In the Atlanta Falcons' Week 6 loss to the Bears, everyone was asking the same question: where is Bijan Robinson? After the Falcons went down early, they abandoned the run, which saw their world-class back log just nine carries and 11 touches despite averaging nearly seven yards per carry.
No matter how much they were down, nine carries for 61 yards is not enough for the best running back on the planet. That usage rate is inexcusable, especially since they failed to get him involved in the receiving game, but the good news is that Atlanta course corrected in Week 7 against the 49ers.
Entering this matchup, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees reiterated that the Falcons would return to their ground-and-pound identity on offense, and it's safe to say that paid off. In the 29-20 upset over the previously-undefeated 49ers, the run-pass splits were much closer--and Robinson got the usage he deserves.
In Sunday's win, Bijan accrued 20 carries for 63 yards (3.1 YPC), and although the ground game (especially No. 7) wasn't efficient, the 49ers selling out to slow him down made life easier for Michael Penix Jr. and the pass game since Raheem Morris and the 49ers failed to generate pressure on Penix.
It's worth noting the Dirty Birds trailed at halftime yet still didn't abandon the run, as it wasn't anything like the 24-point hole they found themselves in against the Bears--and despite not generating his usual fireworks, it was still a quality day for the 24-year-old, but it could've been better.
The Atlanta Falcons need to keep getting Bijan Robinson involved as a receiver
While Bijan Robinson is known for doing most of his damage on the ground, Week 7 saw him enjoy his best game of the season as a pass-catcher. The All-Pro back caught all five of his targets for 59 yards, including the hook-and-ladder play in the fourth quarter. The only player with more yards and receptions than him this week was Drake London, who caught seven passes for 66 yards and a score.
Entering Sunday, only Lamar Jackson had a lower check-down rate than Penix, but that changed this week. Instead of chasing home-run plays this week, he took what the defense gave him and went for the layups, which was good because it meant that he took care of the ball and Bijan got to do more as a receiver. But the Falcons need this trend to be more than just a one-off.
And frankly, the usage of former Texas Longhorn in the pass game needs to be more consistent. The only other game this season in which he surpassed five catches and 50 yards was in the opener against the Steelers, where Cooper Rush was starting and the game plan was to check it down to him basically all game-- and he caught eight of 10 passes for 90 yards and a score.
So when he's given a chance to catch passes, he's done a lot with it, but Penix hasn't exactly been looking underneath all that much--and when he is, it's typically on a pre-designed screen that hasn't gone anywhere. He recorded 79 catches for 820 yards last season. You can line him up out wide.
Through seven weeks, Bijan currently leads the NFL in both rushing yards (704) and scrimmage yards (907). That's still elite of course, but 203 receiving yards through seven weeks is notenough for a back who does his best work in space and was paid handsomely for his abilities as a dual-threat weapon.
There was a lot to be excited about from the Falcons' Week 7 win over the 49ers, and Bijan Robinson's usage was part of that, but given they have one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL, it would behoove them to treat him as an extra weapon in the pass game.
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