Pistol formation (QB is four yards behind the center with the RB directly behind him) is one of the least-used formations in the modern NFL, and there is a reason for that.
Yet, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson thinks it is the end-all, be-all. He routinely lined Michael Penix Jr. up in pistol in the season opener, and it completely ruined the run game.
Fans came out of the game hoping this was a one-off, but Robinson has quickly dispelled that. His reasoning? It helps bring balance to the both the run and pass game.
Zac Robinson says of the Falcons' pistol usage in Week 1, which led the league, "Pistol keeps you balanced from a run-pass standpoint."
— Will McFadden (@willmcfadden) September 10, 2025
He added the Michael Penix Jr. is comfortable with pistol from college, and that the run-pass balance "is what we're trying to do."
He made those comments coming off a game in which his offense had 69 rushing yards (2.5 avg.) on 71 offensive plays... It is maddening, and frankly, ridiculous.
Zac Robinson isn't willing to adjust after an embarrasing performance on the ground
The Falcons' offense on Sunday came down to one thing: Michael Penix Jr.'s heroics. It took the quarterback throwing the ball to backup receivers and running in crucial situations for the team to be in a position to win late.
There was absolutely nothing encouraging with the run game; the Buccaneers' defensive front dominated them.
A big piece of the struggles came down to the frequency with which Penix was in the pistol. Lining up in the pistol allows defenses to key in on the football and adjust from there, leading to less effective play-action.
Michael Penix Jr. took 42.3% of his snaps from the pistol in Week 1 -- by far the most in the NFL.
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 10, 2025
The next closest was Jalen Hurts at 19.4%. #Falcons
Lining up under center is something Robinson has to allow the offense to do more of. It allows Penix to hide the ball from the defense and get his feet moving in rhythm—where he acts best..
While pistol formation does allow you to run the ball to either side, it is telegraphed much quicker than when you are under center. We saw this formation a lot last season, but we thought it was to limit the stress on Kirk Cousins' Achilles. Apparently, this is Zac Robinson's identity, and that is terrifying.
Moving forward, I doubt this team will struggle as much running the ball as they did on Sunday, but mixing up the formations will bring better results. Michael Penix Jr. is comfortable lining up in any formation and the Falcons need to take advantage of that.
Continuing to run nearly half of your offense from the pistol formation will ruin this team.