But the Rams running back could barely break through the line of scrimmage.
Gurley\u2019s seasonlong struggle continued in Sunday\u2019s 44-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at the Coliseum.
Gurley looked relieved after the game as he stood at his locker. It had become routine for the second-year pro to answer questions after each game about his inability to spring for a long gain.
Finally, Gurley wouldn\u2019t have to ponder when the big run would happen.
\u201cDidn\u2019t come,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s all good.\u201d
On Sunday, Gurley rushed for 40 yards in 14 carries. His longest run went for eight yards and he was tackled in the backfield three times. He caught four passes for 37 yards, including a short reception that he turned into a 29-yard gain in the second quarter.
Gurley would not offer any ideas about what he needed to do to gain more yards.
\u201cJust kind of is what it is at this point,\u201d he said.
The Rams\u2019 offense finished ranked last in the NFL for the second season in a row. Their rushing attack was second to last.
Lineman Rodger Saffold said the entire offense failed to create opportunities.
The Rams lost to the Cardinals, 44-6, at the Coliseum on Jan. 1 to end the season 4-12.
\u201cIf you want to be able to spring big runs you got to execute [at] all 11 [positions] and we didn\u2019t do that on a consistent basis,\u201d Saffold said.
Gurley, the NFL\u2019s offensive rookie of the year in 2015, finished with 885 yards rushing and six touchdowns, well short of the 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns he amassed in 13 games last season.
\u201cPeople maybe expect him to do more than that,\u201d said quarterback Jared Goff, \u201cbut Todd\u2019s a great player, a great teammate, a great leader. He\u2019s going to be just fine.\u201d
As a rookie, Gurley rushed for more than 100 yards in a game five times. He did not achieve the feat this season. He rushed for a season-high 85 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September.
\u201cI think he started pressing a little bit because there wasn\u2019t success that came, really at any point, especially early,\u201d interim Coach John Fassel said. \u201cFrustration set in and confidence maybe dropped, whether it was in himself or just the whole package.\u201d
Gurley said he would change his off-season approach as he looked ahead.
\u201cYou\u2019re going to have that in your mind-set to work just a little bit harder,\u201d he said, \u201ccause you don\u2019t wanna, you never wanna go through a 4-12 season again.\u201d<\/p>\n