So far, his numbers aren’t looking good under the Hollywood spotlight.

Gurley is halfway through an unimpressive season on an offense apparently incapable of getting him room to run. While his coaches praise his work ethic and mental approach, Gurley acknowledges he’s simply trying not to get frustrated.

”Just got to stay consistent,” Gurley said Friday before the Rams flew to New York. ”Just stay patient.”

Gurley is 18th in the NFL with 451 yards rushing, but his 3.1 yards per carry are the worst among the NFL’s top 45 ball carriers. He hasn’t broken a run longer than 33 yards all season, and his carries are declining to just 41 over the past three games.

With little respect for the Rams’ passing game, defenses have loaded up to stop Gurley all season long – and it’s working. He hasn’t topped 85 yards in any game this year, and he has scored just three touchdowns.

The Rams (3-5) have lost four straight as they head out to face the Jets (3-6), who have one of the NFL’s best run defenses. Gurley’s wait to get rolling could easily last another week, but the Rams can’t afford to wait much longer for results from the league’s 31st-ranked offense.

”The biggest challenge for us offensively is running the football,” coach Jeff Fisher said. ”Todd is not getting enough carries. Our passing numbers are skewed. … His touches and his numbers need to increase significantly. That’s what we discussed, and what we’re working on right now.”

But when Gurley gets those touches, he hasn’t been able to do much with them, which leads to an offense that fell behind and required Case Keenum to throw 99 passes over the last two games.

The Rams are desperate for any consistency in their offense, but offensive coordinator Rob Boras realizes a steady running game would make it easier for Gurley to find the rhythm he has lacked all season. Gurley and Los Angeles’ offensive line simply can’t execute it against those run-focused defenses.

”For any runner, and especially a guy like Todd … the more carries they get, the more that they’re going to settle in,” Boras said. ”Not only as a runner, but as the blockers, the O-line, the tight ends. Part of that is staying on the field and sustaining some drives and eliminating three-and-outs. That’s obviously what we’re trying to get done.”

Gurley and the running game seemed to be the Rams’ greatest offensive strength heading into this homecoming season. The Georgia product romped to 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, impressing the entire NFL with his speed and tenacity. The 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft was the Offensive Rookie of the Year despite starting just 12 games, making up for it by averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

But Gurley’s production hit another trough last weekend when he got 48 yards on a season-low 12 carries against Carolina. He even watched the final drive from the sideline in favor of Benny Cunningham, the Rams’ favored back in two-minute drill situations.

The struggles have prompted Gurley to go back to the elemental foundations of his position. While his coaches haven’t criticized his performance, Gurley clearly has been discussing the importance of patience when hitting holes or reading blockers.

”Even when the hole is not there, (what’s important is) still being able to just read it the same, and don’t try to do nothing outside of the play,” Gurley said. ”Just making sure you’re on the same track as everybody else, because once you start to predetermine stuff, that’s when you know you’re not on the same page as your linemen. You try to bounce it outside. You get holding calls. You just want to stay consistent.”

Gurley missed two practices this week with a thigh injury, but returned at full strength Friday. He plans to play in New York, and his body feels much better than it did last season, when he missed training camp while recovering from knee surgery.

”You just have to stay patient, stick to the plan, keep going out there and work hard,” Gurley said. ”Just hope that things open up, and I’m pretty sure they will.”

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With Gurley still rehabbing a torn ACL and last year’s starter Tre Mason nursing a hamstring injury susustained in the preseason and listed as questionable, Cunningham and Pead may get the call as the Rams host Seattle on Sunday.

”You pretty much just try to approach everyday like you’re the one who starts,” Cunningham said. ”I feel like we all do a good job, it’s a competitive group. Hopefully those guys will be healthy, but if not I feel like the guys that are up are prepared to go do what we need to do.”

Undrafted out of Middle Tennessee State, Cunningham initially made the Rams in 2013 through special teams.

He established himself as a kickoff returner in 2014, leading the league with an average of 27.5 yards. Cunningham rushed for 246 yards averaging 3.7 yards a carry and caught 45 passes for 352 yards backing up Mason.

”Benny’s had a really good week,” coach Jeff Fisher said. ”His production speaks for itself. If Tre can’t go, Benny will go, Isaiah will go, Chase (Reynolds) will go. We’ll be in good shape.”

