X-factor for Sunday: Can the Falcons keep the run game rolling?
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons unleashed their rushing attack in their most recent outing.
Whether the Falcons (1-1) can continue to run the ball will be the X-factor when they played the Panthers (0-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
After being held to 69 yards rushing in the season opener by the Buccaneers, the Falcons shredded the Vikings for 218 yards on 39 carries Sunday. Bijan Robinson rushed 22 times for 143 yards, and Tyler Allgeier had 76 yards on 16 carries.
“I think with everything, specially on the wide zone stuff, we just want to get a stretch,” All-Pro guard Chris Lindstrom said. “Then on the backside build a wall. If (Robinson) gets even a crease, he’s going to take it. … He makes the first guy miss more than probably anybody in the NFL.”
The Falcons’ offensive line took pride in their play against the Vikings.
“Kind of our goal up front is to get him to the second and third level without getting touched,” Lindstrom said. “That’s when he has a chance for those explosive runs.”
Allgeier has a different running style.
“With Tyler, his tracks are so good,” Lindstrom said. “He sets up the block and reads it better than probably anybody in the NFL. Tyler lowered his pads and got a lot of really important short yardage and just explosive runs.”
The Falcons put an emphasis on getting the rushing attack going in practice the week before the Minnesota game.
“The offensive line, it’s all a team effort,” Robinson said. “We understood that we run the football. We want to do it at a high level. We made a pack to come together all last week. We understand that we had to get back to our ability (to run). … We understood what the message was. We realized that couldn’t happen again.”
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
