Bijan has 103 carries to Tyler’s 116.
Bijan is 22nd in rushing attempts, and is 41st in redzone rushing attempts (seriously what the actual fuck).
It is absolutely criminal his usage. Even if he was a 7th round pick, with that production, I would expect him to be RB1, but the EIGHTH pick to be used like this is shocking.
I cannot comprehend what Arthur Smith thinks is best for the team, when our 3 best offensive skill positions are basically just used as decoys.
Any Falcons fan could tell you that Kyle Pitts would be 1st team all pro on most teams, the man catches literally anything and is always open, but nah, Jonnu Smith is our guy.
Serial lurker and longhorn fan here to tell you that there was once another head coach that underused Bijan during Bijan’s first year with the team. That coach did not make it to the following season.
While it is criminal this does ignore the game Bijan was allegedly ill or whatever
He still ran him late in that game to set up the field goal. If his head hurts, he shouldn’t have played at all. That’s the most frustrating part.
That was one game, (and still made it on the field). Last week he had 11 carries to Allgeiers 12, (4.6 YPC vs. 3.2 YPC).
Smith claims he rides the hot hand in the backfield, but absolutely none of the stats back up Allgeiers ever being the “hot hand” over Bijan.
Bijan is outsnapping Allgeier by almost double, so I definitely wouldn’t call him the RB2 even if the carries would give you that first impression.
Not getting stuffed three times in a row in the redzone because you are RB#2 is going to help your Y/A. Plenty of “backup” RB’s have had better efficiency stats in part because of the quality of attempts.
They’re protecting an asset they drafted high. They aren’t winning shit this year so why ruin your future?
This is exactly why teams like the 76ers have never come close to winning shit. Culture is so important and giving up in a season where you can easily make the playoffs does more to fuck your chances in the future than not “protecting an asset.”
Manage his load, and avoid what Garrett did to Zeke. Bijan has the potential to be high impact for some time, but that goes down the drain without load management
What Garrett did to Zeke was genius lol and they probably would have won the Super Bowl if they didn’t switch to Dak from Romo a couple years too soon
Yeah but just think about how triggered all the fantasy bros are at this. Isn’t that really the point? /s
This reminders me a lot of early Singletary for the Bills where his Y/A were really high but I think they were putting out the husk of Frank Gore each week.
And this is worse because they used a much higher pick on Robinson
Arthur Smith has to be intentionally tanking, and he’s just really good at selling the whole “I’m just that smart” shtick
Maybe they are trying to draft a top 5 WR this year to use as a decoy ?
Everyone saying it doesn’t make sense to overuse your rookie RB if you aren’t competing are whack. The point of every season should be to win games. The falcons can win their weak division and who knows. You can’t keep saying next season. You gotta go out and win some football games. Bijan gives the falcons the best chance to win. It’s not like the falcon are 3-12. They are right in the mix and only half the season is done
I don’t really get this take. The falcons are nowhere close to winning playoff games. They might make it there but what’s the point if it takes wearing out maybe your best asset? Just go get a qb next year and then start trying to win
“You play to win the game”
Yeah I’m not sure what those fans want. Bijan to get a 2nd contract? Cool, now you are paying a position a ton of money and trying to build a Superbowl roster around that.
The NFL trend has been to draft a RB and run him into the ground too
No doubt. RBs have a shelf life.
I’m in the boat that there is never a reason to tank or not give it your all to win. Even if you’re 0-16 heading into the last week. Establishing a winning culture and giving your fans something to cheer for is far more important than any high draft pick, resting studs, etc.
He’s saving Bijan’s health for the head coach they hire this off-season who will actually use the talent on the roster. Very thoughtful
Completely agree and this mindset is sort of plaguing every sport. To take a different sport as an example, the Dallas Mavericks gave up on making the NBA play-in, and the same year the Miami Heat made it to the finals as a play-in team. & this is in a sport where parity is far less common. Atlanta has a great chance to host a playoff game and using Bijan/Pitts would be a good way to make that happen.
I think Arthur Smith is a spiteful assclown
I still don’t know why they’re drafted him when they already had Algeier.
I agree they should’ve took Carter but ey they hooked you guys up. I think the lions were going for Bijan and then the falcons shocked everyone when they drafted a RB when they already had a 1000yd rusher on a rookie contract
This team had no need for Carter, he plays the only position on the dline we have talent at
You don’t take a RB that high if you aren’t planning on running them into the ground while they’re useful
I mean, I disagree
you don’t draft a player that high just to run them into the ground when you’re QB options are Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinecke. If Bijan truly is a “generational” RB, it makes sense to use him sparingly if you feel like you don’t really have a great chance to make a run. You don’t have to necessarily wait until his second contract…they could have a better QB option in years 3-4 of his rookie contract
Yup, 5th year option, franchise, flush……
I’ve just assumed that Arthur Smith didn’t want Bijan with that pick and is sparingly using him to prove his point somehow. He’s pulling an Art Howe from Moneyball.
This actually makes the most sense to me
Do runningbacks quickly lose production due to age or the physical impact of hundreds of hits?
Do runningbacks burn out or fade away?
Arthur Smith is a football terrorist, but the devil’s advocate in me says Bijan partly has such a high YPC because he does split carries.
Ok…… but the other guy in the committee is averaging less than 4ypc, shouldn’t the balance be shifted to the productive side of the committee at the very least?
imo watching how good bijan is makes this very debatable
In the one clip vs the packers, he jukes three defenders and the first two both happened behind the line of scrimmage. This was like a 17 yard carry on a play where multiple defenders got penetration
Nailed it. Allegeier takes the inside short yardage work with defenses knowing it’s a run.
Idk the game he got a ton of carry’s he averaged 6.5.
Bijan must have stock in UPS.