RB Todd Gurley sees '12 people on the field'

Rams RB Todd Gurley sees '12 people on the field'
By Alden Gonzalez

[www.espn.com]

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Case Keenum said he was "seeing ghosts" last week.

Now apparently so is Todd Gurley.

"It's crazy," the Rams' star running back said after Friday's practice. "I'm like, 'Man, that's 12 people on the field!'"

Gurley was referring to the amount of players opposing defenses are stacking in the box to prevent him from running the ball effectively. The second-year pro has amassed only 98 yards on 36 carries through the first two weeks and is averaging 0.89 yards before first contact, a clear indication that opposing defenses are penetrating the line of scrimmage to suffocate Gurley every time he touches the ball.

"Sometimes that's a good thing," Gurley said, "because if you get past the first level, then you're going. But you have to get past the first level first."

Gurley hasn't been able to do much of that yet. He's averaging 2.7 yards per carry, which ranked 38th out of 44 qualified running backs after Week 2, and has broken off runs of more than five yards only 11 percent of the time. It's the biggest reason why the Rams remain the only NFL team without a touchdown. Veteran left guard Rodger Saffold recently called establishing the running game "a group effort," saying the offensive line needs to do a better job of picking up blitz schemes and that Gurley is still developing his decision-making ability.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held Gurley to only 48 yards on 21 carries late last season, in a game that saw the Rams win by a 31-23 score and Gurley reach 1,000 yards for the season.

He knows they'll be focusing on him again.

"They know we're going to run the ball," Gurley said. "Every team, their job is to not get ran on. Teams have been doing a pretty job with containing us. We just have to go out there and win our one-on-ones -- and run the ball."