Gurley on forgoing TD: 'Forget fantasy and forget Vegas'
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates a 29-27 win over the Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley isn't interested in your fantasy team or about any wager you made.
Gurley insists he's only interested in keeping the Rams on the fast track to success.
The 24-year-old made that point known as he rushed for a game-sealing first down late in Sunday's 29-27 win over the Green Bay Packers. With a clear path to the end zone, Gurley alertly put himself on the turf at the 4-yard line to go to allow the Rams (8-0) to run out the clock.
"Man, forget fantasy and forget Vegas today," the 6-foot-1, 224-pound Gurley said. "We got the win, so that's all that matters."
While fantasy owners will have their say, the Rams were favored by 7.5 points at most sportsbooks. If Gurley scored, Los Angeles would have claimed a nine-point lead.
The over/under was listed at 57.5. Had Gurley scored, the game would have surpassed that total.
Gurley is no stranger to the end zone, having scored 15 times (11 rushing, four receiving) during the first eight games of the season. He had a receiving touchdown against the Packers and finished with 195 scrimmage yards (114 rushing, 81 receiving).
By going to the ground, Gurley alertly snuffed out the admittedly long odds facing Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in their bid for a comeback. Instead, those odds became non-existent.
"Yeah, we go over this stuff every week. We know what to do in what situations. That's what makes us the team that we are -- unselfish players, situational masters -- that's what it's all about, just having that edge," Gurley said. "It's not all about talent or whatever. You know you can always beat somebody by just knowing the situations of the game. We don't want to give 12 (Rodgers) back the ball."
Rams coach Sean McVay praised his running back for seeing the big picture.
"What goes through your mind is he did a great job handling that situation," McVay said. "That's something that I think our coaches up top did a great job being able to kind of remind us all of, 'Hey let's remember this is a situation where the time is more important than the points.' We get the first down, let's go down, we can take a knee and run the clock out. When he's doing those kind of things like I said, it's powerful. It's special and he did a great job."
--WR Cooper Kupp (knee) has a "very good chance" to play this week against the Saints, coach Sean McVay said. "He's attacked his rehab just like I know we all anticipated he would, made a good recovery. I think if we really wanted to press it, he probably could've played last week," McVay said.
--QB Jared Goff was feeling ok Monday after getting sacked five times in Sunday's win over the Packers. "He got kind of whip lashed on one of the sacks that they had and had a little bit of swelling," McVay said. "But, I think he's going to be good. Nothing showed up on that. He's going to be a full participant in practice this week. He's a tough guy. He took some good shots." Goff was 19-for-35 for 295 yards and three touchdowns.
--RB Todd Gurley II had almost 200 total yards in Sunday's win over the Packers. He rushed 25 times for 114 yards and caught six passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
--DT Aaron Donald had two sacks in Sunday's win, giving him 10 at the halfway point of the season. His career high is 11 in both 2015 and 2017.
--P Johnny Hekker had his busiest game of the season, kicking seven times and averaging 45.1 yards. He also completed a 12-yard pass on a successful fake in the first half.
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