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The Atlanta Falcons will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday meaning Todd Gurley is up against a fellow Georgia product, Lions running back D’Andre Swift.
When asked about his matchup against the rising star rookie, Gurley was short and sweet with his response.
“I can’t let the young buck outdo me,” he said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Swift Made History in Week 6
Swift is coming off of a historic run in Week 6 for Detroit. In the Lions’ 34-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Swift did something that had yet to been done by a Lions rookie since 1989.
The former Bulldog ran for a career-high of 116 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts.
Swift joined Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders as Detroit rookie running backs to rush for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns in one game. Sanders is fourth on the league’s career rushing yards list still and accomplished that task twice during his 1989 rookie year.
Detroit Trusts the Rookie
Swift went into last week’s game with just 12 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown in the Lions first four games.
His 1-yard score early in the second quarter gave the Lions a 14-3 lead and his 6-yard score in the fourth quarter helped Detroit take the lead 31-10.
“It comes with during the week, my preparation,” Swift said of his rising performance on Sunday, via Detroit Lions’ official website. “Just allowing them to see me run the plays that are called and trust in me so we can get this thing rolling.”
Swift is tasked with having to stand out from a crowded running back depth chart that features Adrian Peterson, Kerryon Johnson, and Bo Scarbrough. But he’s used to having to compete against other stars after playing alongside Nick Chubb and Sony Michel as a freshman at UGA.
“It’s pretty much the same situation,” Swift said via The Detroit News. “Just got to be consistent throughout practice. Just showing the coaches what I can do on a daily basis. Making sure I know what I’m doing, so whenever my number does get called, there’s really no let off.”
In his first five NFL games, Swift has carried the ball 26 times for 158 yards (6.1 average) and scored three touchdowns. He’s also reeled in 20 passes for 131 yards (8.2 average) and one score.
As for the veteran, Gurley has averaged 4.3 yards per carry through six games, gained 422 yards, and scored five touchdowns. Not bad for an old man with a bad knee.
Another Relationship to Think About
It took long enough, but the Falcons may have found their spark after getting their first win over the Vikings on Sunday in Minnesota.
Now they’ll host Matthew Stafford in Mercedes Benz Stadium, who also happens to be one of Matt Ryan‘s best friends?
It shouldn’t be too surprising, but it’s not talked about enough. The two hit it off in 2015 at the Pro Bowl and so did their wives, Kelly Stafford, and Sarah Ryan. It wasn’t long before that the Ryans were guests at the Staffords’ wedding and they were vacationing, golfing, and having dinner dates together. Though Matt Ryan believes he’s the better golfer, he told ESPN.
They’ve even comforted each other through some pretty tough times including complications with Sarah’s pregnancy in 2018 and Kelly’s tumor in 2019.
Now the “brothers” will have to put their beloved friendship aside for four hours as they battle it out on the field Sunday at 4 PM/ET.
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Lions vs. Falcons: Todd Gurley Has Message for D’Andre Swift