Pead has just 17 career carries for 75 yards after being drafted in the second round by the Rams in 2012. He was able to stick on the team through special teams, but is coming off a torn ACL suffered last year during the preseason.

In the Rams final preseason game against the Chiefs, Pead finally flashed the skills that compelled the Rams to take him 50th overall three years ago rushing 12 times for 52 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. The performance proved that he was totally back from the injury.

”That was the most plays I’ve played in a game in a while, but my number kept getting called,” Pead said. ”I’ve been ready to go, so it was kind of a good confirmation.”

Quarterback Nick Foles has confidence in whoever is in the backfield.

”Benny’s a guy.he can run,” Foles said. ”He can run through guys. He can do a bunch of different things. Pead’s back. He’s healthy. He can make guys miss. As you saw last game, he can shed some tackles. Both of those guys are really talented players and I’m excited to have Isaiah healthy.”

The Rams have suffered from slow starts the past two seasons, including going 1-5 to begin the 2014 campaign. Hosting Seattle, the defending NFC champion, right away only raises the stakes.

”It will be big because it’s a division win and it will let you know that all the work you put in this offseason and this summer kind of gives you confidence, that it went toward something,” Cunningham said. ”It’s kind of frustrating when you put in all that work and start the season off with a loss.”

Notes: Mason (thigh) did not practice and is questionable . Gurley (knee) was limited in practice and is out . Daren Bates (knee) was limited in practice and is questionable.

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The No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Gurley has begun practicing without the yellow beanie on his helmet that signifies to defenders he is off limits from contact during practice sessions.

Coach Jeff Fisher already said Saturday that Gurley would not play in the season opener against the visiting Seattle Seahawks this Sunday after holding the running back from Georgia out of all four preseason games.

The Rams kept five running backs on their first 53-man roster, but the team’s depth at that position could be tested this week with Gurley not playing and with presumed starter Tre Mason nursing a hamstring injury he suffered earlier in training camp, then re-aggravated during the third preseason game.

Mason did not practice on Tuesday because of the injury.

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Georgia issued a statement Wednesday saying it plans to appeal the decision immediately. The NCAA membership committee that oversees the reinstatement process will review the appeal this week. The committee can reduce or remove the conditions the staff has imposed, but cannot increase them.

According to the NCAA, Gurley received the cash for signing memorabilia and other items over two years and must repay a portion of the money he received to a charity of his choice and also complete 40 hours of community service as conditions of his reinstatement.

Gurley, whom the NCAA said acknowledged violating NCAA rules, has already missed two games for the No. 11 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) and would be eligible to return Nov. 15 against No. 3 Auburn.

The Bulldogs will be without Gurley for Saturday’s game against Florida in Jacksonville and next week’s game at Kentucky.

Georgia is nearing the three-week mark since Gurley, a star tailback who had been among the top Heisman Trophy candidates, was indefinitely suspended Oct. 9 while the school investigated allegations he received improper benefits for signing autographs.

Gurley, a junior, has rushed for 773 yards with eight touchdowns and has averaged 8.2 yards per carry.

Back Just In Time

In its release, the NCAA said Gurley’s punishment, which equals 30 percent of his team’s competition, “is consistent with precedent in similar cases. Additional withholding was strongly considered because the violations occurred over multiple years with multiple individuals and the student received extensive rules education about the prohibition of receiving payment for autographs.”

The NCAA also said: “The university’s due diligence in its investigation and the student’s full disclosure of his involvement in the violations were factors in not imposing a more severe withholding condition.”

Earlier this month a memorabilia dealer from Rome, Georgia, had hired Atlanta attorney Ed Garland because of Allen’s relationship with Gurley. Garland confirmed to WSB-TV in Atlanta on Thursday that Allen paid Gurley $400 to sign several UGA mini helmets.

In the weeks before Gurley was suspended, Allen sent emails to several news outlets, claiming he’d paid Gurley “thousands of dollars” over the previous 18 months to autograph large quantities of footballs, helmets, photos and other memorabilia.

In Gurley’s absence, freshman Nick Chubb has started at running back and ran for 345 yards and three touchdowns while leading the Bulldogs to road victories at Missouri and Arkansas.

Gurley continued to practice with Georgia during the suspension.

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