National Football League

Rams RB Kyren Williams tops 1,000 scrimmage yards, shows shades of Todd Gurley

Published Dec. 17, 2023 10:45 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay knows how valuable running back Kyren Williams is to his offense.

Just look at the team's win-loss record with and without the second-year back.

The Rams were 1-3 when Williams missed four games with an ankle injury. With him in the lineup, Los Angeles is 6-4 this season. So, with Williams topping 100 rushing yards for the fifth time this year on Sunday, it's no surprise the Rams earned a 28-20 victory over the visiting Washington Commanders at SoFi Stadium.

With the win, the Rams moved to 7-7 on the season, have won four of their past five games and now hold the final wild-card spot in the NFC with three games remaining. The loss dropped the Commanders to 4-10, eliminating them from postseason contention.

"This is a guy that's put in the work," McVay said about Williams. "He's got that growth mindset that you have heard us talk about. I'm really happy for him. And I just love how he keeps being able to take steps in the right direction, keep being coachable. Keep being accountable.

"He's made a huge difference. When he's in the lineup and when he's not in the lineup, it's a very different thing for us. And I could say that about a couple guys. But he has been a big spark plug for us."

The Notre Dame product finished with 152 rushing yards and a score. Williams surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards on the year, the first time a Rams running back has accomplished that feat since Todd Gurley in 2019.

Williams has a long way to go before joining the same stratosphere as Gurley, the No. 10 overall selection in the 2014 draft. However, Williams' ability to create explosive plays in the running game and as a pass-catcher are reminiscent of attributes Gurley showed during his time with the Rams.

On the season, Williams has 953 rushing yards, 192 receiving yards (1,145) and 11 total touchdowns. He lost two fumbles Sunday, but fortunately for the Rams, the Commanders could not turn those miscues into points.

Williams said he still wants to top 1,000 rushing yards and is pleased that his production has led to success for his team.

"Most importantly, we're winning," he said. "We're playing good ball in all three phases. A thousand [scrimmage] yards is cool. That's something I work for every season. I told myself this year that it's unacceptable if I don't get 1,000 [rushing yards]. I don't have 1,000 rushing yards yet, but I've got 1,000 scrimmage yards, so I've got to keep going."

Williams also has been a benefactor of defenses working to take away Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua in L.A.'s explosive passing game.

According to Next Gen Stats, Williams has faced a light box (six or fewer defenders near the line of scrimmage) in 65.6% percent of his carries this season, the second-highest rate among running backs with a minimum of 50 carries. Williams has a league-high 660 yards against light boxes.

The Rams run three-receiver sets a league-high 93.8% of the time because of Kupp and Nacua's effectiveness as run blockers. That allows McVay to manipulate how teams defend the run by having to deal with formations and personnel that lend themselves to throwing the football.

"Kyren's done such a great job for us," Kupp said. "He's made big-time plays, big runs. And even when things break down, he's done a great job of getting back to the line of scrimmage and keeping the ball moving.

"He's playing really well right now. I know he wants a few plays back, but overall he's playing really good football."

While Williams and the rest of his team are trending in the right direction, McVay knows a playoff spot isn't guaranteed.

"I'm not surprised, but the story isn't written yet," McVay said. "If the season ended right now, then you're excited. But man, there's a lot of football left. And there's a lot of teams in contention. But hey, let's see what the hell we can do on Thursday with a great challenge moving forward [against the New Orleans Saints].

"But I love working with this group. I like the steadiness. To be 4-1 coming off the bye, let's see if we can go get our fifth against a great challenge in the Saints."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.