Bijan Robinson wasn't the only player who unlocked Falcons' run game vs. Saints

The Atlanta Falcons' run game is among the best in the NFL. No matter who you ask, nobody is going to doubt that sentiment. Even Pinnochio wouldn't be able to lie about that--and if you watched the Week 4 victory over the Saints, you saw just how dangerous Bijan Robinson (and Brian Robinson Jr.) can be.

Yes, Michael Penix Jr.'s return helped ignite the passing game, but it's done just as much for the run game-- which was again unlocked in New Orleans. The 45-24 victory over the Saints was aided by B.Robinson squared, as the two backs combined for 207 yards and five rushing touchdowns and averaged over six yards per carry altogether.

The five rushing touchdowns the Falcons scored tied a franchise record, and this was the second consecutive game where both Robinsons scored touchdowns, and according to ESPN research, this is the first time since 1973 they had two players score multiple rushing touchdowns in a game (Dave Hampton and Eddy Ray). And I'm not sure how many of you were alive to witness that feat.

Between Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr., the Atlanta Falcons' run game is looking like the NFL's most dangerous

Let's be real here: nobody had a Brian Robinson Jr. hat trick on their Monday Night Football bingo card. But no one is complaining. Bijan had the 59-yard score on the third play from scrimmage, and dominated early on, but once the game was out of hand, the Dirty Birds opted to manage the All-Pro back's workload and let Robinson Jr. handle most of the goal-line snaps for the rest of the night.

But this is a good thing. This is the brand of football the Kevin Stefanski-led Falcons want to play. They want to play smash-mouth football and tire defenses out with the run game, so that way Penix and the passing game can run play-action and practically force them to show their hand to make this a losing battle regardless of what they choose.

And the good news is that this Bill Callahan system rewards physicality in the trenches, so they've been able to run down defenses throats without any repercussion. Because once you key in too much on the ground game, that's when Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Jahan Dotson come alive.

But it didn't matter which back was in the game. Without Kaden Elliss and Carl Granderson, the Saints had no answer for the Falcons' rushing attack. They got gashed on every play to the point that Penix only needed to throw the ball 20 times because the backs were moving the chains every single play.

We know Bijan is the best back in the business, but Robinson Jr. has proven to be a fantastic replacement for Tyler Allgeier. He's great as a short-yardage back and is impossible to be taken down at 225 pounds. He fights for every extra yard and is someone the Falcons can trust to spell their superstar RB for extended periods of time--which is why he's having the most fun of his career.

The more opposing defenses stack the box and focus on the guys coming out of the backfield, the more Atlanta can air it out. We all know Penix has sensational arm talent and is best as a play-action passer, so the run game can allow Rees to get creative and start dialing up the deep shots.

There is no exaggerating here just how potent the run game is in Atlanta. Only the Bears average more rushing yards per game, and we now know what will keep opposing DCs up at night.

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