The Rams 27-20 loss to Washington at home was a reminder that while they’re a vastly improved squad that’s loaded with potential, they still have a lot of ground to cover if they want to make it to the playoffs.

Luckily, there are more than a few reasons to be optimistic – and one of them is the resurgence of Todd Gurley. With 16 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, the third year running back had his best game rushing since his 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year season. That year he had six games in which he averaged more than 5.5 yards per carry, but he hadn’t done that since – until Sunday.

Gurley also contributed 48 yards and a touchdown on three receptions, proving that he when he’s at his best, he is the Rams biggest red zone threat. Plus, this signature moment will surely be included in NFL highlight packages for the rest of the season:

Here it is from another angle:

Yeah. If that doesn’t look like a player that’s mentally back in, I don’t know what does.

Gurley scored a touchdown in Week 1 but struggled to gain any separation on his runs, looking far more like the 2016 Gurley than most fans were comfortable with. If it weren’t for a stellar game from Jared Goff and total domination by defense and special teams, his performance would’ve been a talking point all week.

Instead, the focus was on their rout of the Colts, as well as the return of Aaron Donald, with the winds blowing steadily in the direction of optimism – and that’s exactly how things should remain in spite of this loss.

Goff’s turnover on the final possession of the game is frustrating, but those mental mistakes are bound to happen to young quarterbacks in high pressure situations. Those are the moments that great players learn from, and at 1-1, the Rams still have a lot of football left to play.

With Gurley proving that he still has the talent to help his team win games, and Goff supported by burgeoning weapons in the receiving game, there’s no reason for Rams fans to panic just yet.