Everything is on the line in Week 17 as the Falcons head north to take on the Washington Commanders. It will be a rookie vs. rookie showdown, while also providing a reunion of sorts between former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, who is finding a ton of early success in Washington.
With the Commanders winning in Week 16 against the Eagles, the Falcons only real path to the postseason is through the division. Atlanta and Tampa Bay currently sit in a tie atop the NFC South, but the Falcons own the tiebreaker. Two wins to end the season, and Atlanta is in the postseason for the first time since the 2017 campaign. But with a loss, they’ll have to rely on the Bucs dropping a game to either the Panthers or Saints, two of the worst teams in the NFC.
That makes Sunday essentially a must-win for the Falcons on the road, and if they are to upset the Commanders, Bijan Robinson and Atlanta’s rushing attack must be the focal point of the game plan.
Similarly to last season, The Falcons have been among the most effective teams pounding the rock, led by the 2023 8th overall selection out of Texas, who is already blossoming into one of the league’s best running backs in year two. Atlanta complements Robinson with Tyler Allgeier, a 5th round pick in the 2022 draft, who would start on half of the teams across the NFL and offers a nice complementary style to Robinson, making things even more difficult for opposing defenses.
The result has been the 11th-best rushing attack in the NFL, and the hope is that the move to Michael Penix Jr. will only magnify their ability to move the ball on the ground, given the rookie quarterback’s ability to threaten defenses more vertically with his incredible arm strength.
That will be the goal on Sunday night against a Commanders team that is one of the worst against the run, ranking 29th in the league and allowing nearly 140 yards on the ground per game.
If the Falcons can establish the run early, they’ll control the game, making life much easier for Michael Penix Jr. in his first ever NFL start on the road. It will also keep the soon-to-be Offensive Rookie of the Year on the sidelines, who poses a unique threat for a Falcons defense that has been better of late but is still an all-around average unit at best.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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