Todd Gurley will transform the Atlanta Falcons into a Top 10 red zone team
By Adam Zippan
Todd Gurley will help transform the Atlanta Falcons into a top ten red zone team in 2020.
The Atlanta Falcons red zone offense has seen its share of struggles in the past number of years, but that will come to an abrupt end. Signing running back Todd Gurley will help skyrocket the total number of red zone touchdowns for the unit’s offense overall. Simply put, Gurley is a touchdown machine.
In his five years with the Rams, which included the 2018 NFL MVP, he has scored 70 total touchdowns in his career. To put things in perspective, Julio Jones has scored 57 total touchdowns in his entire nine-year career.
This is not a knock against Julio Jones, as he has been the league’s best receiver from day one. It’s more of a sign of things to come for the Falcons offense in 2020.
The overall offensive output and red zone efficiency will set franchise records for the Falcons. If used properly in the offense by offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, Todd Gurley could set a new Falcons record.
The single-season total touchdown record for any Falcons player was 17 and was set by running back Michael Turner in 2008.
Since 2008, the most total touchdowns Julio Jones has scored in a season is eight in 2015. Jones will set his personal career-high in total touchdowns in 2020, providing he stays healthy. Gurley will definitely have a much more consistent and well-balanced role in the Falcons offense. He is rejuvenated, revitalized and healthy heading into the 2020 season.
Todd Gurley will help the Atlanta Falcons in more than one way in the red zone
Of his 70 career touchdowns, 12 of them have come on the receiving end. His ability as a receiver out of the backfield will be heavily utilized. Gurley will most definitely take a ton of pressure off of both Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. Then again, he’ll take the pressure off the entire offense, especially in the red zone.
The closest running back the Falcons had to a dual-threat was Tevin Coleman. Gurley will definitely change that narrative. In 2018, Gurley scored 21 overall touchdowns. He can definitely return to his normal and old self as the featured back.
Gurley was used very inconsistently in 2019 in the Rams offense. He still scored 14 total touchdowns, even though his carries were down and he seemed to look a little worn down during the season.
With the Falcons, Gurley will be utilized the right way similar to the previous four seasons with the Rams prior to 2019. The only way to have him produce like he did when he was the league’s best player is to feature him in a consistent role.
The Falcons finished 25th in the NFL in 2019 red zone scoring percentage at 51.67%. With Gurley easily scoring touchdowns inside the ten-yard line and helping to open up the Falcons offense, that number will improve to at least 65%.
If it does not drastically improve, then something is very wrong with the playcalling. Anything less will be unacceptable with this talent on offense.
Let’s not forget Calvin Ridley as well. Ridley has scored 17 total touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Falcons, which would have been higher had he not missed three games in 2019.
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Todd Gurley was signed by the Falcons to show that he can produce, play at a high level again and improve the red zone efficiency, and he will do so in all three areas. With a much more consistent role as the featured back, there is no doubt that this will help both Jones and Ridley to score double-digit total touchdowns.