Football
The Atlanta Falcons return to action in Week 6, following their bye week. They are gearing up for a primetime showdown with the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Running back Bijan Robinson has not just been Atlanta’s best offensive player, but one of the best in the entire NFL.
“I mean, all the running backs got skill sets, right. But Bijan [Robinson] is definitely different,” Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson said Thursday. “He’s quick, he’s fast, he’s everything you want for in a running back, put him out there play wide receiver… You got to have 10, 11 guys around him because he’s not going down off just one tackle.”
High praise for Robinson, who last week was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month. The running back has recorded 100 or more yards from scrimmage in each of the Falcons’ first four games of the season.
On the season, he has 584 yards from scrimmage (314 rushing and 270 receiving), which is the fourth most in the NFL, despite playing one less game than everyone above him. Though the season is still young, he is on pace for 2,482 yards from scrimmage. Robinson’s 24 forced missed tackles on rushes lead the league, despite being 21st in carries.
The Bills’ defense will have its hands full trying to stop Robinson on Monday. Buffalo is 28th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, giving up 145.6 rushing yards per game. The Bills have surrendered 100+ rushing yards in four of five games this season, including 180+ in two of the five.
For Atlanta to pull off the upset, they’ll need to rely on the back of Bijan Robinson, who head coach Raheem Morris believes is the best player in the NFL.
“He’s definitely the best player in football in my head,” Morris said. “I don’t care, he’s unbelievable. I love the kid. I love everything about him. I love watching him with the ball. I love his confidence. I love his demeanor. I love his mindset. I love the leadership. I love everything about him.”
The Falcons are 2-0 this season in games in which Robinson has at least 15 rushing attempts. Getting the ball in the hands of their best playmaker will be key against a Buffalo defense that struggles against the run.
If the Falcons hope to steal one on primetime this week, the formula is simple: get the ball to Bijan Robinson. Feed Robinson, and good things usually follow.
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