Gurley Could Split Workload on Sunday
There is plenty of reason to believe that Rams running back Todd Gurley is not 100-percent ahead of Super Bowl 53, which means bettors might have an opportunity to cash in on some of his bigger prop bets.
Game Snapshot
101 New England Patriots at 102 Los Angeles Rams
6:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, February 3, 2019
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Patriots are 2.5-point favorites to beat the Rams. The total, meanwhile, sits at 56 points. As of this writing, 73% of the public betting tickets are on the Patriots to cover the point spread.
Gurley to split carries with Anderson?
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Gurley will not see workhorse usage in Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Patriots. He will reportedly split carries with C.J. Anderson, much like the pair did in the team’s win over the Cowboys (Divisional round) and Saints (NFC Championship Game). Per Rapoport, the Rams’ decision to scale back Gurley’s workload is based on a “variety of factors,” including his health and conditioning.
Seeing as how this is the final game of the season, it’s hard to buy that the Rams will limit Gurley based on his conditioning. After all, it’s not as if they’re worried about him being worn out sitting on his couch next week. The more logical explanation is that he just isn’t healthy. He missed the final two games of the regular season before returning to face the Cowboys in the Divisional round. He looked spry in that game, but he was limited to just four carries versus the Saints in the NFC Championship Game. Anderson carried the ball 16 times as Gurley mostly watched from the sideline.
How Bettors can Benefit
The over/under for Gurley’s total rushing yards in Super Bowl 53 is 67.5, while the over/under for total rushing attempts is 14.5. If Rapoport’s report is accurate and Gurley remains limited, the under provides good value in each of these props.