I always have called Football the chess of sports, I love how tactical it is and how an inferior team of players can beat a better team based on better coaching and game planning etc. There really is nothing else like it. With that said, I tend to think McVay looks at film of the Rams and tries to see what the opposing DC will be seeing and planning against. If I think you are going to do everything in your power to stop Gurley and in turn that opens up other plays such as screens and bubbles etc, then I could see where he decides to game plan in such a way. The problem with this is that you are relying more on outsmarting the other team as opposed to outplaying them, I believe you need both to be elite, So you outsmart while featuring your gamers, not at the expense of them.
McVay will figure it out. He is a super young first year head coach.