The Baltimore Ravens didn’t let Bijan Robinson beat them in their Week 5 win. All night, everyone had their eyes on No. 7. It hasn’t seemed possible to slow him down over the past few years, but Jesse Minter’s unit aced the test.
Robinson has become known for gashing defenses for explosive plays, and seemed poised to let those rip on Sunday. He’s tied with Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker for the league lead in 20+ yard (6) and 40+ yard runs (2) in 2026. While he had two in this one, neither proved to be a back-breaker.
It was an incredibly impressive performance from the defense against one of the best players they’ll face all year.
Baltimore Ravens’ run defense flexes their muscles against Bijan Robinson
All week, everyone was picking against the Baltimore Ravens. And I’ll be honest, that included me. The matchup didn’t look great on paper — starting Tyler Huntley and facing a seemingly unstoppable force in Bijan Robinson, it looked like Baltimore wouldn’t keep up.
Except not only did the Ravens keep up, but they also made Robinson look stoppable. Their run defense didn’t allow him to enjoy the effectiveness he’s used to.
He obviously had some big plays. The 24-year-old had a 20-yard gain in the first quarter, broke Marlon Humphrey’s ankles for a 9-yard gain, and broke off a 38-yarder. Through the air, he added a 14-yard catch.
However, that’s 81 of his 118 total yards right there. He was going to showcase his explosiveness and elusiveness no matter how hard Baltimore tried. But when nearly 70% of your production comes on four plays, it speaks volumes about how well the defense limited Robinson outside those bursts.
And when you take out that 38-yard explosion, Robinson’s rushing total plummeted to 16 carries for 48 yards. That’s an ineffective 3 yards per carry. He also failed to find the end zone.
And it all started with stacking the box. Jesse Minter had a clear game plan, and the players executed it to near perfection. They didn’t let Robinson, Michael Penix Jr., or the offensive line get comfortable.
On the edge, Robinson didn’t have many chances to bounce it outside and upfield either. Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, and Zion Young all did an exceptional job of setting the edge and forcing Falcons offensive linemen into the backfield.
Simply put, Bijan Robinson had very little freedom to get loose and make defenders miss. Things were tight and congested whenever he got the football, and for once, the Ravens actually wrapped up with consistency.
They did miss a couple of tackles here and there, but that’s expected when you’re trying to tackle a player like Robinson. He’s going to get his. On Sunday Night Football, though, he only got his a few times.
It’s a major improvement for a Baltimore defense that’s been searching for answers. Maybe they’re finally figuring things out.
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