McVay explains Gurley's heavier workload: 'Me not being an idiot'

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley's workload rose substantially in two of the last three weeks, and head coach Sean McVay has a simple explanation.

"Me not being an idiot," McVay said to reporters Wednesday, per ESPN's Lindsey Thiry.

Through the Rams' first nine games of the season, Gurley averaged 11 carries per game.

With the Rams 5-4 and fighting for their playoff lives, Gurley broke out for 25 carries in Week 11 and another 19 in Week 13. L.A. won both of those games.

"He's done a nice job handling a bigger workload," McVay said.

The coach insisted he wasn't trying to manage Gurley's load earlier in the season.

"It has nothing to do with that," he said. "It was really just, you're just kind of working through the 2019 season - the best way to utilize all of our players and figuring out what our identity is."