension to the Rams offense, it will help cover some of the offensive line problems that the Rams have encountered through two weeks.

The Rams have struggled to acclimate their two rookies, right tackle Rob Havenstein and left guard Jamon Brown, into their offense after a strong preseason. They have also seen struggles from second-year left tackle Greg Robinson, who looks dominant at times, but struggles with consistently opening holes.

Sep 20, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins nose tackle Chris Baker (92) pressures St. Louis Rams quarterback Nick Foles (5) during the second half at FedEx Field. The Washington Redskins won 24 – 10. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Gurley’s ability to make men miss, break tackles and convert speed into power make him the ideal person to help the Rams rush offense. The Rams are currently averaging just 71.5 yards per game on the ground and only 3.7 yards per carry – good for 27th and 22nd, respectively. They are tied with the New England Patriots for the 5th fewest rushing attempts in the NFL, and have the 8th fewest 1st downs converted on the ground. St. Louis need that balance to open up their passing attack for Nick Foles.

Not only will Gurley’s presence allow for a better rushing game, but will give Foles a chance to use the play-action passing game, which has been ineffective through the opening two games. This will also help players such as Robinson and Havenstein, giving them more time to set up in pass protection.

With Gurley back, the Rams have a chance to be more like the team that defeated the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks rather than the team that gained just 213 yards against the Washington Redskins.

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