Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier give offense an identity

“I think we’re a running football team that’s able to go out there and run it on just about anybody,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “When you want to run it.”

Robinson and Allgeier head up the rushing attack mostly out of the pistol formation.

“I think those guys are doing a great job,” Morris said. “I think our up front (offensive line gives us) the ability to run the football.”

Robinson has played 204 offensive snaps (75%) and Allgeier has played 68 (25%). Allgeier had also played on 48 special teams snaps (47%).

“Just how we play off each other has been amazing, not only for me, but for him,” Robinson said. “That’s my brother. We’ve always prepared for games in ways that he knows when he has to go in and when I have to go in.”

Robinson doesn’t mind getting the breaks.

“It’s hard to do it without Tyler,” Robinson said. “It’s hard to do it now in this league without another player at a high level. That makes your offense that much more effective. That’s my dude.”

Amassing a bunch of yards is just fine.

“We’ve got to find ways to score more touchdowns and do different things like that on offense,” Morris said.

Robinson, who tries to channel some of the NFL greats by watching their highlights on YouTube pregame, is off to a spectacular start. He is on pace to amass 2,482 yards from scrimmage.

“This league has a bunch of special people in it,” Morris said. “I’ve been coaching for a while, so I’ve seen a lot of really good football players. You know, most recently, the year Cooper Kupp had — triple crown-winning that year, was just absurd to watch in person.”

Morris noted that he’s seen wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., quarterback Robert Griffin III and wide receiver Julio Jones up close.

“So, I’ve seen some really talented players, but Bijan is right up there,” Morris said. “If not at the top with ‘wow’ moments. His ability to make you miss, his ability to cut, his ability to go vertical fast.”

Robinson took some ribbing for getting caught on a swing pass he took 69 yards against the Commanders on Sept. 28.

“Other than getting caught,” Morris said. “His ability to do all those special things, those are for sure ‘wow’ moments. Every time you get a chance to turn the tape on or you’re at the game live watching him, that was impressive — him backpedaling for about 10 yards to get more yards.”

Robinson will get to show his skills on primetime against the Bills.

“He should be,” Morris said when asked if Robinson should be one of the faces of the league. “If our team can go out and do what they’re capable of doing, he will be, and rightfully so. He’s got a lot of great qualities as a human and special qualities as a player.”

The Falcons had a master plan for Robinson after Morris was named the coach in 2024. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson wanted him to concentrate on learning the running back position in the new formations.

“He was able to still catch a bunch of balls last year and have some production in the pass game,” Zac Robinson said. “But that was definitely our big emphasis.”

Over the offseason, with the running back role mastered from the offset shotgun, pistol and under center, the brain trust was looking for ways to expand Bijan Robinson’s role.

“He’s so talented,” Zac Robinson said. “There is nothing he really can’t do on the field. His ability to move around to a number of spots … all over the field.”

Bijan Robinson didn’t have any problem picking things up.

“He’s incredibly smart,” Zac Robinson said. “(Running backs) coach (Mike) Pitre does an unbelievable job of having him prepared every single week. He’s handling everything really well. We’ll just keep expanding on all of those things that we have been doing.”

Bijan Robinson has embraced the expanded role.

“The goal for me is to be the best I can for the offense,” Bijan Robinson said. “To be a threat at receiver, at running back, anywhere I’m lined up. Hopefully it makes the defense confused and makes them miscommunicate. Wherever I go, it opens up something for Drake (London), for (Darnell) Mooney, Ray-Ray (McCloud) or Kyle (Pitts).”

Bijan Robinson doesn’t mind being a decoy to help open up the offense.

“When I get called or the ball gets in my hands, I have to do whatever I can to get those touchdowns for us so we can win the game,” Bijan Robinson said.

He had a 50-yard touchdown and the 69-yarder off a simple swing pass.

“On both of those plays they just lost me,” Bijan Robinson said. “(Penix) knows immediately, when I get lost, or when they lose me, just get me the ball and see what happens.”

Morris doesn’t plan to manage the workloads of the running backs.

“We kind of have been distributing it as we’ve been going,” Morris said. “They have been doing a great job of keeping those guys right. It’s different from the NBA, our load management happens in practice settings and less in the games.”

The player-performance staff, which is led by John Griffin, manages the players’ workloads in practice.

“Those guys obviously have a nice rotation,” Morris said. “1A, 1B, one-one, whatever you want to call those guys, they are able to go out there play halfback for us.”

Morris believes the backs are interchangeable.

“We feel good about either one of those guys being in on just about anything we do,” Morris said. “We’ve seen Tyler do things we didn’t think he could do. It’s pretty fun when he goes out there and does Bijan things by mistake or on purpose. It’s pretty fun to see Tyler get some of those reps. It’s pretty fun to see Bijan do some of the things we’ve got planned for Tyler. It’s pretty cool.”

Bijan Robinson is fine with being one of the keys to unlock the offense.