Falcons Found 'Nice Balance' with Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier. Can it Continue vs. Chiefs?

The Atlanta Falcons are still working toward consistent balance with running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.

Atlanta Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson (7) and Tyler Allgeier (25) create a strong one-two punch out of the backfield. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Amongst the many problems facing the Atlanta Falcons' offense after a season-opening 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was the disproportion of snaps between running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.

Atlanta spent the offseason foreshadowing an impactful role for Allgeier -- but in Week 1, he played only 10 offensive snaps and carried the ball just three times for 21 yards while Robinson matched a career-high in touches with 23.

Yet in Week 2, the Falcons quickly corrected the lack of balance. In Atlanta's 22-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, Robinson took 14 carries for 97 yards while Allgeier rushed nine times for 53 yards. It helped that the Falcons ran eight more plays against the Eagles, but balance between the two backs has always been a priority.

This, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday, is more along the lines of what Atlanta hopes to do each week on the ground.

"Ran the ball well, really well in this game," Morris said. "How you want to run the football just in general throughout the season, but really getting to our markers and some of the things we got, goals we have that you want to accomplish in running the football.

"Had a nice balance with Allgeier and Robinson this week, what you want in the run game."

Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson attributed credit to running backs coach Michael Pitre. Robinson said Pitre did a great job of mixing Robinson and Allgeier to keep Robinson fresh, an adjustment from the season opener. The Falcons only had 15 first downs against the Steelers, while they had 22 vs. the Eagles.

"A little bit of combination with those two guys is going to continue to be a good balance for us," Robinson said Wednesday.

Still, Robinson played 46 offensive snaps to Allgeier's 13. The snap count disparity figures to stay relatively similar -- the Falcons spoke all offseason about using Robinson like San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey, who led the league in scrimmage yards last season.

Robinson had five catches in the season opener and four in Week 2, but his passing game impact stems beyond his ability as a receiver. Against Philadelphia, Robinson made several key blocks that drew praise from teammates and coaches this week.

"I thought the blocking he did the other night was incredible," Zac Robinson said. "Him being able to close the space on some of those linebackers and show what he can do in pass protection is as valuable as anything, but he'll just continue to get better."

Zac Robinson added he thought Bijan Robinson saw the game really well against the Eagles, hitting every hole that existed. The latter felt he left a few yards on the table, particularly in attacking the third level of Philadelphia's defense, but the Falcons expect he'll grow in that area as he gains experience.

Morris said Robinson's development as a blocker is a credit to Pitre, the rest of the coaching staff and Robinson himself for the work that's done each day.

But most of all, Morris thinks it's a notion of maturity -- and he said Robinson has ascended from unique athlete, runner and pass catcher to a player who doubles as a strong blocker.

"He's able to really come in there and be a presence and felt in those different ways," Morris said. "That is the ultimate development for young players that are just coming from runners or pass catchers and developing to well-rounded guys that can be out there and being those big-time pros like we've been accustomed to seeing over the years."

Morris cited two plays against the Eagles -- one on a blitz pickup when quarterback Kirk Cousins hit receiver Darnell Mooney for a 41-yard touchdown and the other on a chip of Eagles outside linebacker Nolan Smith -- that showed Robinson's growth as a blocker.

For players like Robinson, who are used in promotional videos and pictured on billboards across Atlanta, blocking isn't always fun. It is, however, part of the responsibility of being an NFL running back -- and Cousins said it's something both Robinson and Allgeier are capable of doing at a high level.

"They're there to run the football [which] is really why you bring them in," Cousins said Wednesday. "But then to get here and tell them they have to run routes, you got to pass protect, you got to have great eyes. There's a lot more that goes into it. And it's a tough job.

"The guy is coming right down your midline and he's trying to drive you right back into the quarterback. As we say, kind of stick your face on the guy, tight elbows, tight thumbs, and really anchor is difficult. But many times, happens in crunch time, it's third down, it's critical place."

And in those critical moments, Robinson -- and Allgeier -- have stepped up and delivered.

Now, they'll look to do the same at 8:20 p.m. Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It's another chance to make a primetime statement, much like the Monday night victory over the Eagles.

Robinson and Allgeier figure to play central roles in dictating the content within that statement -- and with snap counts and usage rates much closer to the ones they reached in Philadelphia.