The Washington Commanders are off to a 2-1 start, and they’re preparing to hit the road again for an NFC rematch against the Atlanta Falcons.
Last year, this game came down to the wire, and the Commanders got the win in overtime to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Looking back at the matchup, there was one player who gave the Commanders fits all game.
The defense can’t allow Bijan Robinson to do what he did last year, which is a lot easier said than done, but the Commanders are ready to contain one of the best running backs in the league.
Bijan Robinson is one of the best, but the offense isn’t
Robinson has already made his mark in the league as a top running back and even an offensive weapon, and it makes preparing for him a real headache. Commanders’ defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. praised the running back on Thursday when he spoke to the media.
“You know, we put up the key players each week,” Whitt Jr. said. “And you put your strengths and the weaknesses. And I didn’t have any weaknesses for the guy [Robinson], man. I was just like, man, he can do it all. He can run inside or outside. He can catch, he can block. He can run the screen game. He does it all very, very well.”
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The passing game has been nonexistent for the Falcons so far this season, and Robinson actually has the only receiving touchdown so far. If you can stop Robinson and force a struggling Michael Penix Jr. to throw more than he’s comfortable doing, you have a real shot to win this game. The Commanders’ run defense has improved drastically compared to last year, and they’re ready for the challenge.
The Commanders’ run defense is leading the way
The secondary continues to struggle so far, but the defensive line has been the biggest surprise this season, after being bottom three in stopping the run last year. When the Falcons came to town last season, Robinson rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns. The new look defensive line is ready to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Through the first three games, the Commanders are eighth in the league in yards per rush at 3.7 yards per rush.
The addition of Javon Kinlaw has made a huge difference in the run game, as well as brought out the best in Daron Payne again. Dorance Armstrong is also having a career year so far when rushing the passer, but he also has the third most run stops as an edge with 10. It also helps when Bobby Wagner is coming downhill from the second level and has a 91.2 run defense grade on PFF, which is right behind Fred Warner.
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Robinson is clearly the best option for the Falcons’ offense right now, who can’t throw the ball to save their lives, and the Commanders can make this game a lot easier on the offense if they can get the Falcons off the field quickly by shutting down the run game.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.