Atlanta Falcons managed Todd Gurley the right way

The offense was not the problem on Sunday for the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons finally got a chance to use their new toy in an actual game. While it didn’t result in a win, they handled Todd Gurley just fine.

Fans of the Atlanta Falcons were probably squirming every time Gurley touched the ball. It’s not like the hopes of this season ride on the shoulders of Gurley but he is definitely going to play a vital part and he needs to stay healthy to do so.

In the loss, Gurley carried the ball 14 times for 56 yards and a touchdown. He also added two catches out of the backfield a lousy yard. As the Falcons started to fall behind, offense coordinator Dirk Koetter stopped feeding him the ball and that was a good thing.

Some people might be upset that Gurley didn’t get the ball more especially since he looked good. It was one of the few right choices that were made on Sunday for the long haul. Even with limited action, Gurley was still able to make an impact on the game.

In the first drive of the game, Gurley carried the ball four times for 24 yards and his lone touchdown. That was an opening drive that no one expected.

It should be expected that Gurley’s workload will increase especially if the Falcons find themselves up in games. Gurley might have gotten the ball more if the Falcons weren’t playing catch up for the majority of the game.

It’s obvious to see that the Falcons are saving and preparing Gurley for the long haul. Not everyone can be Adrian Peterson, destroying his knee one season and in the following season rush for over 2,000 yards. The Falcons won’t need that kind of production this season from any of the back especially Gurley.

The Falcons should continue to limit Gurley until the second half of the season in which they might need his presence to fight for a playoff spot.