The Ravens are heading into Week 5 with a clear warning label attached, and it comes in the form of Bijan Robinson.
Baltimore is coming off a 3-1 start, but there’s no time to sit back and enjoy it with the Atlanta Falcons waiting on Sunday Night Football. Robinson just put on a national showcase against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, ripping off 19 carries for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns. One of those scores was a 59-yard burst that made the whole thing look far too easy.
That’s the part Baltimore has to worry about most: Robinson doesn’t just flash, he overwhelms. He’s already built a case as one of the NFL’s elite backs, and the source material makes the argument plainly - he’s a top-two running back with a strong case to be the No. 1 at the position. Against the Ravens, that kind of talent can turn into a long night fast.
The timing doesn’t help Baltimore, either. Robinson has been especially dangerous when the spotlight is brightest, and the source points out that he’s tied with Emmitt Smith for the most 50+ yard rushing touchdowns on Monday nights with three, doing it in 20 fewer games. That’s the kind of primetime production that changes how a defense has to prepare.
And preparation starts at the edges. The Ravens’ best chance is to keep Robinson from bouncing runs outside and reversing the field, because once he gets that crease, the damage can snowball in a hurry. He has the speed to explode past pursuit, the elusiveness to leave tacklers guessing, and the power to run through contact when he wants to.
The piece also makes it clear that Baltimore’s tackling has to be cleaner than it has been. The Ravens haven’t consistently finished plays in 2026, and that has already shown up in multiple games.
In Week 2, Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson slipped past missed tackles. In Week 3, CeeDee Lamb and Javonte Williams piled up too many yards after contact.
Last week, it was Carnell Tate.
Now comes a back who can punish every one of those mistakes. Robinson has broken 67 tackles in his career and entered Week 4 with 167 yards after contact, according to Pro Football Reference. He added more Monday night, which only sharpened the warning for Baltimore.
The assignment for the Ravens is simple in theory and brutal in practice: limit him, don’t let him take over, and try to keep him from being the force that swings the game for Atlanta. Against a runner like Robinson, that may be the best any defense can hope for.
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