The Falcons and Arthur Smith have been battered for their usage, or lack of usage when talking about their top 10 draft picks — Drake London and Kyle Pitts, in particular. Thankfully, their production has improved dramatically over the last two weeks.
London has now put up 26 catches for 329 yards and two scores through six games but 203 of those yards and 15 of those receptions are from the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Pitts has accumulated 130 of 251 total yards, 11 of 22 total receptions, and his lone touchdown in the last two weeks
Now, Arthur Smith is having to answer questions regarding the usage of Bijan Robinson, their latest top 10 draft pick. The Falcons head coach told reporters that the team has to monitor it, “… have to be careful.”
Falcons HC Arthur Smith on Bijan Robinson's usage & how they have to monitor it: "You have to be careful."
Robinson said yesterday he's been feeling "sore," but that's not surprising six games into a NFL season.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) October 16, 2023
I don’t necessarily think Smith is wrong. Bijan Robinson is still leading the team in touches by a large margin. The 8th overall pick has accumulated 106 touches in six games, which is 25 more than Tyler Allgeier, who has the second most touches.
Allgeier is clearly an inferior player to Robinson, but his presence keeps the star rookie fresh and healthy. The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. However, there’s an argument to be made for Robinson to be on the field in any and every monumental moment.
The Falcons went for a two-point conversion while still needing a touchdown to tie the game. It confused fans, but the analytics backed up Smith’s decision. What didn’t make sense was the choice to put the ball in Desmond Ridder‘s hands instead of Bijan Robinson.
There’s not a single player on the Falcons more dynamic than Robinson with the ball in their hands. I have no issues in monitoring his snaps because the Falcons and their fans want him as healthy as possible while still leading the team in touches. I do have a problem with not prioritizing his presence in the offense during the biggest moments in the game.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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