The Gurley Mystery

What the H-E double hockey sticks is going on with Todd Gurley?

After signing a ridiculous 4 year $57.5M contract with $45M guaranteed in the off season, Todd Gurley ran for 35 yards in the Super Bowl on only ten carries. Gurley totaled 1251 yards in 2018 following his 1305 yard rushing performance in 2017, and despite an apparent knee injury in week 16 vs. the Eagles (gaining only 48 yards) he blasted the Cowboys defense for 16 carries and 115 yards in the Divisional playoff game in LA. In the NFC Championship game in New Orleans he carried 4 times for a pathetic 10 yards. What happened?
Is he hurt or isn’t he? If he is, then Coach McVay and the Rams are required to list him on the IR. Questionable, probable, whatever, if he’s hurt, the league, the opponent and the gamblers are required to have this information disclosed.

If he’s not hurt, why are we not seeing an elite running back in this league rushing more than 4 times in the NFC Championship game and for only 35 yards in the Super Bowl? I get it if he is injured, but that performance against Dallas says otherwise. If he has a lingering knee problem, then address it, he had an ACL injury while in college playing for Georgia.
If he’s not hurt, did McVay suddenly lose faith in Gurley after the Dallas game?

Is CJ Anderson, picked up in mid-season Gurley’s new replacement? C’mon, that load was good for a few quarters but he’s not the answer.
Did Sean Payton and Bill Belichick find a magic potion to figure out how to defense Gurley? It didn’t seem like either coach resorted to anything to nullify Gurley specifically.

If he is hurt, wheel him in to the OR and take care of that knee once and for all, even if he has to sit a year. This stud is an investment.
What are we to think when one of the best RBs in the league is on the sidelines riding a stationary bicycle while his teammates and CJ Anderson is on the field? And smiling? WTF?

If he was benched for some behavioral problem, then he wouldn’t play at all or wouldn’t even be there as a reminder. And wouldn’t be smiling.
He had no apparent attitude, was not showing any anger about not playing. Understandably, if a player is benched, either for performance or his behavior, you’d be able to tell. That player would be jonesing to get back into the game and compete. His frustration would be easy to spot.

It wasn’t like they were splitting reps trying to find an answer or anything. The Patriots and Saints did stuff the run, but this was more than the Rams giving up on Gurley early in a game.

This Bozo has a feeling that all is not right with Todd Gurley mentally. Either that or he got his guaranteed money and is now saying FU, doesn’t matter what you do, I’m rich!

I witnessed Gurley purposely not score twice at the near end of games to help his team run out the clock. In one case it made sense, in the other, it was just plain stupid. He actually tried not to score and then did score on the next play. I don’t think he’s too bright. And now he might not be too motivated. Why should he risk his knees, he’s already got the grand prize? My feeling is, he’s not all that competitive anymore and is content to coast. What are the Rams gonna do about it? Trade him? To who? Who’s going to pick up this contract for a potential slacker? Nobody who has done any investigation to figure this out, that is. McVay and the Rams brass have a big problem. Gurley is eating up tons of cap space and is unmotivated.

And Todd is simply SMILING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK!

-HB