Rams running back Todd Gurley rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in a 23-17 win against the Seahawks on Sunday. It represented the second-highest yardage total for an opposing running back at CenturyLink Field in the past two seasons.
This can be fairly described as a solid game for a rookie rusher facing off against a famously strong defense. But Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett didn't see anything special about Gurley, who is the NFL's third-leading rusher despite missing the season's first two weeks while recovering from ACL surgery.
"He's average to me, personally," Bennett told reporters after the Rams' 23-17 win, via ESPN.com. "I've seen better running backs. He's no Marshawn Lynch."
This is the type of media chum that works on two levels. 1) Bennett keeps his name in the news cycle, which is essential. And, 2) It acts as a shout-out to a star teammate who has receded to the background during an injury-plagued year.
Bennett clearly wasn't in a magnanimous mood after a loss that snapped Seattle's five-game winning streak. He was later asked for some perspective on how the Rams had managed a season sweep of the defending conference champions.
"The Rams, they play good football against us," he said. "They just don't play good football against everybody else."
That's actually a pretty fair point. This has been another edition of the Michael Bennett Headline Generator.