Gurley 2nd in the NFL in rushing attempts

Just to make sure, we are being accurate here. The reality is this:

Gurley is #2 in the NFL with 244 rushing attempts only behind Elliot at 268. There are only 6 guys with more than 200 attempts.


Why is it that Gurley runs so much more than runningbacks?


My theory is because the Rams don’t give away plays on runs that have no chance of being successful? Hence, when Gurley runs, it is with a purpose and the Rams offense is successful. More success equals more first downs which equals more opportunity to run.

So the reality of it, is by not forcing runs, the runs are more successful, which means more first downs, which means more run attempts.

The worst thing the Rams cannot do right now is dummy down the offense and go back to Fisher Ball, Run, Run, Pass, Punt.

[www.nfl.com]

I have no problem running the ball 11 times when you can’t get it done and average 2.5 yards per carry. In fact, I would say the running at the 2.5 yards per carry was the catalyst of the poor passing game last night. A bigger problem is the Rams never got any tempo and rhythm going. Too much screwing around at the line of scrimmage and letting the play clock wind down, sometimes calling a timeout. The screen game was dreadful on poor execution with blocks. The untimely penalties, in addition, to the poor running game put the Rams in bad down and distance situations. The Rams missed Kupp tremendously in the passing game to be able to catch in traffic. The poor offensive line resulted in not being able to do misdirection plays because the timing was so off.

I believe by playing with more tempo and getting it going, the Bears defense would have softened up. When I looked at the down and distance chart, there were so many drives that got put in back situations because a run got stuffed off the get go or there was a penalty.


I guess, the Rams could have thrown in the towel last night and try to run it up the gut and play the field goal game because of the poor offensive line play, but easy to say after the fact when the approach that has worked so well the last 2 years, just didn’t work last night.

I for one hope McVay doesn’t lose his mojo and play scared and start running and punting to avoid turnovers. We saw too much of that from 2005 – 2016 and I really don’t care to see it again. I rather see this playoff team that puts up 30 points a game and the treat of great offensive football, something we haven't seen since Mike Martz in the early 2000's. McVay is the #2 in the NFL right now behind Belicheck and most of it is his approach to offensive football and not giving up downs just to say, we ran the ball even though nothing gets done.