Bijan Robinson Reminds the NFL Who He Is in Monster Week 13 Performance
If you're still sleeping on Bijan Robinson, Week 13 was your wake-up call.
The Atlanta Falcons may have dropped a tight one to the New York Jets, 27-24, but their third-year running back made sure everyone watching knew exactly what kind of talent he is. With Drake London sidelined and the Falcons offense still trying to find its identity, Robinson stepped up in a big way-racking up 141 rushing yards and nearly hitting the 200-yard mark from scrimmage.
That kind of day doesn’t just get noticed by fans-it turns heads among former players, too. FOX Sports analyst and ex-Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, never one to hand out praise to the Falcons lightly, couldn’t help but acknowledge what he saw. He called Robinson’s performance “sensational,” and even admitted that if Atlanta’s record were better, Bijan would be in the same national conversation as guys like Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey.
And honestly, he's not wrong.
Robinson’s outing against a tough Jets defense wasn’t just flashy-it was foundational. With the Falcons missing key pieces like London and rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., offensive coordinator Zac Robinson leaned heavily on the ground game.
The result? Bijan delivered, again and again, showcasing the kind of versatility and explosiveness that made him a top-10 pick in the first place.
What stood out most wasn’t just the yardage. It was the way he got it.
Robinson ran with vision, patience, and burst-making defenders miss in the open field and grinding out tough yards between the tackles. He was the engine of the offense, and the Jets had no answer.
And it wasn’t just on the ground. With Atlanta’s passing game struggling, Robinson also stepped up as a receiving threat.
Only tight end Kyle Pitts had more receiving yards on the day, which says a lot about Bijan’s all-around impact. He’s not just a running back-he’s a playmaker, period.
That dual-threat ability is what separates the good backs from the elite ones. And even though the Falcons haven’t been in the playoff hunt this season, Robinson’s talent is impossible to ignore. If Atlanta were a few wins better, we’d be hearing his name in the same breath as the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons.
This isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan performance either. Robinson continues to show that he’s a generational talent, capable of carrying an offense when the rest of the pieces are missing or out of sync. Tyler Allgeier added a touchdown of his own in Week 13, but make no mistake-this was Bijan’s show.
The Falcons may not be where they want to be in the standings, but they’ve got a franchise cornerstone in No. 7. And if Week 13 reminded us of anything, it’s that Bijan Robinson doesn’t need the spotlight to shine-he brings his own.