Falcons running back duo wants to be NFL’s best. They’re staking a strong claim

FLOWERY BRANCH — For the first three years of his NFL career, Bijan Robinson relished the connection, camaraderie and complement of backfield partner Tyler Allgeier. Together, the Falcons’ running back tandem ranked among the league’s best.

When Allgeier signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency this spring, Robinson lost his partner in crime. Weeks later, the Falcons gave him a new one — and Robinson needed little time jelling with Brian Robinson Jr. to realize the team found a plenty capable alternative.

“It was kind of immediate,” Bijan said Wednesday of their connection. “It was cool, because with (running backs coach Michael) Pitre, you really have no choice. Because when you come into the room, we set high expectations. We set high standards. And I think he understood that standard right away.”

If that standard is set as the NFL’s top running back duo, Brian didn’t have to listen to Pitre to grasp it. He already carried that mentality into the team’s first meeting.

“He even said it when he got in, like, ‘We’ve got to work to be the best duo in the league, man,’” Bijan said.
“And I really appreciated him saying that because that’s all we did. Like, from the moment he got here, we put in the work. We worked extremely hard. We just developed that chemistry together on the field.”

On Monday night, in the Falcons’ 45-24 win over the Saints in New Orleans, the law firm of Robinson and Robinson — our nickname, not theirs — reaped the rewards from their work.

Bijan rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Brian tallied 62 rushing yards and a career-high three touchdowns. Their five rushing touchdowns tied the Falcons’ single-game record, and their performance marked just the second time in franchise history that two players scored multiple rushing touchdowns in the same game.

The other came in 1973.

“We expect to come out here (and) have games like this,” Brian said postgame, “if not better.”

Falcons right tackle Jawaan Taylor, seated at his locker across from his running backs, marveled at the tandem’s proficiency.

“Amazing,” Taylor told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I feel like they could be the best in the league this year.”

The Falcons rank second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (181) and yards per carry (5.2), and they’re third in the league with eight rushing touchdowns.

Aided by quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s return to the field in Week 3, the Falcons have eclipsed 200 rushing yards in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 2010. Bijan rumbled for 194 yards and two scores on the ground against the Green Bay Packers, while Brian added 50 rushing yards and a touchdown of his own.

Receiver Jahan Dotson told the AJC he “100%” sleeps better at night knowing the Falcons have the Robinsons to carry the load offensively.

“We know we’re going to get our one-on-ones just because of how they run the ball,” Dotson said in New Orleans. “We’re going to — excuse my French — block our asses off on the outside and make sure that we’re setting the lanes for them.”

The Falcons’ offense has found an impressive degree of balance since Penix returned. They’re the first team in league history to post a two-game stretch with 80-plus points, 800-plus total yards, eight or more rushing touchdowns, no more than one turnover and no more than one sack allowed.

Brian said Penix’s presence has helped the Falcons’ run game because he forces opposing defenses to not only respect the threat of a pass, but also be wary of a deep ball. Boxes are lighter than they were the first two games of the season, which benefits the team’s rushing attack.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said rushing success is an 11-man operation, and the Falcons have complete buy-in across the board from a blocking perspective.

Bijan said he loves the Falcons’ offensive line “to death” and they “do the best job.” Last week, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees gave impromptu praise to his skill players, declaring they “compete as well as anybody you can see across the NFL” in the run game.

That makes life easier for the Falcons’ running backs, and with an advantageous environment around them, the Robinson duo has proved unrelenting.

“I think it’s very important to have that one-two punch,” Bijan said. “When a guy comes out the game and another guy comes in the game, not having the defense be able to get to breathe and be like, ‘Oh, we get to lax off a little bit.’ Like, nah. We pride ourselves on that.

“We want to make sure we’re putting pressure on whatever defense we’re playing against. That’s a very big key for me and B-Rob.”

The Falcons spent much of training camp dreaming about a potent run game. Bijan said he felt offensive line coach Bill Callahan’s run scheme had answers to every concept a defense may throw.

Through four weeks, the Falcons have shown little reason to believe Bijan’s take is inaccurate.

Left guard Matthew Bergeron feels the team has found a balance between outside zone and downhill, gap concepts. Bijan is particularly dangerous with the former. Brian, who has what Penix describes as a “dog mentality,” is proficient at getting tough yards with the latter.

Together, the Robinsons form a dangerous duo, one that’s driving the Falcons’ offense to historic heights. They feed off each other, and thus far, they’ve proved more than compatible backfield mates.

“It’s everything combined, man, from the energy we generate, from the connection, from the bond that we both have and understanding we’re in this together,” Brian said. “We know that we’re complementing each other when we’re playing, and there shouldn’t be no fall off.

“We know what we are capable of doing, and we just got to go out and do it.”