Bijan Robinson: Falcons Love Playing Tampa Bay
August 27th, 2025
Bijan Robinson
Kickoff against the Falcons in Atlanta is 11 days away.
Is it a great matchup for the Bucs? Joe’s can’t go there.
Yes, the Falcons are very beatable, but they’ve also got a lot of talent on offense and a résumé of success against the Todd Bowles defense.
“We have a lot of respect for them as a team and, you know, obviously they’re in our division, but we love playing against them,” Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson told SiriusXM NFL Radio yesterday.
Still, Robinson wasn’t being cocky and knows how up-and-down the Falcons were last season. They had a 6-3 record but imploded to finish 8-9.
“For us, like, being consistent is very huge. We’re going to bring our best foot forward [in Week 1], because we have to,” Robinson said.
Co-host Pat Kirwan, the former Bucs scout and Jets assistant coach, noted that he thinks the Bucs are the clear favorite to win the NFC South, but he acknowledged that Week 1 is a very critical game for both teams. Joe won’t call it a “must-win,” but it’s damn close.
“This thing becomes a haunting game to the losing team,” Kirwan said.
As far as the chess match that will be on display, Kirwan noted the Falcons know exactly how to carve up the Bucs defense — they did it twice last year — but they might have serious issues with Todd Bowles throwing an array of blitzes at whomever lines up for the Falcons at right tackle. Their starter, Kaleb McGary, messed up his knee last week and will not play against the Bucs.
Yesterday, Atlanta traded for Seahawks backup tackle Michael Jerrell, who as a rookie made three starts last season and allowed three sacks, per the Falcons’ website.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:06 pm
go Falcons
August 27th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Healthy defense is a plus for us.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
The Putrid Pass Defense of the recent past will begin to dictate where this season goes. We know we have a TOP 10 Offense with a Franchise QB but without a Defense that can come up with critical stops when they are needed-we will not go all the way. Sooner or later a team’s weakness will be exposed when it matters most. Let’s not play 10 yards off of every WR on 3rd downs this year will be great start. GO BUCS!
August 27th, 2025 at 2:15 pm
If a team feels haunted by an 0-1 start, then is rebuilding time. Get rid of the weak mindset. In both Super Bowl seasons the Saints swept us. I’m pleased with our end result.
LFG!!!
August 27th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
We lost in New Orleans when Brady got here and that season ended being pretttyyyy good in the end so no worries either way. Still…let’s beat them
August 27th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Least the defense is healthy. Does anyone remember how slow Britt was in coverage ? Also JTS not being around is a plus lol Kancey is healthy Winfield j guess is healthy. Let’s see Bowles with a healthy defense before we cast judgement
August 27th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
It’s up to Bowles now. Is he going to earn that contract extension or fold and let the Youngry Raheem get the best of him again this year.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
With Reddick, Dennis, Zyon and Dean healthy we are in this game in the fourth quarter. I’m sure Bucky will hold on to the ball this time.
LFG!!!
August 27th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
these games usually come fired to a last second field goal or td in ot… i hope we’re on the winning side this time… they gotta get to penix and shake him up
August 27th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
That should say a lot. Kurt’s not the QB so maybe we have a chance. His best games were always against us. I hate these games ’cause it never seems like the Bucs show up to play the Falcons.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:49 pm
The Bucs need to win this game, since they’re not beating Atlanta on a Thursday night later in the season – so if they don’t want to get swept, they need to come out and get the W. Which, by the way, I expect them to.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
Yup. Bowles makes opposing offensive players very happy. The blueprint is there for everyone to see. You’d have to be stupid not to be able to take advantage of Todd’s pass defense.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:56 pm
Penix is an inaccurate QB. With the Falcons RT situation with Kancey up the middle and Reddick crashing that blindside (Penix is a lefty),my take is there are going to be a lot of Penix interceptions. Ebuka is going to put on a show. Bijan isn’t going to like playing the Bucs after week 1.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
If Bucs lose to Falcons then they are not the team most everyone has been talking about since OTA’s. The injuries we have seem to have decent backups so there is no excuses. They need to put an end to Falcons hopes for any NFC Championship to rest the first game of the year.
August 27th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
BTW what a slap in the face to both the Defense and Offense. Falcons like playing the Bucs….. that is saying the Falcons expect a Win.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
I’m very worried about week 1 and I’m predicting a loss although I still see us winning the division.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
I think the Bucs are healthy enough and better coached to win this game.
