Bruce Arians: Beating Rams starts with stopping Todd Gurley

Two weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bottled up Christian McCaffrey. Last week, they shut down Saquon Barkley.

This week, they'll have yet another challenge in the form of one of the league's most talented runners when they head to Los Angeles to take on the Rams and Todd Gurley.

Another versatile back that can impact the game in big ways, both on the ground and through the air, Gurley is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball. The Rams are loaded with talented playmakers on offense, but Bucs head coach Bruce Arians knows Gurley is the engine that drives the entire attack.

"It starts with stopping Todd Gurley, or the game's over for us defensively," Arians said Wednesday. "If we don't stop him, it's gonna be a long day. Just like the other two, we've got a plan for it. Rally to the ball, make more than one guy make the tackle, and force the quarterback to beat us."

In terms of what traits separate Gurley from the previous two backs the Bucs have faced, Arians notes his ability to fly downhill and explode through the hole into the open field for big gains, as well as his pass-catching prowess.

"Todd's more of a downhill slasher," Arians said. "You give him any little crease, it's to the house. Those other guys are shiftier, maybe. But Todd's also a heck of a receiver. I don't think he gets credit for how good of a receiver he is out in space.

Gurley has struggled with a nagging knee injury in recent years, but he's still an explosive runner who can score from anywhere on the field.

Tampa Bay's success against McCaffrey and Barkley is encouraging, but they'll have to keep their game at a high level if they want to go 3-for-3 against a trio of NFL stars in the opposing backfield.