Todd Gurley spent 2018 being hailed as an MVP candidate. C.J. Anderson spent 2018 getting cut by the Broncos, the Panthers and the Raiders. And now they’re teammates, and with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Rams trusted Anderson more.
Anderson out-played Gurley in today’s win over the Saints, having more carries for more yards, catching the ball better and performing better in pass protection. Gurley had two early drops that were incredibly costly, one going through his hands for an interception and another coming on third down and forcing the Rams to kick when they should have had a first down.
By the end of the game, Rams coach Sean McVay was sticking with Anderson to carry most of the load, and quarterback Jared Goff said afterward that the Rams just decided to stick with Anderson because he was playing better.
“C.J. was running the ball well. I expect Todd to have a hell of a game in the Super Bowl, though,” Goff said on FOX after the game.
There was some talk that Gurley was sidelined because he may have been injured, but the Rams said he was healthy, and it was just a coach’s decision to go to Anderson. And the reality is, it was a smart decision: Ever since he arrived in Los Angeles a month ago, Anderson has been more effective than Gurley. No one should be surprised if Anderson is the one who carries the load in the Super Bowl.
