Sam Howell on Commanders' RB Brian Robinson 'He Runs Physical!'
When talking about Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr., one word comes to mind - physical.
After a successful rookie season, albeit a shortened one, Robinson has been back to his brutal best and in the 35-33 win over the Denver Broncos, his physicality overwhelmed Vance Joseph's defense.
For Washington quarterback Sam Howell, B-Rob as he's called, is such a fun guy to play with.
“He runs hard. He runs physical," Howell said. "He makes the defense feel it every single time he touches the ball. When you are in games like this and it is kind of close toward the end, that is what you need. You need somebody like that. He is a killer when he gets the ball. It is definitely fun playing with a guy like that."
Robinson played a crucial role in the Commanders overturning a 21-3 deficit in the second quarter as he came alive when it really mattered.
In the fourth quarter, Robinson had a 27-yard run that flipped field position and just four plays later, he rushed for a two-yard touchdown.
On Washington's next possession, Robinson had a 15-yard touchdown run to extend the Commanders' lead.
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After a first half in which Robinson only mustered 13 rushing yards, he came to life in the second half and finished the game with 87 yards on 19 carries.
Coach Ron Rivera credits the halftime adjustments for Robinson's increased productivity.
“I think one of the things that they've been working on with him is really been just being patient, and sometimes being patient means to stutter your feet and you can get a little anxious," Rivera said. "Instead of waiting for that crease or anticipating that crease developing, he hits it where he probably didn't need to.
"I think as he settled in and you saw it later on, he had a couple of really nice runs and you could see him be patient and then hit it and as he hit it, you could see the separation between the blockers and the creases were there. Part of that was not just his frustration with himself, but upfront, we've got to be consistent as well to give our backs an opportunity to be successful.”
The Commanders got the run game and Robinson going in the second half as Denver seemed to have no answer to Robinson's punishing runs.
With a young quarterback under center, having a running back who can pick up yards consistently makes life a lot easier.
The Commanders were down 21-3 with Robinson having no impact, and once he got going, the scoreboard flipped to 35-24. Coincidence?
With Robinson now off and running in the season as Washington secured its first 2-0 start since 2011, the formula going forward feels straightforward - give Robinson the ball and let his physicality overpower the defense.
It worked in Denver, and against the Buffalo Bills, Robinson's brutal running style will need to be counted on again.
