Going into the 2023 campaign, there weren’t very high expectations for Arthur Smith and the Falcons, especially with a third-round pick in Desmond Ridder under center.
Somehow, Smith didn’t meet that low bar and eventually lost his job because of it. A driving factor in Arthur Blank’s decision was the lack of impact from the club’s three top 10 draft picks.
Poor quarterback play could be partially blamed for Kyle Pitts and Drake London’s production woes, but Falcons fans never saw the offensive weapon that Bijan Robinson was supposed to be.
Atlanta’s 8th overall pick from 2023 was slated to be the featured running back in Arthur Smith’s offense. He was also supposed to be a consistent receiving threat as well. Neither came to fruition and most of all, Falcons fans were frustrated with Robinson’s lack of touches in the most important moments of the game — red zone, third downs, two-minute, etc.
It’s safe to say that Falcons fans were disappointed, but a divisional foe’s words should spruce things up in the dead of the offseason. Tyrann Mathieu is saying what all fans in Atlanta are thinking.
“He’s going to be special,” Mathieu said on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast. “Marshall Faulk, you know. Edgerrin James, you know what I mean? Like, LaDainian Tomlinson, you know? And I didn’t think the Falcons really used him as good as they should have last year, but, man, he’s going to be good.”
That is three Hall of Fame running backs that a very respected player in Mathieu is comparing Robinson to. That’s high praise for a guy coming off a rookie campaign that netted 1,463 scrimmage yards. It just goes to show what kind of potential the Texas product has to be garnering this kind of compliment.
The hope is that Zac Robinson and Kirk Cousins can unlock this offense’s potential. Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson alike are primed to have a big 2024.
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