With Robinson and Allgeier, do Falcons have one of league’s best backfields?

Editor’s note: This is the first of an eight-part, position-by-position series analyzing the Falcons’ roster before the team reports for training camp July 23.

With running back Bijan Robinson leading the way, the Falcons finished sixth in the NFL in total yards last season.

With a better understanding of pro defenses, Robinson is hoping to help take the offense to No. 1 in the league. He said he’ll be ready to go when the Falcons report for training camp July 23 in Flowery Branch.

Robinson wants the Falcons to end their string of seven consecutive losing seasons.

“It’s not a want-to; it’s we need to,” Robinson said. “Everybody’s waiting for that to happen.”

Robinson said he plans to make sure the offense does its part.

“We finished sixth in the league in total yards (369.8 per game),” he said. “That’s not good enough. Sixth is not good enough. There were five other teams that were better than us. … We have to look ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘What do we need to do to become the offense that everybody talks about? The offense that everybody mimics?’”

Robinson said he believes the mission can be accomplished.

He finished with 304 carries for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. He picked up 82 first downs rushing.

Robinson caught 61 of 72 targets for 431 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons rushed for 130.5 yards per game, which ranked 10th in the league.

Tyler Allgeier helped share some of the workload, with 137 rushes for 644 yards (4.7 per carry) and three touchdowns. He picked up 43 first downs. He caught all 13 of his targets for 88 yards and two first downs.

Robinson normally watches film of other running backs over the offseason. This year he started scouting the defenses of the Falcons’ first 10 opponents, focusing on the movement of their linebackers.

“Doing it now and doing it early, taking those notes on the little things that I’m going to see throughout the season,” Robinson said. “I’ve been watching, like, the first 10 teams. I want to see how I’m going to use my run track and my routes on linebackers and DBs (defensive backs). I’ve been doing that a lot.”

Entering his third season, Robinson said he plans to take on more of a leadership role.

“Use my voice a little bit more,” he said. “Be more competitive with them.”

Robinson said he’s already written down his goals for the season, but didn’t want to share them.

“Being healthy for all of the games is one of them,” Robinson said.

He’s looking forward to playing with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Although Penix is a more traditional drop-back passer, Robinson wanted to discuss running quarterbacks like Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts.

“If you have a guy that can run and take a linebacker with him, that only opens up so much for us,” Robinson said. “Mike can run. He can run a 4.4. He can run. If he runs this year, I’m going to love it, because it will help me and Ty. It would help us a lot. Even if he scrambles out, that helps us out, too.”

Robinson has faced his share of loaded boxes (eight or more players) over his two NFL seasons.

“He might not have run a lot in college, but the dude is super explosive,” Robinson said. “So, I can’t wait to see it.”

Robinson also wants to make more explosive runs.

In 2024, he had only one run longer than 30 yards among 304 attempts, a 37-yard score against the Saints. Thirty-one players had at least two runs of more than 30 yards, and seven running backs had five or more.

The Falcons took Robinson to be a “home-run hitter,” according to former coach Arthur Smith. He has only two rushing TDs of longer than 30 yards (he also had a 71-yard reception for a score against the Saints in 2024).

“I study their movements all the time,” Robinson said of his offensive line. “I’ll (watch) every single linemen. See how they move. See how fast (they are). See if they are not as explosive, but are powerful. I’m looking at all of that stuff because, when it comes down to it, that’s how I’ve got to set their blocks up. That’s how I have to make them look good. That’s my job, to make them look good always.”

In addition to Robinson and Allgeier, the Falcons have running backs Carlos Washington Jr., Nathan Carter, Elijah Dotson and Jashaun Corbin on the roster.

“I want us to come together,” Robinson said. “There’s going to be new leaders in the (meeting) room. There are some new leaders in the room because some leaders left. But I think it’s important that we all just have a common goal in mind.”