Todd Gurley

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Todd Gurley rushed for Atlanta's two touchdowns at the Bank of America Stadium.

Ryan completed 21 of 30 passes for 281 yards and had an interception, while Gurley rushed for 46 yards on 18 carries.

Falcons star Julio Jones had seven receptions for 137 yards as Atlanta improved to 2-6 and the Panthers fell to 3-5 in the NFC South. Both teams are behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) and New Orleans Saints (4-2).

Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went 15 of 23 for 176 yards with a TD and an interception.

The Falcons were held to two field goals in the first quarter, coming either side of Curtis Samuel getting through some soft defense to rush 12 yards through the middle for the opening TD.

Bridgewater connected with Samuel for 29 yards to give the Panthers a 14-6 lead early in the second quarter.

It meant Samuel had his third career game with a rushing TD and receiving TD. All other wide receivers in the Panthers' history have two such games combined.

Ryan found room for a 13-yard rushing TD before Koo Younghoe drilled his third field goal of the game to give the Falcons a half-time lead.

Gurley's league-leading eighth rushing TD of the season saw the Falcons grab a 25-17 lead in the fourth quarter after the teams traded field goals in the third.

Atlanta held onto that lead to stretch the Panthers' losing streak.

Denver reportedly gave Gordon a two-year, $16million deal after five seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers.

Atlanta did not use as much of their salary cap space on Gurley, signing him to a reported one-year, $6m contract.

Both marquee names, Denver and Atlanta will each be hoping the acquisitions can provide an injection of quality into their respective ground games.

However, both were well short of their best in 2019 and their numbers reflect that.

DENVER BACKS IN DECLINE

Gordon held out in search of a new contract from the Chargers last season and missed the first four games of 2019.

His output only served to further vindicate the Chargers' decision not to bow to his demands.

After averaging 5.06yards per rush in 2018, Gordon ran at 3.78 yards per attempt in 2019.

According to Stats Perform data, his drop-off was the biggest dip in yards per rush from a running back to have had at least 150 carries in each of those seasons.

Worryingly for the Broncos, Phillip Lindsay - an undrafted free agent gem who starred in 2018 - was fourth on that list. His average dropped from 5.40 yards to 4.51.

TODD'S DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY

A knee issue derailed the back end of a 2018 season in which Gurley reached the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.

By the postseason Gurley was scarcely on the field and looked a shadow of his former self when he did earn playing time.

There was no sign of a revival in 2019 as the Rams missed the playoffs.

Indeed, Gurley was second on the list for the largest dip in yards per attempt from 2018 to 2019. His average went from 4.89 yards to 3.84.

He did not have a single 100-yard rushing game in 2019, with his longest run a mere 25 yards.

Could a return to familiar scenery bring about a revival?

A GLORIOUS HOMECOMING?

Gurley came into the NFL in 2015 after a stellar collegiate career at Georgia.

By joining the Falcons, he will be going back to the state where he made his name and his history suggests he will be an upgrade on what the Falcons have had at the position in the past.

He has 70 touchdowns in his pro career. The second-most in NFL history for a player aged 25 or younger behind the great Emmitt Smith (75).

Having played 73 games in his career, Gurley's rate of 0.96 touchdowns per game is the second-best all-time, for those who have played at least 50 games, behind Jim Brown's average of 1.07.

The Falcons running backs - which included the likes of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, though both have now moved on - have not come close to matching his production in recent years.

Gurley has three seasons with 1,000+ rushing yards (2015, 2017, 2018).  The Falcons have only had two such seasonsfrom their running backs since 2012, both coming from Freeman (2015, 2016).

Additionally, since 2017, Gurley has averaged more yards per carry than the Falcons backs - 4.5 to 4.2, scored more rushing touchdowns - 42 to 29, and ran for nearly 82 per cent of their total rushing yardage by himself. Gurley has 3,413 yards in the last three seasons while the Falcons backs have 4,166.

Gurley also has 24 rushing plays of 20 yards or more since 2017. The Falcons have just 31 as a team.

All those signs point to Gurley being an improvement on what the Falcons have had at running back in recent years. For him to realise that possibility, however, he will need to reverse a trend that makes his signing look a very questionable one.

Three-time Pro Bowler Gurley was selected by the Rams as the number 10 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Gurley moved with the team from St Louis to Los Angeles and was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2017, before helping the Rams to the Super Bowl in the following season.

The 25-year-old former Georgia star managed 72 starts, 5,404 yards and 70 touchdowns in total.

Gurley had signed a four-year, $60million contract less than two years ago but subsequently suffered with knee problems as the offense toiled last year.

