Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Los Angeles Rams star running back Todd Gurley is expected to play in Week 16 against the Arizona Cardinals after suffering a knee injury Sunday night vs. the Philadelphia Eagles in a 30-23 loss, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Despite missing some of the game with the injury, Gurley still managed to accumulate 124 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against the Eagles. His curious decision to fight for extra yards late in the game with the Rams driving down the field rather than go out of bounds, however, cost the Rams the opportunity to run a few more plays, instead leaving Jared Goff just one final chance to take a shot at the end zone.

Goff overthrew the attempt, and the Eagles escaped with the upset.

Head coach Sean McVay said after the game that Gurley would get the knee examined this week:

Video Play Button Videos you might like

Missing Gurley for any amount of time would put a major damper on the team's quest to earn the top overall seed in the NFC and secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That hope is already on life support, as the Saints are currently a half-game ahead of them in the standings but hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Rams are also just one game ahead of the Chicago Bears for the second seed and a first-round bye, though the Bears also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Gurley, 24, has been nothing short of spectacular this season, registering 1,251 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns while also catching 59 passes for 580 yards and three more scores. He's the centerpiece of L.A.'s dangerous offense, and his current backup, John Kelly, isn't a dynamic weapon.

That lack of depth at running back means the Rams simply can't afford to lose a player of Gurley's stature, especially with key wideout Cooper Kupp already lost for the season. The Rams have immense talent, but outside of Aaron Donald and perhaps quarterback Jared Goff, Gurley is the team's most irreplaceable player.