Todd Gurley is the gold standard when it comes to modern NFL running backs. He is a leading candidate for MVP honors and, through seven weeks, had 14 touchdowns, out🃏scoring thꦍe entire Giants team.
The Giants were not alone in getting passed in the fast lane by Gurley. After seven games, Gu🥀rley had outscored a total of nine teams. At midseason, Gurley leads the league in scoring with 102 points. He has 16 touchdowns — the Giants as a team have 14.
The newest Giants player, guard Jamon Brown, entered the league in 2015 as a third-round draft pick ꦰof the Rams. Gurley was the Rams’ first-round pick that same year. Brown started 30 games in his first three seasons, pavin🎶g the way for Gurley’s rushing attempts.
Now Brow🍒n g🧜ets to do his road-grader thing for Saquon Barkley.
“I’m excited,” said Brown, awarded Oct. 31 to the Giants off waivers. “When you look at a guy like Saquon, dynamic, just like Todd — I think, as an offensive lineman, that excites you. I’m definitely excited to be able to get to work and see how I can help him have more opportunities to do what he does best.”
Coach Pat Shurmur made no secret of his desire to get Brown on the field as quickly as possible, 🍬and he has an outside chance to start at right guard in Monday night’s game against the 49ers in Santa Clara.
Just as Brown isꦡ anxious to move the pile for Barkley, Barkley is anxious to pick Brown’s brain to learn what he can about what makes Gurley tick.
“Oh, yeah, definitely,” Barkley said. “I definitely can learn a lot from the guy who blocked for probably, today, the MVP of the league, in my opinion.
“I watch film on Todd Gurley, I love the way he plays. He’s an all-purpose back and a threat any time he touches the ball. He runs physical and runs right in between tackles. Definitely, I would be wrong if I don’t go and pick his brain and go ask that guy, ‘What do you see that Todd did or what made Todd exceptional, and the reason he is the player he is today?’
“That’s something that I want to learn from him because I want to compete, and I want to be better than Todd one day,” Barkley added. “I know he has the same mindset, all running backs have the same mindset in the league, that’s just the way it operates in this league, and how it operates as competitors.”