Gurley MIA

[trents]

To me, this is the weirdest dimension of not only the SB but the playoffs as a whole.

What in the world is going on here with Gurley? Does he need a shrink? Is he in Lavay's dog house? What is going on there? No using him takes away a major dimension of the Ram's offense and makes them much easier to defense against.

They said things like "he couldn't get into the flow of the game" and "we're trying to get him focused." Come on now! What is being covered up here?

[NorthHawk]

If it is a physical injury, they could be in deep trouble for not reporting it.
That leads us to believe he's either on the outs with the coach or was simply beaten out by Anderson.

[trents]

The Rams repeatedly stated TG was healthy. I just can't buy the angle that he got beat out by Anderson. Gurley was one of the best backs in the NFL when healthy. They only got Anderson for security during the part of the season when Gurley was hurt. Anderson is a tough inside runner but not a big play threat like Gurley. So, if Gurley was healthy then I see no reason to switch gears to Anderson. Something else is going on there that LA is not revealing.

[RiverDog]

He didn't get very many touches in the NFCCG, either, carrying the ball 4 times for 10 yards and 1 catch for 3 yards, and if my memory is correct, he got pulled in the first half of the Cowboys game due to having an easy pass bounce off his hands for an INT, although he did bounce back later to have a solid game.

I'm suspicious of Gurley's commitment. He doesn't seem bothered at all about his non use, shrugging it off by saying "it's cool, man...it's a team game." He had a similar attitude during the NFCCG. He just stands on the sidelines, showing little if any emotion. Something's not right about him.

[trents]

He didn't get very many touches in the NFCCG, either, carrying the ball 4 times for 10 yards and 1 catch for 3 yards, and if my memory is correct, he got pulled in the first half of the Cowboys game due to having an easy pass bounce off his hands for an INT, although he did bounce back later to have a solid game.

I'm suspicious of Gurley's commitment. He doesn't seem bothered at all about his non use, shrugging it off by saying "it's cool, man...it's a team game." He had a similar attitude during the NFCCG. He just stands on the sidelines, showing little if any emotion. Something's not right about him.

This! There is more to this story than he or the Rams or letting on.

[Zorn76]

He looked fine physically when he did carry the ball, including a couple runs where he cut ok and showed a burst of speed.
He skipped media day while clearing out locker, and his recent comments are strange considering it could be the only time he plays in a SB. Almost seems like a case of stage fright.

As it is, the Rams where overwhelmed by the spectacle of the Super Bowl. McVay forgot how to call his offense, Goff looked like he was a lost kid at Disneyland, and their running game was crap. The only one on LA's sideline that was doing any kind of coaching was Wade Phillips.

Worst SB I've seen.

F the Pats.

[trents]

It was the strangest SB I've ever watched from several angles. Kind of boring, actually, except for the intrigue surrounding Gurley. Do you remember back when Vince Young was such a head trip out of Texas when he went to the Titans? Kind of like that.

[RiverDog]

It was the strangest SB I've ever watched from several angles. Kind of boring, actually, except for the intrigue surrounding Gurley. Do you remember back when Vince Young was such a head trip out of Texas when he went to the Titans? Kind of like that.

Take your seat with the rest of everyone else in here regarding the quality of the SB game.

The difference between Young and Gurley is that Young never really did perform very well and is universally considered a bust while Gurley has performed at an All Pro level.

But I hear what you are saying. IMO Young not only was over rated talent wise, he obviously did not have the mental discipline to succeed in the NFL. The guy did so poorly on his Wonderlic that he was either a complete moron or, which I find more likely, he didn't apply himself. I'm not prepared to accuse Gurley of not applying himself, but clearly something beyond what we have been told is going on with him.

[idhawkman]

Isnt' gurly up for a new contract this year (maybe next)? Maybe he started hearing footsteps and losing his vision for the holes after being injured yet again. They use the guy heavily through the season and he may be used up by the end of the season (gun shy).

Maybe....

[NorthHawk]

Gurley is signed up to the end of 2023, but he has some massive Cap hits ahead.

2019: $9.2 million
2020: $17.25 million
2021: $13.2 million
2022: $14.2 million
2023: $$12.5 million

Contracts can be renegotiated, of course, but it's a big hit to the Cap room if they don't
really believe in him like what we assume happened in the SB.

[mykc14]

Gurley is signed up to the end of 2023, but he has some massive Cap hits ahead.

2019: $9.2 million
2020: $17.25 million
2021: $13.2 million
2022: $14.2 million
2023: $$12.5 million

Contracts can be renegotiated, of course, but it's a big hit to the Cap room if they don't
really believe in him like what we assume happened in the SB.

They can also cut him and save money, for example in 2020 they can cut him and save 5 mil so if there is anything really going on they can actually save money by getting rid of him after next year. I'm not saying they will or it's a good move, but if there are issues between him and the team and you can save money by getting rid of him lots of teams will pull the trigger.

[NorthHawk]

His dead cap hit in 2020 is $12.6 million so it would have an impact on the Rams and Goff will be coming
up for his contract, too pretty soon. They're going to have some interesting decisions to make.

[mykc14]

His dead cap hit in 2020 is $12.6 million so it would have an impact on the Rams and Goff will be coming
up for his contract, too pretty soon. They're going to have some interesting decisions to make.

Right, but if they have him on the roster it would cost them 17 million. Either way his cap number in 2020 is bad... either you are paying a RB 17 mil or you have a 12 mil dead cap hit.

[RiverDog]

Isnt' gurly up for a new contract this year (maybe next)? Maybe he started hearing footsteps and losing his vision for the holes after being injured yet again. They use the guy heavily through the season and he may be used up by the end of the season (gun shy).

Maybe....

There's a rumor floating around that Gurley's been nursing a knee injury he sustained way back in Week 1 but that the Rams have been less than honest to the media about it. Both Gurley and the Rams claim he's fine, and you don't see any of the medical staff coming over to him when he's on the sidelines. The league has some pretty stiff penalties if a team is determined to have hidden the injury status of one of their players, so although his health may be a factor in his usage, it's clearly not the sole reason.

Most teams and players push all their chips to the center of the table in the Super Bowl, but in the biggest game in his career, Gurley had just 11 touches in a close game where the Rams offense was struggling, and that followed another close game two weeks earlier in his biggest game to that point where he had just 5 touches.

CJ Anderson played well for the Rams, especially in their first playoff game vs. the Cowboys, so that's obviosuly one factor in the equation. But it doesn't explain Gurley's helmet in hand, blank stare, and lack of any kind of enthusiasm when he's not in the game. He seems completely detached.

Something is clearly amiss.

[trents]

Good way of putting it, River: "Completely detached." That describes it perfectly.