Bijan Robinson spent Sunday doing what he always seems to do for Atlanta: carrying the offense, stretching defenses, and making big plays look routine. But tucked inside the Falcons’ 20-13 loss to Pittsburgh was a moment that could have turned the entire day into something much worse.
A replay that’s been circulating after a Falcons fan account posted it shows just how close Robinson came to a brutal season-ending injury. In the clip, he’s in the white road uniform as a pile of Steelers collapses on a checkdown, and his body twists the wrong way.
It’s the kind of roll-up that can wreck a season in a split second. Another inch or two, and Robinson would’ve stayed down on the ground with a terrible injury.
The scare only sharpens the picture of how indispensable he is. Robinson is the centerpiece of the Atlanta offense and, by the team’s own standards, a superstar who does things few backs in football can. He recently broke the NFL record for scrimmage yards by a player under 24, and head coach Raheem Morris went so far as to call him the best player in the entire league.
Even with Atlanta coming up short, Robinson delivered a clinic. He ran 21 times for 83 rushing yards and was just as dangerous as a receiver, catching 8 of 10 targets for 90 yards.
His biggest moment came in the first quarter, when he scored Atlanta’s opening touchdown on a 23-yard catch-and-run. By the end of the game, he led the Falcons in receptions, targets, and receiving yards.
Robinson also kept earning yards after contact, forcing missed tackles and dragging extra production out of plays that looked bottled up. His 173 total scrimmage yards made the point plain: everything Atlanta wants to do still runs through No. 7.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Backfield Depth Problem They Created
The Falcons running back room took another hit this week, and it is one of their own doing. Dallas signed Tyler Goodson off Atlantas practice squad to its active 53-man roster after an injury to Malik Davis, giving Goodson a quick path back to the league after the Falcons waived him following preseason even though he had turned in strong performances.
For Atlanta, the bigger issue is the depth chart behind the depth chart. Cash Jones is now the only running back on the practice squad, which leaves the team thin if it wants more insurance at the position, and the Falcons may need to add another player just to keep the room stocked. Goodson, meanwhile, gets another chance to carve out a role in Dallas as he competes for snaps behind Javonte Williams and Emari Demercado. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Pitts Is Already Putting Falcons Quarterback Problem Under Pressure
Kyle Pitts entered the year with a new three-year, $54 million deal and the kind of expectations that come with being one of the Falcons most important pass-catching pieces. Instead, the season opener against the Steelers left him without a reception and with just one target, a quiet start that stood out even in a game where the offense struggled to find any rhythm with Cooper Rush at quarterback.
Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are both working back from injuries and are expected to return soon, which only adds another layer to how the Falcons will manage their passing game. Pitts role remains central to what Atlanta wants to do, but the early lack of involvement has already put a spotlight on how much the quarterback situation can shape his impact from week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons QB Situation Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Just One Bad Week
The Falcons quarterback picture already looked fragile coming out of Week 1, and now it feels like the kind of issue that can spill into the entire early season if it is not managed carefully. Cooper Rush battled through back spasms and still had to take the field, but the offense never really found a rhythm, and the two interceptions only added to a rough opener built around injury uncertainty.
Around the division, the injury report only adds to the sense that nothing is going to be simple for Atlanta in the next stretch. Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish avoided anything more serious after a back sprain, while the Panthers had their own concerns after a loss to the Bears, with Jalen Coker dealing with a rolled ankle and Bobby Brown with a bulging disc. For the Falcons, the larger question is not just who plays next week, but how long they can keep absorbing these hits before the quarterback situation starts shaping the whole season. [Read more 🡒]