The Atlanta Falcons have one of the NFL's best running backs in Bijan Robinson, yet somehow, they've struggled to consistently build their offense around him…
That problem was on full display during Atlanta's 31-23 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 6, when Robinson finished with just nine carries despite averaging 6.8 yards per attempt while struggling in pass protection.
Now sitting at 2-4, the Falcons will face the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers in Week 7, and Kevin Stefanski needs to find a way to get his and Tommy Rees' offense back on track against a formidable opponent.
Thankfully, Rees is holding himself accountable for the play-calling mishaps and confirmed he wants the offense to return to basics on Sunday and pound the rock.
“You can’t abandon your identity," Rees said. "You’ve got to find other ways to keep your best players involved… We’ve not been shy to get Bijan the ball, and we’ve got to continue to find ways to do so.”
Sure it won't be easy against a 49ers defense led by former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who knows Robinson's abilities better than most. But if Atlanta wants to avoid falling to 2-5, it needs to start leaning on the one part of its offense that has consistently worked.
Falcons can't keep abandoning Bijan Robinson when they go down early
Through Atlanta's first five games, the Falcons ranked second in the NFL with 834 rushing yards, including 580 from Robinson alone. Of those 580 yards, 449 came on outside-zone runs.
Atlanta has also incorporated more power and gap concepts under offensive line coach Bill Callahan, giving the Falcons multiple ways to attack defenses on the ground.
That's a pretty effective formula to have at your disposal, especially with a quarterback like Michael Penix Jr., who would benefit from more manageable third downs and opportunities to use play-action.
The Atlanta Falcons have already shown they can move the ball when Bijan Robinson gets involved. Their biggest issue has been allowing slow starts and early deficits to take that option away.
Raheem Morris will make things difficult for Atlanta's offense on Sunday
Of anybody, Raheem Morris understands how much damage Bijan Robinson can do in space. He got to witness it every Sunday for two years, so he'll almost certainly make stopping Atlanta's rushing attack a priority.
The 49ers have also been one of the NFL's more difficult defenses to run against, which makes this a challenging matchup for a Falcons offense that has struggled to find consistency. However, Atlanta can't afford to abandon its rushing attack simply because San Francisco makes things difficult early.
The Falcons have struggled to establish any sort of offensive rhythm when they fall behind, and asking Penix to carry the offense through the air hasn't been a reliable solution. And Bijan is the engine that makes this offense run.
Robinson gives Atlanta a way to control the pace of games, keep its offense ahead of schedule and create opportunities for its passing attack. And with Brian Robinson Jr. ruled out due to a hamstring injury and Khalil Herbert the only other back in uniform on gameday, it makes getting Bijan going
Of course, running the ball won't automatically solve everything. Atlanta still needs better execution on third down, more consistent blocking and a stronger start than it managed against Chicago.
But the Falcons have already seen what their offense is capable of when the All-Pro RB gets enough opportunities.
With their season starting to slip away, Stefanski needs to make sure Atlanta doesn't spend another Sunday trying to establish its identity after the game has already gotten out of hand, which starts and ends with getting Bijan Robinson the football.
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