One of the biggest mysteries surrounding the Los Angeles Rams’ deep postseason run was the bizarre usage of Todd Gurley. He received just 14 carries in the last two games combined, including only 10 in the Rams’ Super Bowl loss.
The Rams had C.J. Anderson taking touches away from Gurley, too, but it’s not as if he was especially dominant against the Saints or Patriots, either. Many have speculated that Gurley wasn’t healthy in the postseason, but Sean McVay says that wasn’t the case.
It was simply a matter of him not using Gurley properly, which he reiterated at the NFL combine on Thursday.
Gurley has been used more than any other player in the NFL the last two seasons, receiving the most touches, gaining the most yards and scoring the most touchdowns of anyone. However, that heavy workload took a toll on his body, which McVay acknowledged.
“He’s feeling good. Anytime you go through the amount of work he got specifically this season, there’s going to be a toll it takes on your body,” McVay said. “But from a physical and really a mental standpoint, he’s in a good place and we’re excited about how Todd’s feeling moving into the offseason.”
We may never know if Gurley was truly hurt, but two things are clear: He had some wear and tear on his body, and McVay didn’t use him properly in the last two games.
Beyond that, the only additional information we might get is whether he has surgery on his knee, which McVay said on Thursday will not happen.
