THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Todd Gurley seemed all set to become one of the NFLs most prominent running backs when he moved west with the Los Angeles Rams.So far, his numbers arent looking good under the Hollywood spotlight.Gurley is halfway through an unimpressive season on an offense apparently incapable of getting him room to run. While his coaches praise his work ethic and mental approach, Gurley acknowledges hes simply trying not to get frustrated.Just got to stay consistent, Gurley said Friday before the Rams flew to New York. Just stay patient.Gurley is 18th in the NFL with 451 yards rushing, but his 3.1 yards per carry are the worst among the NFLs top 45 ball carriers. He hasnt broken a run longer than 33 yards all season, and his carries are declining to just 41 over the past three games.With little respect for the Rams passing game, defenses have loaded up to stop Gurley all season long -- and its working. He hasnt topped 85 yards in any game this year, and he has scored just three touchdowns.The Rams (3-5) have lost four straight as they head out to face the Jets (3-6), who have one of the NFLs best run defenses. Gurleys wait to get rolling could easily last another week, but the Rams cant afford to wait much longer for results from the leagues 31st-ranked offense.The biggest challenge for us offensively is running the football, coach Jeff Fisher said. Todd is not getting enough carries. Our passing numbers are skewed. ... His touches and his numbers need to increase significantly. Thats what we discussed, and what were working on right now.But when Gurley gets those touches, he hasnt been able to do much with them, which leads to an offense that fell behind and required Case Keenum to throw 99 passes over the last two games.The Rams are desperate for any consistency in their offense, but offensive coordinator Rob Boras realizes a steady running game would make it easier for Gurley to find the rhythm he has lacked all season. Gurley and Los Angeles offensive line simply cant execute it against those run-focused defenses.For any runner, and especially a guy like Todd ... the more carries they get, the more that theyre going to settle in, Boras said. Not only as a runner, but as the blockers, the O-line, the tight ends. Part of that is staying on the field and sustaining some drives and eliminating three-and-outs. Thats obviously what were trying to get done.Gurley and the running game seemed to be the Rams greatest offensive strength heading into this homecoming season. The Georgia product romped to 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, impressing the entire NFL with his speed and tenacity. The 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft was the Offensive Rookie of the Year despite starting just 12 games, making up for it by averaging 4.8 yards per carry.But Gurleys production hit another trough last weekend when he got 48 yards on a season-low 12 carries against Carolina. He even watched the final drive from the sideline in favor of Benny Cunningham, the Rams favored back in two-minute drill situations.The struggles have prompted Gurley to go back to the elemental foundations of his position. While his coaches havent criticized his performance, Gurley clearly has been discussing the importance of patience when hitting holes or reading blockers.Even when the hole is not there, (whats important is) still being able to just read it the same, and dont try to do nothing outside of the play, Gurley said. Just making sure youre on the same track as everybody else, because once you start to predetermine stuff, thats when you know youre not on the same page as your linemen. You try to bounce it outside. You get holding calls. You just want to stay consistent.Gurley missed two practices this week with a thigh injury, but returned at full strength Friday. He plans to play in New York, and his body feels much better than it did last season, when he missed training camp while recovering from knee surgery.You just have to stay patient, stick to the plan, keep going out there and work hard, Gurley said. Just hope that things open up, and Im pretty sure they will.---For more NFL coverage:
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www.twitter.com/AP-NFL . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. NEW YORK -- The big man was relentless. His serves crashed down like loose boulders onto a narrow mountain road. His forehand swung from one side of the court to the other with the force of a wrecking ball, demolishing the game -- and the US Open hopes -- of the little man.It was a savage beating, and on the surface, it appeared a mismatch of the kind that would ordinarily drive a crowd howling into the corner of the smaller man.But this was different.The towering figure was 6-foot-6 Juan Martin del Potro, a former US Open champion whose career has nearly been destroyed by wrist injuries and surgeries. He was playing a much-loved underdog, 5-foot-9 David Ferrer. But nobody wanted to see the Little Beast slay the beloved giant.So the fans continually called out del Potros name; they periodically broke into the singsong chant, Ole, Ole, Ole, Delpo, Delpo. Once again, they helped lift del Potro to a win, as he overcame a sleepy start to take the third-round clash, 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-3.All of New York appears to be in love with Delpo and his hard-luck story. Even Ferrer, whos almost always on the receiving end of the crowds affection, didnt have a bitter word to say about the crowds embrace of his opponent.This is a show, Ferrer said after losing. And the crowd was supporting Juan Martin del Potro. I am trying to focus on my match; I dont care.I feel I am [in] my home [country], del Potro said after the match, referring to the support he felt despite being 5,470 miles from his home in Tandil, Argentina. You make me so happy every day.Del Potro, whos 27 and in the tournament as a wild card, made his great breakthrough at the age of 20 here at Flushing Meadows with a startling and unexpected upset of Roger Federer in the 2009 final. Just months later, his right wrist became sore; rest and therapy were of no avail. He had surgery and missed all of 2010.Del Potro was barely rounding into playing shape when his left wrist went hinky. After two surgeries failed, the depressed player almost quit the game. He had one more procedure and began his comeback last summer. His ranking at the start of this year was in quadruple digits: No. 1042.Somehow, through all that grief, Delpo has managed to win the sixth-most career titles (18) of all active players.Spectators at tennis tournaments seem to know del Potros story, but thats only a partial explanation of his popularity. Many of them also respond at a more visceral level. Hes the quintessential gentle giant. Little children especially like him, said Guillermo Salatino, a veteran Argentinian broadcasteer.dddddddddddd He is like a strange thing, a giant, but he is also a nice one.Ironically, del Potro hasnt always been as popular at home as abroad. He has missed some Davis Cup ties, alienating many of his fiercely patriotic countrymen. However, del Potros inspired performance in Rio has won them over, according to Salatino. In Rio, del Potro upset top-seeded Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. He ultimately settled for the silver medal.Del Potro described his Rio experience as The happiest moment of my life.The moments he has experienced thus far at Flushing Meadows may be building toward a comparable peak. Theyve provided him with emotional fuel and inspiration. After his win against Steve Johnson on Thursday, del Potro said, Thats amazing when I get into the court, and the people likes just to see me. Im having great days at the US Open.Its heartwarming when a crowd of 20,000 adopts a player and showers him with the kind of love usually reserved for a lost, wet puppy. The rush is real when a player hears his name chanted. But while helpful, that support wont win you tennis matches. Del Potro is advancing inexorably in this tournament because hes a very big man hitting a very big ball like he hasnt done in a long time.As Ferrer said: He was injured two years; now he change a little bit his game. He is playing more aggressive with his forehand and with the serve.Del Potro won the match Saturday because he shook off the cobwebs and played aggressive tennis. His served clocked up to 133 mph, enabling him to win 81 percent of his first serve and 55 percent of his second-serve points. (Ferrers numbers in those key categories were 63 and 50 percent respectively.)More importantly, del Potro simply hit the ball deeper, harder and closer to the lines than Ferrer did, time and again. It counts, and it doesnt ever show up in the stat sheet.Ironically, this is how del Potros game might have evolved had he been on the tour, healthy, all these years. But in his case, necessity was the mother of invention. Del Potro still has to use his backhand sparingly if he can and slice more often than he might like.Thats why Im trying to play aggressive with my forehands, with my serves, del Potro said. Im trying to come into the net more often than years ago. Im trying to find a different way to play than I did in the past.His search is progressing nicely. Good luck to his rivals if and when he regains full use of all his shots. ' ' '
