Why Bijan Robinson Had Only 9 Carries
The main factor was time of possession. The Bears ran 73 offensive plays while the Falcons had 50, a 40-20 disparity in the first half. Chicago controlled the clock, holding the ball for 40 minutes and 8 seconds compared to the Falcons’ 19 minutes and 52 seconds. In the opening 30 minutes, the Bears possessed the ball for more than 22 minutes.
As a result, Atlanta didn’t have many opportunities to hand the ball to Robinson. He carried four times in the first half and averaged over 10 yards per carry on those attempts. The Falcons simply didn’t have the ball long enough to feature him more.
In the second half, Atlanta trailed by multiple scores and leaned heavily into the passing game. Bears quarterback Michael Penix Jr. attempted 33 passes, completing 19 for 225 yards and three touchdowns, while being sacked five times for 31 yards. Notably, Robinson wasn’t targeted at all in the second half, after recording two receptions in the first half that totaled minus-8 yards. He did contribute as a blocker, frequently staying in to handle extra blitzers.
Overall, Robinson finished with nine carries for 61 yards and did not have any second-half targets, a day that loomed as disappointing despite the earlier a.m. burst when he did touch the ball.
Comparison to Robinson’s Career-Worst Games
The nine-carry performance tied for the fourth-fewest carries Robinson has had in a game. His other notably low-carry games include a one-run outing as a rookie, seven carries for 11 yards with four receptions for 46 yards in another (his second season saw a seven-carry, 28-yard rush with four catches for 46 yards), and a game last season with nine carries for 25 yards plus three receptions for 23 yards.
The takeaway is that while this wasn’t the least efficient game for Robinson, the volume simply wasn’t there. The Falcons suffered a tough loss, and the limited touches for Robinson were a significant factor in the outcome.
