Atlanta Falcons Run Game 'Encouraging' as Team Makes Playoff Push
After beating the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons are back in the win column. The team's surprising path back to the playoff contention has happened in a fashion one has come to expect from an Arthur Smith offense by feeding running backs in a pass-heavy league.
Against the Saints, Atlanta ran the ball nine straight times during its final drive, a clear departure from what NFL fans expect in the modern era of football. Still, Smith saw something promising in his team's run game, which featured running backs Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and Cordarelle Patterson averaging over 5.8 yards per carry.
Atlanta Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson had an impressive performance against the New Orleans Saints.
Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
"We could've picked it up. I thought about it at times, but when you're watching the intent and the way those guys were going up front, the way they were blocking, and the way that our guys were running the football - and that was all three of the runners - you know, why pick it up? That was encouraging. That's who we need to be to close out games. And it's just one game, but we needed that win in the worst way, and I thought overall it was a good team win."
Running the ball has been Smith's bread and butter since his days as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator when he oversaw the emergence of Derrick Henry, who would go on to have one of the greatest seasons of any rusher in history. Given Smith's history with running back success, it was no surprise when the team spent the No. 9 overall draft pick on Robinson, who's looked like a star as a rookie.
If the Falcons are going to keep a firm grasp on the NFC South, then Smith must continue to lean into his team's strength and his background as an innovative play-caller in the run game.
Despite quarterbacks getting more shine in the media for fancy passes, some of the top teams in the NFC, such as the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, rely on strong run games, and the key to Atlanta becoming a juggernaut in the conference will be asserting its run game down the stretch of this season.
