The Atlanta Falcons got their first win of the 2025 NFL season on Sunday Night Football. Atlanta beat Minnesota 22-6 in an impressive upset win that they controlled from wire to wire. The Falcons won the game on the back of their superstar running back.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris made a bold declaration about Bijan Robinson's role in the offense after winning on Sunday Night Football.
“That's part of the plan every single week,” Morris said, per Falcons reporter Tori McElhaney.
Atlanta's rushing game struggled mightily in Week 1, so it was great to see Robinson get back on track.
Robinson had 22 carries for 143 rushing yards against the Vikings. He also hauled in three receptions for 25 yards in the receiving game. That put him up there with the other top Falcons receivers.
Robinson also got some help from his teammate Tyler Allgeier. The backup running back logged 13 carries for 67 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Simply put, the running game was the only thing working for the Falcons on Sunday night.
Raheem Morris also praises Michael Penix Jr. after run-heavy Falcons win
The quarterback play from the Falcons and Vikings was the least exciting part of SNF.
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. had an okay game, going 13-of-21 for 135 passing yards. It seemed clear that Atlanta wanted to neutralize Minnesota's exotic blitzes by simply pounding the rock.
Raheem Morris praised his quarterback for being a selfless player amid the run-heavy victory.
“He’s selfless. He’ll do whatever it takes to win, which is exactly what he did tonight,” Morris said.
After only two games, it appears that Atlanta is only asking Penix to manage the game while they lean on the rushing attack. Penix passed for 298 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, though arguably out of necessity as the running game was not working.
It will be fascinating to see how the Falcons operate their offense against a clearly inferior opponent. That could provide some insights into how the Falcons hope to use Penix throughout the rest of the regular season.
Speaking of, next up for the Falcons is a Week 3 matchup against the Panthers.
