Todd Gurley/200 carries: will he and should he?

[MrRavenAge]

What is your feeling about whether Todd Gurley will have 200 or more carries in his rookie year and whether, given his injury and the presence of Tre Mason, he should be used that much in 2015?

 

[MrRavenAge]

I think he will... but probably should not.

In my ideal scenario, he'd get about 75 carries in the first half of the season, and maybe 100 in the second half. Mason is capable of carrying the rest of the load. This would give us the benefit of Gurley's production and big play potential, but allow him to really put the ACL repair behind him before he becomes the workhorse.

Of course, I won't mind if he gets 20+ carries per game in this year's playoffs.

 

[RamsJunkie]

you stole my avitar and put sneads head on it!

 

[MrRavenAge]

you stole my avitar and put sneads head on it!

I'm sure you will have your vengeance... in this life or the next.

 

[Alan]

Some of us don't have an opinion on this we because we aren't privy to the medical info we'd need to make an intelligent decision.

If you had given us a fifth choice like this: "He should if it's prudent and his doctors think his knee can hold up under that the workload" we'd all have chosen that. I'm going to choose that right now.

I'm sure we'd all like him to get 300+ touches because that would mean that A) we almost always had a big lead and rarely had to pass, B) his rushing prowess probably built that big lead and last but not least C) his knee was holding up under the workload.

 

[DaveFan'51]

What is your feeling about whether Todd Gurley will have 200 or more carries in his rookie year and whether, given his injury and the presence of Tre Mason, he should be used that much in 2015?

Welcome to ROD!! Nice start with this Poll Question!! But, to answer your question, I don't think he will or should, this 1st year! Love your Avatar, But you better look out for @RamsJunkie, he WILL get even!!

 

[RAGRam]

I'm projecting a Tyrann Mathieu like comeback, he got injured (torn ACL, and LCL) the second to last game of 2013, was back for week 2 of 2014, of course Gurley was injured a month earlier, so should be ready for week 1.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Some of us don't have an opinion on this we because we aren't privy to the medical info we'd need to make an intelligent decision.

Stop trying to introduce intelligence into fan discussions.

They are mutually exclusive concepts!!

 

[Memento]

He won't and shouldn't while he recovers. Mason is perfectly capable of handling a big load, and Cunningham should take third down duties. Not to mention that we still have to pass the ball thirty times a game (because even Russell Wilson passed an average of twenty-eight times-per-game). Too many targets to ignore the passing game like that.

Let the kid recover first, and then let's talk about two-hundred touches a season.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Yes & HELL YES!!!!

 

[bwdenverram]

Unless he pulls an Adrian Peterson and is ready week 1 or first 3 weeks there is no reason to put a full load on him. Mason is a 1,000 yard capable back as well. As Fish said this is our bell cow for the next 5-10 years. No reason to risk anything day one.

EDIT- And that's not easy to say because I want him to start day 1 for sure.

 

[Legatron4]

This is how I want it to go:
Gurley- 150
Mason- 150
Cunningham- 80
Austin- 50

We should have 400 carries this year.

 

[RaminExile]

If he's not FULLY - and I mean fully as in stronger than he ever has been before healed, then I wouldn't care if he got no carries at all this year.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Yes & HELL YES!!!!

 

[DCH]

Yes and yes. It SOUNDS like his knee will be totally ready to go by the regular season, and he's a f***ing monster, so... yes.

 

[Moostache]

If he's not FULLY - and I mean fully as in stronger than he ever has been before healed, then I wouldn't care if he got no carries at all this year.

I agree...the pick already makes me nervous (taking damaged goods that high in the draft is like buying a used, older luxury vehicle...it might work out as a bargain and give you a Jag or a Benz for the price of a Kia, but it also might end up costing you huge in repairs and rentals as stop gaps - in this case trips to the DL and missed seasons); but if he is not completely healed and recovered, then keep him off the field until he is.

If somehow Gurley is fully healed, I still would avoid trying to feed him too many carries and have him absorb too many hits. Maybe he really will be the reincarnation of Herchel Walker and just too good to keep off the field, but with Mason available, neither back should go much over 240 carries (15 touches per game) unless the other is injured or unproductive.

If all backs are healthy:
15 carries - Gurley
15 carries - Mason
5 carries - Austin
5 carries - others

If Gurley is not healthy:
20 carries - Mason
10 carries - Cunningham
5 carries - Austin
5 carries - others

That is ~40 carries a game. 35-40 runs/30-35 passes is about the balance I think Fisher would like. He is not Ground Chuck after all, just the closest thing left in the modern NFL...LOL!

I still think an ACL injury in November is really pushing it too hard to play less than 12 months post surgery, but the doctors and coaches and Gurley will make that call.

 

[A55VA6]

Not this year. I want to see him get 200+ carries but coming off an ACL, i'd rather be a little safe with him. We still have Tre and Benny to take some of the carries.

 

[MrRavenAge]

Interesting votes so far, and not entirely what I expected.

I know that none of us are privy to Gurley's medical information, but logic would dictate that time is a factor in healing, and he may need a "pitch count" as a rookie. I just wonder if the Rams will be able to resist the temptation to feature him once he starts showing what he can do.

 

[Warner4Prez]

Honestly, hold him off until after the bye. Even if they're confident he's 95%, just wait. Ideally, he can step in around midway through the season at 100% and chewing at the bit to give a fresh set of legs and carry us into the playoffs.

 

[A55VA6]

Interesting votes so far, and not entirely what I expected.

I know that none of us are privy to Gurley's medical information, but logic would dictate that time is a factor in healing, and he may need a "pitch count" as a rookie. I just wonder if the Rams will be able to resist the temptation to feature him once he starts showing what he can do.

Agreed.

And your avatar is rad. lol