Los Angeles Rams Need Todd Gurley to Step Up in Second Half of 2016

At 3-4, the Los Angeles Rams will need all of the help they can get from Todd Gurley in order to turn things around.

After a surprise 3-1 start, the Los Angeles Rams seemed to be capable of making a playoff run in the NFC, but those hopes are quickly vanishing as the team enters their bye week on a three game losing streak.

While there’s numerous reasons behind the team’s struggles over the last three games, the one key factor that could play a major difference in the second half of the season is the production level of running back Todd Gurley.

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Expectations were high for Gurley entering his second season with the Rams after taking home Rookie of the Year honors in 2015, but the running back has struggled to get things rolling over the first seven games. In Gurley’s defense, most running backs are going to struggle when opposing defenses are focused on stacking the box more as Los Angeles has one of the weakest receiving corps in the league.

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Just look at the way Case Keenum looked against the New York Giants in Week 7, and it’s easy to understand why defenses focus more on shutting down a dangerous threat like Gurley.

If the Rams were more consistent in the passing game, there’s a good chance Gurley wouldn’t be sitting at a disappointing 403 rushing yards with three touchdowns over the first seven games. For a running back that many thought would be a strong candidate to take home the rushing title at the start of the season, it’s embarrassing to think a player with the talent level of Gurley has yet to record a 100-yard rushing game in 2016.

Making the playoffs seems like a long shot at this point for the Rams, but stranger things have happened in the NFL as this team could certainly turn things around in the second half of the season. But if that’s going to have any chance of happening, it’s going to come down to Gurley figuring out a way to improve his production, even if he is at a disadvantage when compared to most running backs.