Todd Gurley for MVP?

Through seven games of the St. Louis Rams season, they sit at 4-3 with a 3-0 record in the NFC West. They are the only team in the division with a 3-0 record, and sit two games behind the Arizona Cardinals in the win column. This comes after starting the season 1-2 with back-to-back losses to the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Since then, the Rams are 3-1 with two road division wins. Their lone loss came in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, a team that was unbeaten at the time.

The one piece that has sparked the current streak, and has appeared to turn the fortunes on the Rams season has been rookie running back Todd Gurley. Should his current pace continue, Gurley’s name will have to be mentioned in the NFL MVP race.

Nov 1, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates after scoring a seventy one yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

In five games of NFL action, Gurley has 575 yards on 94 carries and three touchdowns in his return from a knee injury in college that stunted the start to his season and career.

After rushing six times for nine yards in his NFL debut against the Steelers, Gurley has rushed for 146, 159, 128 and 133 yards – becoming the first rookie to ever rush for 125-plus yards in four consecutive games.

He has done all of this at the age of 21, making him the youngest player to ever accomplish the feat as well. He has rushed for 566 yards in his four career starts, passing the record of 539 yards set by Billy Sims in 1980.

Through five games, the rookie sensation has vaulted to the top of the NFL with 115 yards per game and is 5th in the NFL in total rushing yards despite having between 19 and 48 carries less than each other member of the top 10 rushers.

Gurley is doing all of this despite being the lone dangerous running option in St. Louis over the past four weeks. Gurley has 575 yards on the season – the next highest yards total for a running back is Tre Mason, who has just 98 yards on the season.

The Rams 2nd leading rusher is wide receiver Tavon Austin, who has 141 yards on 17 carries. With Gurley averaging more yards per game than any other running back has on the season, teams can load the box against Gurley – but it has not worked.

Gurley does face some tough tests in the remainder of the 2015 season, but he also has chances to have huge games when the Rams take on the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, all teams in the bottom-10 of the league in total rush defense.

At his current pace, Gurley will finish the season with 263 carries for 1,610 yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 28 receptions for 190 yards. If that pace held, Gurley would have the 3rd most rushing yards in a season from a rookie in NFL history, trailing just George Rodgers and Eric Dickerson. He would also become just the second running back to ever have 13 or more games of 100 yards in a season or to rush for 100 or more yards in 13 consecutive games – joining only Barry Sanders.

Gurley could also help bring the Rams their first winning season since 2003. This could all happen despite the Rams not having their starting guard Rodger Saffold, and starting two rookies, Jamon Brown and Rob Havenstein, on the offensive line. With Gurley being the focal point of the Rams offense, these accomplishments would warrant his name being in the discussion for NFL MVP.

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While he would have to up his pace a considerable amount to catch the likes of Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and others – his ability to change the Rams season outlook makes him one of the most valuable players in the league.