Did Rams running back Todd Gurley lose the MVP race Monday night?

Did Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley see his run at a league MVP award end with their 54-51 win against the Kansas City Chiefs?

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley looked pretty mortal on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. The epic showdown on ESPN offered an up close look at two MVP candidates in both Gurley and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but by games end, the showdown didn’t really pan out as most fans probably expected.

Gurley, who was reportedly slowed by an ankle injury sustained during Monday night’s game, saw his production lower than what the Rams typically see from their offensive centerpiece. He rushed for 55 yards on 12 carries and added another 39 receiving yards on three catches. Most surprising is that despite the final score of 54-51, he’d never score a touchdown against the Chiefs.

As for the injury, Rams head coach Sean McVay said Gurley “got rolled up on on the far sideline”  injuring his ankle.

With the bye week, the time off should allow for his ankle to heal and be ready for their Week 13 game against the Detroit Lions.

With five games left for Los Angeles on the 2018 regular season, a lot of time is left for Gurley to resume his MVP form and keep his name in consideration for postseason honors. While quarterbacks like Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers look to now be the front-runners, a lot can still happen to keep both Gurley and Mahomes close behind should either lose pace.

Best of all for Gurley, is his role in the Rams offensive game plan. With 54 points needed to win in Week 11, Los Angeles isn’t likely to face another team the likes of the Saints or the Chiefs who score a lot. Meaning the running game will play a bigger role than it likely did on Monday night.