Reporting from atlanta — Let’s answer the most obvious question first.
Todd Gurley was healthy.
He said it. His teammates said it. Coach Sean McVay said it.
To be more accurate, they all repeated it Sunday, answering the question the same way they had for the last two weeks.
Gurley was healthy for Super Bowl LIII. Only his game was hurting. Again.
Similar to the NFC championship, the NFL’s regular-season touchdown leader was strangely silent in — points-wise — the least-offensive Super Bowl ever.
Advertisement
“No, I was fine,” Gurley said when asked directly if he was hurting. “I felt good.”
Gurley carried on the Rams’ first play from scrimmage and then touched the ball only twice more before halftime as the offense was unable to sustain any momentum.
He was replaced for extended stretches by C.J. Anderson, who also struggled, gaining only 22 yards on seven carries.
Advertisement
1/45
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates a touchdown by Sony Michel against the Rams inthe 4th quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
2/45
Rams quarterback Jared Goff watches after throwing an intereption in the fourth quarter as Patriots Adrian Clayton (94) and Duron Harmon celebrate.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
3/45
Rams receiver Brandin Cooks has his pass broken up by Patriots Duron Harmon (center) and Stephon Gilmore in the fourth quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
4/45
Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman hoists the Lombardi Trophy after New England beat the Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
5/45
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) sits on the bench behind his teammate after giving up a late game interception.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
6/45
Rams quarterback Jared Goff is hit by Patriots Dont’a Hightower in the end zone after an incomplete pass in the 3rd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
7/45
Rams losing head coach Sean McVay walks off the field after meeting with Patriots head coach BIll Belichick in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
8/45
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) hugs New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) as the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3 in the Super Bow.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
9/45
Rams receiver Robert Woods walks off the field after losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
10/45
Rams running back C.J. Anderson, left, and reeiver Josh Reynolds look at the scoreboard late in the 4th quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
11/45
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski catches a pass in front of Rams linebacker Samson Ebukam in the 4th quarter in Super Bowl LIII.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
12/45
Patriots running back Sony Michel breaks free from the Rams defense in the 3rd quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
13/45
Rams receiver Josh Reynolds makes a catch in front of Patriots Jason McCourty inthe 3rd quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
14/45
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks (12) was wide open in the end zone but couldn’t hang onto a pass while getting hit by New England Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty (30) in the second half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
15/45
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) beats Los Angeles Rams linebacker Dante Fowler (56) for a reception in the Super Bowl.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
16/45
Patriots receiver Julian Edelman leans into Rams defensive back Aqib Talib during first half catch and run in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
17/45
Patriots defensive lineman Trey Flowers tips a pass that was ultimately completed to Rams receiver Josh Reynolds from Jared in Goff during the first half.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
18/45
Rams quarterback Jared Goff is harrassed by Patriots defenders as he throws a second half pass in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
19/45
Rams receiver Brandin Cooks fails to haul in a pass after it is broken up by Patriots defenders Stephon Gilmore and Duron Harmon during the fourth quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
20/45
Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore intercepts a pass intended for Rams receiver Brandin Cooks near the end zone during the fourth quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
21/45
Rams receiver Brandin Cooks can’t haul in a pass in the end zone as he is defended by Patriots defensive back Jason McCourty in the third quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
22/45
Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) barely gets a pass off under pressure from Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers (98) and outside linebacker John Simon (55) during the second half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
23/45
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski just misses a pass from Tom Brady as he is defended by Rams linebacker Cory Littleton.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
24/45
Linebacker Brandon King (36) lies in the confetti on the field after the Patriots defeated the Rams 13-3 in the Super Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
25/45
Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald drags down Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, forcing an incomplete pass during the first half.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
26/45
Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) celebrates with offensive lineman Ted Karras (75) after kicking a field goal late in the fourth quarter to give New England a 13-3 lead.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
27/45
Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore prevents Rams receiver Brandin Cooks from making a catch in the third quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
28/45
Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) intercepts a pass intended for Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks (12) to end a scoring threat late in the fourth quarter.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
29/45
Rams receiver Brandin Cooks walks away as Patriots defensive backs celebrate an interception by Stephon Gilmore to kill a fourth-quarter drive.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
30/45
Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore intercepts a Jared Goff pass in the fourth quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
31/45
Patriots running back Sony Michel dives into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
32/45
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski hauls in a 29-yard pass to set up a Patriots touchdown.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
33/45
Adam Levine of Maroon 5 performs during the Super Bowl LIII halftime show.
( Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
34/45
From fire to lights, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 performs during the Super Bowl LIII halftime show.
( Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
35/45
Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, before he peeled off his shirt, performs during the Super Bowl LIII halftime show.
( Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
36/45
Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty tries to grab the ball after breaking up a pass intended for Rams receiver Josh Reynolds during the first half.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times )
37/45
Rams defensive end John Franklin-Myers (94) and defensive tackle Ethan Westbrooks sack Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and forces him to fumble in the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
38/45
Rams linebacker Cory Littleton intercepts a pass intended for Patriots receiver Chris Hogan in the first quarter.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times )
39/45
Patriots middle linebacker Kyle Van Noy sacks Rams quarterback Jared Goff for a loss in the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
40/45
Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise takes down Rams running back C.J. Anderson for a loss in the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
41/45
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski can’t catch a pass while defended by Rams cornerback Aqib Talib during first-quarter action.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times )
42/45
Patriots fans outnumber Rams fans at the Marta train stop near Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Super Bowl LIII.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
43/45
Rams tight ends Tyler Higbee (89), Johnny Mundt (82) and Gerald Everett (81) take the field to warm up for Super Bowl LIII.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
44/45
Rams running back Todd Gurley jogs around the field during warmups for Super Bowl LIII.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
45/45
Patriots fans yell for players during warmups before Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s cool, man,” said Gurley, who signed a $60-million extension in the offseason and then emerged as an MVP candidate as the Rams began their roll. “It’s a team sport. There are 11 people on the field. Everyone can’t touch the ball.”
Gurley missed the final two games of the regular season because of a left knee injury. But he returned to run for 115 yards in 16 carries in a divisional-round victory over Dallas.
Advertisement
In the NFC title game against New Orleans, Gurley rushed for just 10 yards and a touchdown on four carries. Afterward, he described his performance as “sorry as hell.”
Gurley and McVay maintained in advance of Super Bowl LIII that health was not an issue. McVay repeatedly explained that one of his primary objectives Sunday was to get Gurley involved.
Following the game, McVay said the Rams’ difficulties maintaining possession — they failed to convert their first eight third downs — was one of the reasons they established little rhythm.
He also credited the defense of the Patriots and took the blame for failing to find his stride calling plays.
“I think a lot of it was a result of some of the things they did but then also the play selection,” McVay said. “I was not pleased with my feel of the flow of the game at all.
“We just really didn’t get a chance to get anyone going today offensively, and that starts with me.”
Advertisement
Gurley, who had surgery on the same knee in college, insisted he would need no special treatment this offseason. He dismissed the notion that he’ll require additional surgery.
Asked if he would at least have to take some extended time off before he could return to being 100%, Gurley said, “I mean, I kinda had a break, low-key, the pasttwo months. It’s cool. ... I’m fine.”
The Rams ended up with only 62 yards in 18 rushes as a team. Of their 14 first downs, just two came on the ground.
This from an offense that finished third in the NFL during the regular season with an average of 133.5 yards rushing.
“They played New England football,” Anderson said when asked how the Patriots stopped the Rams. “That’s what they do. They’ve been doing that for years, so nothing changed. We just didn’t execute, plain and simple.”
Gurley, meanwhile, was left to explain anothersubpar individual performance and another game in which he was present but, at the same time, largely absent.
Advertisement
He talked about the importance of seizing chances when they come and about maintaining the mind-set of playing as a team.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said of the Super Bowl.
“This chance isn’t guaranteed. At the end of the day, God blessed me and my teammates to be able to play in this game.
“It’s disappointing. But you know what? What in life is not disappointing? You go through stuff like this to overcome bigger things later. Just trying to stay true to who I am and this team. It’s tough. But we’ll get through it.”
Jeff Miller is the former Chargers beat writer for the Los Angeles Times. He previously spent 20 years as a sports columnist for the Orange County Register and, before that, the Miami Herald. He also served as the Angels beat writer for The Times and the Register. His other stops include the Palm Beach Post and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
