It was a big night for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17, as they knocked off the Los Angeles Rams 27-24 on Monday Night Football. Much of that success stemmed from the electrifying play of running back Bijan Robinson.
Robinson, who rushed for 195 yards and a touchdown while adding 34 receiving yards and another score, delivered a career night in multiple ways. His rushing total marked a career high, while his 229 total yards from scrimmage pushed him into the Falcons’ record book. Robinson now owns the franchise’s single-season scrimmage yards record with 2,255, surpassing the mark set by William Andrews in 1983, who totaled 2,176 yards.
One of Robinson’s biggest highlights came early in the second quarter. On the first play of a drive, he burst through the line and raced 93 yards for a touchdown — the longest run of his career — giving Atlanta a commanding 21-0 lead.
Yet even after such a dominant showing from Robinson and the Falcons overall, not everyone was thrilled with how the game concluded.
Former Minnesota Vikings Star Disliked Falcons Play Calling At End Of Game
After trailing 21-0 at halftime, the Rams stormed back to tie the game at 24-24 with 2:46 remaining. Atlanta got the ball back and responded with a nine-play, 32-yard drive that drained the clock down to just 21 seconds. The possession ended with Zane Gonzalez drilling a 51-yard field goal to secure the win.
Robinson once again played a key role in extending the drive. He rattled off three straight runs of five, four and 10 yards to move the Falcons into Rams territory. However, once inside the Los Angeles 35-yard line, Atlanta shifted away from Robinson.
Instead, the Falcons handed the ball to Tyler Allgeier on three consecutive runs, gaining just two yards total before setting up the game-winning kick.
Former NFL MVP and four-time All-Pro Adrian Peterson took to social media shortly after and made it clear he wasn’t pleased with the decision to go away from Robinson, who finished five yards shy of his first 200-yard rushing performance.
“Towards the end of the game, you see Robinson ended up with 195 yards. I’m sitting there wondering why on the last run of the game, they give the ball to somebody else,” Peterson said. “This kid been balling all game — big play after big play. Why not give it to the kid and let him get his 200 yards?”
Bijan Robinson Could Be This Generation’s Adrian Peterson
Peterson has been vocal in his admiration for Robinson’s game — even if that praise comes from a former Oklahoma star talking up a former Texas standout. He admitted he was “pissed off” that Robinson didn’t reach the 200-yard mark.
If anyone understands massive rushing performances, it’s Peterson. He recorded six career games with at least 200 rushing yards, tying him for second all-time with O.J. Simpson and trailing only current Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry, who recently reached seven.
Peterson’s most famous outing came on November 4, 2007, when he set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards against the then–San Diego Chargers.
Given the way Robinson is piling up yardage both on the ground and through the air, the comparisons aren’t far-fetched. If he stays healthy, Robinson could very well carve out a legacy similar to Peterson’s. As he nears the end of his third NFL season, Robinson has already compiled nearly 6,000 yards from scrimmage — an impressive start for one of the league’s brightest young stars.
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