Keeping Gurley on the team on Thursday would reportedly have cost the Rams $10.5m, and they opted to release the player when no trade materialised.

Fellow Rams star Aaron Donald responded to the news by replying to a Twitter post from the NFL with a single angry emoji.

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey simply posted: "Wow."

The Rams also released linebacker Clay Matthews, who joined the team as a free agent in 2019 and played 13 games.

Just one day on from being cut by the Rams after five seasons and three Pro Bowl selections, the running back found a new home in a move that is pending a successful physical.

Gurley, 25, replaces Devonta Freeman, who was released by Atlanta this week, on a one-year contract, per widespread reports.

He will look to improve a Falcons rushing attack that ranked 30th in the NFL last season, averaging a paltry 85.1 yards per game.

The swift move from the Falcons came after they were among the teams linked with a trade for Gurley prior to his Rams departure.

Gurley had signed a four-year, $60million deal less than two years ago but the contract became an increasing burden and his hasty release came hours before $10.5m would have become guaranteed.

Signing for the Falcons is a homecoming for him after spending his college career at Georgia prior to being selected by the Rams as the number 10 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Gurley moved with the team from St Louis to Los Angeles and was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2017.

He helped the Rams to the Super Bowl in the following season, though his lack of usage in that defeat to the New England Patriots was a topic of much speculation.

Debate has surrounded the extent to which Gurley has been battling to overcome a knee injury and he leaves the Rams having managed 72 starts, 5,404 rushing yards and 70 all-purpose touchdowns.

Fellow Rams standouts Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey both indicated their displeasure with Gurley's release on social media.

The Falcons have also added pass rusher Dante Fowler and tight end Hayden Hurst, while Austin Hooper left in free agency and cornerback Desmond Trufant was released along with Freeman.

Elsewhere, the Dallas Cowboys have agreed a one-year deal with safety HaHa Clinton-Dix, while guard Stefen Wisniewski has joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a two-year contract.

The running back was cut by the Rams on March 19 and promptly signed on a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons in a homecoming move, having spent his college career with Georgia.

Gurley had signed a four-year, $60million deal with the Rams in 2018 but the contract became an increasing burden and his hasty release came hours before $10.5m would have become guaranteed.

The number 10 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft was Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 and while his fortunes had dipped as he contended with a knee injury, the Rams' decision came as a surprise to the 25-year-old.

Gurley still took it in his stride, joking on social media about being fired on his day off.

"I didn't see it coming, but obviously I've seen the process over the years, so I understand the business and I understand how it goes,'' Gurley said, per ESPN.

"But I'm also the same type of person, when someone else is getting cut, I'm joking on them. So I can't get mad if somebody jokes on me. 

"I joke on myself all the time. If you knew me, you know that's me. And it's all jokes. It's some truth to every little joke but I'm still just having fun with it and that's the only thing I can do. 

"Stuck in the house all day. I know people are drinking and having fun, so I'm going to have fun with y'all."

Following his superb 2017 season, Gurley racked up 21 total touchdowns in 2018 as he helped the Rams to the Super Bowl.

But he was limited to five touches in the NFC Championship game and 11 in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, while in 2019 his 223 rushing attempts represented the lowest total in his NFL career.

Asked about his reduced role, Gurley added: "I don't know what happened. I try not to press the issue about nothing, I kind of just sit back and do my job.

"It's not my job to tell who to give me the ball, so if it happens, it happens. I'm not going to b***h about anything. 

"I'm just going to keep quiet and do my part. But when I get the ball, you know I'm going to do good with it for the most part, especially when stuff is going good. All I know is I'm with the Falcons now.''

Running back Gurley was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 and starred again as the Rams reached the Super Bowl the following season.

But the team were less impressive in 2019 as Gurley struggled with knee problems.

His departure was confirmed less than two years into a four-year, $60million contract, prompting outrage from some – including team-mates Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.

Defensive tackle Donald reacted with a single angry emoji, while cornerback Ramsey simply wrote: "Wow."

Gurley appeared in good spirits, though, as he accepted the decision, even making a joke.

Referring to ongoing self-isolation in the United States amid the coronavirus pandemic, he wrote: "Damn, I got fired on my day off. #QuarantineAndChill"

The former Georgia star then looked to agree with the assessment of two-time former Super Bowl champion Deion Sanders.

Sanders wrote: "Wow, the Rams release Todd Gurley! Please realise that this is a business that can ultimately take care of your wants and needs.

"When you realise this TRUTH, you will see the game clearly. #Truth"

Gurley quoted the post and added: "All business, nothing personal."