That being said the biggest wild card is Charlie Heck. Losing our best player on the team — Wirfs — and we hope that we go to someone that is serviceable.
Joe says he has watched enough and is confident in Heck. That makes me feel a lot better. But — it still remains to be seen in regular season football.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
LOL “Jack”
August 27th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
If our defense isnt much improved… we lose.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
The Falcons have moved Elijah Wilkinson from left guard
He will replace Mcgary at right tackle
I really don’t think it makes a difference
Falcons WRs will be like a 24 hours quick mart
Always Open
August 27th, 2025 at 3:17 pm
I don’t see the Bucs defense stopping the Falcons offense
I don’t think the Bucs offense will be consistent enough
August 27th, 2025 at 3:27 pm
Tampa is going to be much more improved than Atlanta this year. If jameis can go into Atlanta and win a week 1 game, mayfield will drop 40 on them.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
Again a PRE Season mag on the grocery store rack had the Bucs going 12-5…but that is after starting 2-3 in their first five including losing the opener to Atlanta.
But this mag thinks the Bucs are an improving team and have a favorable schedule over the second half and with the return of a healthy Wirfs and CG14 the Bucs will be better.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:44 pm
This shouldn’t be that hard.
Bowles needs to throw something completely different at them while throwing the kitchen sink at their makeshift OL. I believe Kancey first game back after missing time was Falcons game 1 last year. If Winfield is healthy, Parrish, Dean and Zyon … they better have a hard time moving the ball.
Offense needs to run the ball and know where Jessie Bates is at all times.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
Maybe something different is going with a 3 man rush. They expect heat coming at their OL, drop 8 and keep 2 sets of eyes on Bijan.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:50 pm
Todd will drop 11 into deep zone. That’s his big lab adjustment to avoid giving up the big play.
August 27th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
This will be a perfect test of whether Bowles has actually adapted his defensive approach or not. A team that exploited us on D last year consistently. Time to adjust !
August 27th, 2025 at 4:00 pm
There isn’t an opposing offense in the league that doesn’t love playing against the Bucs
August 27th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
Excited to be attending this season opener game here in Atlanta (moved from native Tampa in 2006 & have met only one other Bucs fan in all the years have lived here). Come out and support #BucsNation! Need some fellow fans inside and outside the stadium to fraternize with. Tampa! Bay!
Yeah, c’mon!
August 27th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
Last years not a fair comparison win the injuries on defense.
August 27th, 2025 at 4:24 pm
All Division games are must win
August 27th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
On a side note…Trey Palmer got picked up off of waivers by the Saints.
August 27th, 2025 at 5:10 pm
I wouldn’t classify the Falcons as a real physical team. I would classify Robinson as a very physical presence. I’m sure some of us realize that the box do not do well against physical teams or physical players. The Bucs on Defense are more of a skilled team that does not match up well against physical players. They don’t match up against physical teams well either………. The box offensive line is finally probably above average in physicality and maybe our wide receiver position is getting there……… other than that the Bucs are just about worthless, late third-quarter fourth-quarter against physical players and teams. Thank goodness they only play about two a year……. Philadelphia last time was an outlier as Philly at that time couldn’t have beaten a good college team. They were in total disarray in a huge kudos to them for keeping it all together……. Baltimore beat them up like a sixth grader versus a fourth grader…Hey training staff if you’re not gonna put them on NFL vitamins at least at the very least get them warming up properly and get IVs and water in them , it’s not an option. It’s mandatory…
Zzz
Go Bucs !!
August 27th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
If Bowles wants to fool Atlanta’s offense, let Caldwell, or Foote call the defense. They got Todd figured out, they all do. Show blitz on 3rd, and long, than have everyone including edge rushers run backwards when the ball is snapped. Find someone wide open, and complete the pass for a 1st down. Rinse, and repeat.
August 27th, 2025 at 5:15 pm
I can understand why Robinson feels that way… Falcons are 3-1 against us since he was drafted.
That said- this is bulletin board material for sure. I think we end up splitting the games vs the Falcons this year.
Just figure it out. Go Bucs!
August 27th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
@Tampa2ATL:
My brother in law is from Tampa and now lives in ATL also! There are waaay more Bucs fans in ATL than i ever anticipated. Car load of us are coming down to the season opener as well, i’ll be in my YaYa #0 jersey (drafted from my home town Louisville Cardinals)…!