The Atlanta Falcons are in desperate need of a running game. Todd Gurley was paid $5.5 million to be the remedy for this pressing issue this past offseason. I was as excited as everyone else when the signing was announced. But whether you see it as a Gurley issue or a play-calling deficiency, he just hasn’t been effective.
Not only that, but his lack of an impact has doomed the Falcons in 2020.
Coming into Sunday, the Falcons were 0-5 in games in which the team fails to rush for 80 yards. Atlanta logged 70 yards on the ground versus the Chargers. Gurley has a lot to do with that.
He has averaged a pedestrian 53.75 yards per game and he hasn’t scored since the first week of November. Gurley lacks the burst that made him so effective early on in his career. Those numbers are reflected in his terrible 2.25 yards per carry in his last seven games.
The Falcons knew that he had health issues when they signed him, but he was still supposed to be able to elevate the play in the red zone. That hasn’t happened, since the offense still ranks along the bottom of the league in red-zone efficiency. Without that burst, he makes plays like he did just last week when he was arm tackled into a 7-yard loss that doomed the Falcons in their last effort to take a lead.
The inability of the Falcons to win close games or hold their leads plays into the lack of any stable rushing attack. The only way the Falcons have been able to maintain drives is on the shoulders of Matt Ryan and the passing attack. Look, many people will be upset with the poor play of Ryan today. I agree, some of the decisions doomed offensive possessions. That being said, why did he feel the need to force passes?
I’d say it speaks to the utter lack of trust in their ability to pick up yards in the running game. At $5.5 million, Gurley was supposed to be the guy. He just hasn’t lived up to expectations.
Seven of the top-10 rushing attacks from last season made the playoffs. That’s no anomaly because this year is no different with nine of the top-10 rushing teams in position to secure a slot. Even in the pass-happy league that we’re in right now, you still need to be able to run the ball if you want sustained success.
There’s no semblance of that on this offense. That has to change.
The Falcons will have to look in another direction to find their guy this offseason, hopefully this time without the hefty price tag.