'Outstanding' Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. Has Career-Best Game vs. Falcons
The Washington Commanders' 19-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons was sealed by a goal-line stand featuring an interception from Kendall Fuller, but lost in the mix is the career day by rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr.
A third-round pick out of Alabama, Robinson Jr.'s story is well-known - after shot in the leg following the preseason, he managed to rehab and return to action by Week 5.
Now eight games into his career, Robinson Jr.'s beginning to hit his stride. He's started each of the last four games and six of the last seven dating back to the week after he returned.
Against the Falcons, Robinson Jr. had 18 rushes for a career-high 105 yards and 5.8 yards per carry; his previous high was 86 yards, achieved two weeks ago in Washington's dramatic Monday Night Football win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
But that wasn't the only mark Robinson Jr. set. He capped off the Commanders' first drive of the game by catching his first career receiving touchdown, a 14-yard grab highlighted by a punishing blow to Falcons cornerback Darren Hall.
It's something that the 6-1, 225-pounder prides himself on: winning one-on-one matchups against smaller defenders, which he said should happen around 80 to 90 percent of the time. Not only did he win this particular one, but he made a statement - one that he hopes permeates throughout defensive backs across the league.
"I want DBs to have to fear me and respect me," Robinson Jr. said. "So any chance I get to impose my will on a defensive back or any back, I’m going to do that."
Robinson Jr., 23, might not have delivered the same blow even a few weeks ago. It was a confident, powerful move, serving as a sign of the progress he's made both on and off the field as it relates to overcoming the incident.
Beyond that play, the 5.8 yards per carry Robinson Jr. averaged was exactly two yards better than his previous best, 3.8 in last week's victory over the Houston Texans. In essence, he's trending upwards - and delivering exactly what the Commanders expected when they took him in the top-100 of April's draft.
“I thought his performance was outstanding," coach Ron Rivera said. "I just think he's running with more confidence. He's starting to get a little bit better feel as to cutbacks and running with his vision. Again, he went through an awful, traumatic situation and he's really just kind of starting to show us what he's capable of.”
Robinson Jr. echoed similar sentiments regarding his confidence, delivering a direct example of how it's helped his improve his level of play.
"Definitely getting more and more confidence as the game goes on, as the weeks build up," Robinson Jr. said. "I’m starting to get more comfortable in my second level play. Just getting up on the second level and making a second level move. At first it was just kind of like get me that pump to get back up on that second level, but now I want to take that next step and play on the second level and finish on the second level.”
By all accounts, Robinson Jr. took that next step Sunday - stepping into several milestones.
He set a pair of Washington rookie marks, becoming the first to average at least 5.8 yards per carry with at least 10 carries since Antonio Gibson on Nov. 22, 2020, against the Cincinnati Bengals, and the first to rush for 100-plus yards in a game since Gibson did on Thanksgiving at Dallas in 2020.
On the personal side, Robinson Jr. eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the first time in his career, adding onto the significant leap in yards per rush.
It was the breakout of all breakouts, and Gibson, who knows exactly the difficulty what Robinson Jr. did, has a great sense of appreciation for it.
“That’s what he’s capable of," said Gibson. "Still a rookie and probably still has a whole way to go but he’s out here running hard and breaking tackles. The yards after contact is insane and he continues to show that and that’s when he develops his game.”
Robinson Jr.'s emergence, paired with Gibson and Jonathan Williams, has provided what Rivera called "a little bit of a spark" - and not just for the offense.
Fuller, the game's hero after making the clinching interception, shared a pair of key points regarding the positive benefits of Robinson Jr.'s physicality and how it improves the Commanders defense.
“I mean, one it keeps us fresh, and two, just the mentality," Fuller said. "You see guys get amped up. It’s just that energy that he brings to the game, and that he creates for us as a team. That was something that meant a lot to him. Just seeing him go out there and make plays, and being that player that he is, is fun to watch.”
Better yet, Robinson Jr. doesn't necessarily feel like he's himself yet. He admitted that he still feels pain from the incident, both personally and physically.
But on Sunday, things returned to normal as he ran through and around the Falcons defense time and again, bringing energy to his sideline and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
"It's just a special moment to have the opportunity to be able to do that and to do it after everything that’s been going on this year," Robinson Jr. said.
Rookie years are often difficult, but Robinson Jr. was dealt a particularly tough deck. Fortunately for both he and the Commanders, he's tough - and proved against Atlanta that he's capable of just about anything.
From overcoming unthinkable adversity to delivering huge hits and catching touchdown passes, Robinson Jr.'s story's been arduous ... but the first chapter is still just getting started.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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