Three Rams picked for Pro Bowl

No shortcuts for Rams’ Pro Bowl players

Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/no-shortcuts-for-rams-pro-bowl-players/article_711d60d4-9b3f-5b54-94ea-2f8849eb4cac.html

A year ago at this time, Todd Gurley was three weeks removed from knee surgery at the University of Georgia. He knew the NFL was in his future. And he probably sensed he had the goods to be successful in the league.

It all seemed a long way off. But even with a delayed start, Gurley has taken the ball and run with it as an NFL rookie — all the way to Hawaii and the Pro Bowl.

“I think that speaks volumes of him,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “His teammates are also to be recognized for that. The offensive linemen, and then of course our training staff to get him back and put him in that position. This will be the first of many for him, so I’m really happy for him.”

Gurley was one of three Rams selected to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday, joining defensive tackle Aaron Donald and punter Johnny Hekker.

Some players reach the Pro Bowl on reputation, some are helped along by team success. In the case of Gurley, Donald and Hekker, they are going on merit. Simply stated, they are among the best players at their position in the league.

Gurley is a proud man and is relatively soft-spoken around the media. Even so, you can tell the way he carries himself that he has a lot of confidence in what he does on the football field. Call it a subtle swagger.

With that in mind, it was interesting to hear Gurley describe his rookie season to date.

“I didn’t expect to do this well,” Gurley said.

Gurley quickly added: “But at the end of the day, it didn’t really surprise me. You know I put in the hard work. My teammates have helped me come back and do a great job.”

In his case, the numbers don’t lie. In 12 games, he has 1,023 yards rushing, running behind the league’s most inexperienced offensive line and complemented — or, shall we say, hindered — by the NFL’s 32nd-ranked passing offense.

He has 76 fewer carries than league rushing leader Adrian Peterson of Minnesota. Even so, the workload is starting to pile up. Gurley has 230 touches, on 210 carries and 20 receptions.

For someone just coming off left knee surgery, that’s a significant workload, and the wear and tear can catch up to you. Hence, the sight of an ice bag on that left knee after the Tampa Bay game.

You get the feeling that Gurley will have even more to give in 2016, and the track record on most running backs who undergo ACL procedures is that they are better in their second season back from surgery.

“That’s what we’re expecting,” Fisher said. “He’ll finish up strong the last two weeks and then he’ll get a chance to go over and compete with the best in the league (at the Pro Bowl). And then he’s gonna need to take some time off. But knowing him, he’ll be back in early and be getting ready for year two.”

The two other Rams Pro Bowlers have equally compelling stories. For Donald, it’s not the fact that he’s two for two in Pro Bowls — in other words, two Pro Bowls in two seasons.

The real question is, shouldn’t Donald be considered a legitimate candidate for NFL defensive player of the year honors?

“I know it’s kind of off-limits right now to say anybody’s better than J.J. (Watt),” defensive end Chris Long said, speaking of the Houston Texans defensive lineman. “But I think Aaron’s in that conversation.

“You watch the film, it’s just not about the stats, it’s about destroying every play. Seven out of 10 plays, he’s just doing something to mess the whole thing up. He’s just on a constant basis making people look silly.”

Donald came out of college NFL-ready. And after a Pro Bowl berth as a rookie, not to mention NFL defensive rookie of the year laurels, there was no sophomore slump in 2015.

He stayed hungry and humble. And with Long and Robert Quinn missing substantial time this season with injuries, Donald learned how to cope with getting extra attention from opposing blockers.

“The more you play, the more comfortable you’re gonna be out there,” Donald said. “The more comfortable you are, the more success you’re gonna have. So I’m just going out, playing the game, studying film, and working on my craft.”

And just two years into his career, he’s not taking another Pro Bowl berth lightly.

“You’re with the best of the best out there,” Donald said. “And to have the opportunity to be there and walk around with some of the best and play with some of the best, it’s a blessing.”

As for Hekker, he’s simply having one of the better punting seasons in NFL history — for the second time in three years. Two years ago, with a big assist from the Rams’ punt coverage team, he set the NFL single-season record for net punting with a 44.2-yard average.

This season, he ranks second in net punting, just off his 2013 record pace at 43.9 yards. And he leads the league in overall punting with a 48.3-yard average, which if it holds would be the second-best in Rams history.

“I owe everything I accomplished this season to the other 10 guys that are playing alongside me,” Hekker said. “They make my job incredibly easy. Jake (McQuaide) puts snaps on the money all year.”

And then Hekker kicks it high and far. Perhaps it’s a byproduct of the team’s lack of success in other areas, specifically on offense, but home fans at the Edward Jones Dome got a kick out of Hekker’s efforts this year.

“I felt like every game the cheers would get a little louder from different people in the stadium,” Hekker said. “I just appreciate that. It takes a very diligent sports fan and football fan to appreciate the art of punting.”

Count the head coach among those Hekker fans.

“Some of the stuff he’s done is extraordinary,” Fisher said.