Los Angeles Rams: 3 Bold predictions for Todd Gurley in 2017
The Los Angeles Rams need Todd Gurley to be great in order for them to have a successful season. Here are thre bold predictions for him in 2017.
Call it a sophomore slump if you want, but Todd Gurley is not to blame for the Los Angeles Rams' terrible offense in 2016. According to Pro Football Reference, the Rams had the worst scoring offense in the entire NFL last season. If you want to know why LA finished 4-12, that's a huge reason why.
These guys only scored 14 points per game in 2016. No, you don't have to clear your eyes. I promise that you read that sentence correctly.
That being said, they didn't have the league's worst passing offense last season. Pro Football Focus noted that the Rams only had 40 more passing yards than the NFL's worst passing attack. Bad quarterback play and bad coaching ultimately led to Todd Gurley's decline in production. I don't like blaming people, but Jared Goff must be better in 2017 for the rest of the team to find success.
That being said, if these new coaches in Los Angeles can squeeze every ounce of averageness out of Goff, Gurley is going to have one heck of a 2017 season. Just wait and see.
Dec 4, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs during the second half of the New England Patriots 26-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
3. Gurley will rush for over 1,500 yards in 2017
Last year was a complete disaster for the Los Angles Rams. We all knew that things were going to be a little rocky, especially when the quarterback position was a question mark. That being said, Todd Gurley can help make things right with Rams fans in 2017.
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According to Pro Football Focus, Gurley only rushed for 885 yards last season. However, I would caution you to not blame the former Georgia Bulldog for the lack of production on the ground.
Newly hired head coach Sean McCoy and also, newly hired offensive coordinator Matt LeFleur will go a long way in helping Gurley reach the 1,500-yard mark in 2017. Both guys have had success in the NFL, especially in the passing game.
You may be wondering how that would help Todd Gurley reach 1,500 yards this season.
The simple answer is this: If these two coaches can help Jared Goff get the Rams passing game to an average level, defenses are going to be forced to not load the box. Therefore, giving Gurley more room to move and find running lanes.
It's practically impossible to run the football when you have zero threat of a passing attack. I expect Goff to make big strides in 2017 and this will ultimately help Gurley as well.
Dec 27, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) spikes the ball after scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
2. Todd Gurley Will Finish 2017 With 20 Total Touchdowns
Over his first two seasons in the NFL, Todd Gurley has only rushed for 16 total touchdowns. Heck, he doesn't even have a receiving touchdown yet in his young career. However, that's going to change in a big way in 2017.
If the Rams are going to be successful, they know they have to find ways to get Gurley in open space. Simply putting him in the backfield and expecting him to find open lanes just isn't going to work. If we're being honest, there's not one running back in this league that can be successful with that approach.
This is why I believe that Matt LeFleur is going to feature Gurley in so many different ways this season. LeFleur saw how well Kyle Shanahan did this with Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman with the Falcons; I fully expect him to use those things he learned in Atlanta with the Rams offense going forward.
Once Los Angeles figures out the correct way to use Todd Gurley's abilities, this kid is going to be one of the Rams' best running backs of all-time.
Dec 17, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
1. Todd Gurley will be the NFC West's best running back in 2017
If for whatever reason you're an Arizona Cardinals fan and reading this post, you need to just calm down and take a deep breath. Just because the Rams offense was terrible in 2016, doesn't mean Todd Gurley isn't one of the best running backs in the entire NFL. Not even David Johnson could have been successful in that 2016 Los Angeles offense.
That being said, in Cardinals fans' defense, Johnson is the guy that Gurley will be replacing as the division's top back in 2017. I'm not a huge fan of Carlos Hyde or Eddie Lacy, especially when those two are being compared to a player like Gurley.
Like we've talked about before, if Sean McVay and Matt LeFleur can get the Rams' passing attack to, at least, mediocre in 2017, Gurley is going to have one heck of a season. Plus, I would be shocked to see David Johnson go for over 3,000 yards-from-scrimmage again this year.
NFL defensive coordinators adjust too quickly to teams that can only do things one way; I don't see Johnson having that much success again in 2017.
