WATCH: Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson Scores TD vs. New Orleans Saints
Bijan Robinson continues to make an impact for the Atlanta Falcons.
Robinson scored on a 12-yard touchdown against the New Orleans Saints early in the second quarter. Here's a look at the play ...
Through 10 games, Robinson's offered plenty of reminders as to why he was made the highest-drafted running back since 2018 ... but he's also battled his fair share of difficulties.
Has Robinson played to the level of his lofty summer hype? No - he's been better.
“He’s exceeded our expectations,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said.
The 21-year-old Robinson has found the end zone twice on the ground and is tied with second year running back Tyler Allgeier for the team lead in carries at 125 but has rushed for 612 yards to Allgeier's 402.
Robinson's 612 rushing yards not only leads the Falcons but puts him 100 yards clear of the next-best rookie runner. He's added 29 receptions for 208 yards and two scores through the air, giving him 820 yards from scrimmage, second-most among rookies.
But for as productive as Robinson has been on the field, he's impressed Smith most off the field, embracing the challenges of a grueling season with the right mindset.
“A lot of times the little things that you don’t see - he’s mature beyond his years," Smith said. "Would love to be undefeated, would love to score 500 touchdowns, but he continues to work. That’s why it’s important to have the right veterans around him, so when you go through ups and downs, he fought through them.
“However it divvies out, he’s going to have a huge role in our gameplan.”
Oct 1, 2023; London, United Kingdom; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) carries the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Smith expected Robinson to reach a "rookie fatigue" at some point, something he foreshadowed earlier in the season, creating hesitancy to put more on the former collegiate All-American's plate.
This links back to a broader stance Smith has long held - the pre-draft process, with all of its physical testing and mental strain, can lead to exhaustion for rookies.
Factor in the competitiveness and intensity of each NFL game and the potential for a postseason appearance, and Smith asserted fatigue is entirely common.
But Robinson's different ... and it's helped him outperform the high bar Atlanta set for him at the onset.
“I think it’s the volume, some of the nuanced stuff he handles," Smith said on what sets Robinson apart. “I think how he’s handled every day, too. ... You better be on-point. Every game is huge. So, that’s where it is. It’s just the day-to-day stuff he’s handled and handled really well.”
At his current pace, Robinson will finish the season with 1,040 rushing yards and 1,394 yards of scrimmage. He'd set franchise rookie records with both marks.
Perhaps most impressive is Robinson endured a rough spell from Weeks 3 through 7 in which he failed to eclipse 50 rushing yards four times in a five-game span.
The two contests that followed weren't much better, as he was held to 62 and 59 all-purpose yards in narrow losses to the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, respectively. He also had a momentum-stopping fumble in the second half against Minnesota that proved crucial late.
But the former University of Texas star stayed the course and reaped the rewards in Atlanta's 25-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals prior to the bye week.
In his homecoming, the Tuscon, Az., native saw a career-high 22 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown while adding an 11-yard reception. The Week 10 matchup was his first game with over 100 yards from scrimmage since Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Falcons know they have a game-changer in Robinson - but Smith has struggled walking the line between over-utilizing his talents, drawing back to the fear of exhaustion over the pre-draft process.
Smith pointed to Robinson's performance against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, during which he took 19 carries for 124 yards and made four receptions for 48 yards, giving him 172 all-purpose yards on 23 touches.
“Go back to Green Bay, it’s like, ‘Hey, are you using him too much? This pace isn’t sustainable,’" Smith said. "Then, things happen. People may have seen what he’s doing, and they may focus on him more and try to take him away. And maybe, the way you’re using him early in the season somewhat ends, so you have to adapt.”
There have been other situations, such as two-minute offense requiring other forms of offense and an affinity for using Allgeier in the redzone, that have led to Robinson seeing a reduced role at times.
But the Falcons placed a priority on giving Robinson the ball in Arizona, and he delivered, setting the tone for a prominent role in the seven-game sprint to the finish line.
Robinson was among the betting favorites for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year over the summer. Smith compared him to NBA legend Allen Iverson earlier this season.
Expectations were high - but Robinson's performance level has been higher ... and he's poised to continue elevating Sunday when Atlanta hosts the New Orleans Saints at 1 p.m. EST with first place in the NFC South on the line.
“He's a huge part of the game plan,” Smith said. “To me, it’s what he can handle - and you try not to do too much to overload one player but he’s very unique, in that regard, for a young player.”
