The strange, lopsided scoreboards in the NFL usually start with something small. One missed edge.
One tackle that doesn’t get finished. One crease that turns into a runway.
This week’s running back calls are built on that kind of chain reaction, with three backs positioned to turn volume into something bigger.
Bijan Robinson, James Cook and Jonathan Taylor each have a different path to a loud Sunday. Robinson has the chance to pile up touchdowns in multiple ways.
Cook is being asked to keep a hot hand cooking if Buffalo finds itself in another tight one. Taylor’s case comes down to touches, receiving work and whether Indianapolis can keep feeding him against a front that has been hard to move.
Bijan Robinson is the one with the most explosive scoring ceiling of the group. Atlanta finally had a quarterback under center who forced the defense to respect the pass, and that opened space for Robinson to work beyond the first wave. Against Green Bay, he was used 31 times in the Falcons’ 35-14 win, finishing with 29 carries, 19 receiving yards, 213 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
That doesn’t mean he was alone in the backfield. Brian Robinson Jr. still played 19 snaps, so this is not a one-back situation in the purest sense.
But the argument here is simple: if Atlanta moves the ball well enough, Robinson can be the one finishing drives. His receiving role matters too, because it gives him another way to score if the Saints load up to stop the run.
New Orleans is coming off a high-scoring game, and rookie defensive tackle Christen Miller’s status is something to watch. There are also other mouths to feed near the goal line, including quarterback keepers, Drake London and the tight ends.
The bet is that a better-looking Falcons offense creates enough scoring chances for Robinson to hit three times. That would be one more touchdown than he had last week, and it would make Monday night a problem for New Orleans.
James Cook’s path is more straightforward, if a lot harder to reach. Buffalo has already shown what this looks like when a game stays close and the Bills can lean on the ground game late. Against the Chargers, Cook carried 24 times for 154 yards and a touchdown, and 77 of those yards came on 11 carries in the fourth quarter.
If the Patriots can keep this one tight, Buffalo won’t mind handing him the same kind of workload again. The number is aggressive: 175 rushing yards would beat his season high by 21.
He has 346 rushing yards on 58 carries, a 6.0 average, and that kind of pace still demands serious volume. At 24 carries, he would need to average 7.3 yards per tote.
That’s not a casual ask.
Buffalo has credited his blocking with 3.02 yards before contact per carry, which points to some useful openings, but not a guarantee that New England will leave him wide open space. Josh Allen can always finish drives with his legs, too. For Cook to get there, he’ll need both the carry count he just saw and a run or two that changes the game.
Jonathan Taylor’s number is the most all-purpose of the three. The Colts back has been getting the touches, even if the production hasn’t matched.
Last week against Houston, he had 25 touches but only 72 yards, including 68 yards on 23 carries. That’s the push-and-pull here: the workload is there, but Washington has been tough against the run.
Taylor does have another route to the number if Daniel Jones gets him involved as a receiver. In Week 2 against Kansas City, he had 40 receiving yards on four catches. That matters because it gives him two ways to reach 150 scrimmage yards: a stronger day on the ground, or a normal rushing total with a meaningful receiving bump attached.
He has 325 scrimmage yards on the season, so this asks for a big jump from his current 108-yard pace. Washington has allowed 3.8 yards per carry and just held Seattle to 44 rushing yards last week, so this is not a soft landing spot.
Still, if Taylor is in his usual role, Indianapolis has a clear way to attack a very difficult matchup. His Wednesday limited listing was for scheduled rest, not a reported injury, according to team coverage.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr. Just Added More Heat To Falcons-Saints Rivalry
Michael Penix Jr. is back in the mix for Atlanta after a strong showing against the Green Bay Packers, and now the Falcons quarterback has added a little more edge to a rivalry that already carries plenty of history. Ahead of Monday nights matchup with New Orleans, Penix made a critical comment about the Saints, giving an already charged NFC South meeting a little extra bite.
New Orleans comes in led by Tyler Shough and leaning on a pass-heavy offense, while Atlanta has been winning plenty of its recent battles on the ground. With Penix reasserting himself after his return and the Saints taking a different approach on offense, the setup for Monday night feels bigger than a division game, and the latest jab only makes the buildup more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Callahan Is Already Changing A Key Falcons Starter
Bill Callahan was brought to Atlanta to sharpen the Falcons edge up front, and early signs suggest the offensive line coach is already making a difference. Center Ryan Neuzil has settled in quickly since Callahans arrival, and the improvement has shown up in the kind of work the Falcons value most, with Neuzil holding up well in both pass protection and the run game.
Neuzils growth also fits the bigger picture for Atlanta, where continuity along the offensive line has helped make the transition smoother. If Callahan can keep turning that steadiness into real progress, the Falcons may have found an important piece of their offensive foundation at a position that can quietly change everything around it. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face Another Saints Threat That Could Decide Monday Night
The Falcons defense carried plenty of weight in their recent win, and there is little margin for a slowdown with Monday Night Football bringing another familiar test. New Orleans has enough passing-game talent to make life difficult, and Atlantas best path again starts with limiting the Saints top targets and forcing the offense to work for every clean look downfield.
Chris Olave will draw attention, but Juwan Johnson has emerged as a particularly important piece in recent games and could become the kind of chain-moving threat that tilts the matchup. Atlanta has linebackers with coverage ability, and how well they handle Johnson in the middle of the field may go a long way toward deciding whether the Falcons can keep this one in the kind of defensive game they prefer. [Read more 🡒]