Seahawks Insider: Key to stopping the Rams is Gurley, man

Only one player has gained more yards from scrimmage this season than the Rams’ Todd Gurley.

No one has held Gurley to a lower total than Seattle, though. The Seahawks limited him to 43 yards rushing and 7 yards receiving in the Week 5 matchup.

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That’s as close as you’re going to come to pitching a shutout against Gurley, who is not only one of five players in the league who currently has more than 1,000 yards rushing, but he also has 602 yards receiving, second-most of any running back. Leveon Bell of Pittsburgh is the only player with more yards from scrimmage this season. He has 1,784.

But as good as Bell is, Gurley is even more important to his team.

“The offense is really clearly built around his ability,” coach Pete Carroll said, “and the dynamics of what he offers. Man, he’s a terrific outside runner and inside runner.

“He’s great with the ball in his hands coming out of the backfield. He can do everything.”

The Rams have been one of the league’s most well-rounded teams this season, but the two times that Gurley has been held to fewer than 90 yards from scrimmage have resulted in two of the Rams’ more significant losses.

Saying Gurley is the focal point of a defense’s approach isn’t exactly news to anyone, however.

“They know it,” Carroll said. “They’re going to him. Coaches talk about him. It’s in the stats. There’s no denying it. He’s really the centerpiece.”

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