It’s more than fair to say that the Atlanta Falcons have underachieved during Bijan Robinson‘s first two seasons. In each of his first two seasons, the Falcons have plateaued at six wins and limped to the finish line.
But, during a conversation with Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports, Robinson revealed that he and the rest of the Falcons have embraced a new mindset that could help them avoid the same pitfalls in 2025.
Robinson and the Falcons ‘Not a Team That Looks Ahead Anymore’
If the Falcons are going to make a playoff run, they’re going to need Bijan Robinson and the rest of the offense to pick up where they left off in 2024. After limping in and out of their Week 12 bye, Atlanta finished strong behind Robinson and rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Prior to Penix taking over, the Falcons had dropped from 6-3 to 7-7. They scored an average of just over 14 points per game during that crucial stretch, thanks to a lackluster performance from Kirk Cousins. Cousins threw for just one touchdown and nine interceptions.
But, after another disappointing finish in 2024, Bijan Robinson revealed that he and the Falcons have embraced a new mindset heading into this season.
“For us, we’re not a team that looks ahead anymore,” Robinson said during a one-on-one interview with Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports.
Robinson explained that, since he’s been with the Falcons, they’ve lost sight of some of their opponents by focusing too much on their goals to win the division and win in the playoffs. He stressed the importance of focusing on the team at hand and going week-by-week.
“I think the past couple years, since I’ve been here, we’ve always been … ‘We have to win the South. We have to win in the playoffs.’ And I think, for us, that wasn’t a good thing, because we would lose focus on who’s in front of us that week. So, I think it’s really important for us to just go one week at a time, focus on the team, who we have at hand, what we have at stake, and I think everything else will take care of itself.”
“On paper, the Falcons once again have a team that should be good enough to contend for either the NFC South title or at the least a wild card spot in the playoffs,” DeArdo wrote.
But, as we all know, you don’t win a division on paper. Thankfully, they should be able to avoid anymore quarterback controversies in 2025, and focus on each of their opponents.
Bijan Robinson Looking for Another Strong Finish in 2025
There’s one key statistic behind Bijan Robinson’s strong finish that illustrates the difference between his rookie season from his sophomore campaign. Even though the Falcons experienced an identical 2-4 finish, Robinson more than doubled his production on the ground and jumped from one to eight touchdowns.
Obviously, there’s a difference between their opponents during those stretches, as they finished the 2024 season against three of the worst run defenses in the league. But, Robinson still put together an impressive stretch from Week 13 through Week 18.
Robinson capped off the 2024 campaign with a dominant performance against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. He rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-tying score with just under a minute left.
But, once again, the Falcons failed to finish, and ended the season with a 44-38 overtime loss to seal their seventh consecutive losing season. With new faces at key positions, including Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback, Atlanta is as well-positioned as they have been in years to make a run at the division.
While it’s easy to get lost in the hype or set your sights too far ahead on a playoff run or Super Bowl, Bijan Robinson and the Falcons know that they need to take it week-by-week and focus on going 1-0.
“While they once again look good on paper, Robinson and the Falcons aren’t getting ahead of themselves,” DeArdo wrote. “Instead, they’re focusing on what’s directly ahead of them, starting with their Week 1 showdown against the four-time defending NFC South champion Buccaneers.”
It will be vital for the Falcons to get off to a good start against the Buccaneers, especially with a young signal-caller in Michael Penix Jr. starting his first season-opener. Hopefully, Bijan Robinson can carry over some of that momentum from the end of 2024.
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