How Bears Defense Plans to Stop Falcons' RB Bijan Robinson in Week 6

The Chicago Bears are the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL with their 866 total yards. 

Head coach Ben Johnson believes in a run-by-committee approach, which has led the Bears to the top of the leaderboard through the first five games. This Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons will test Chicago's defense with the No. 1 rusher in the NFL, Bijan Robinson. 

The former No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL has 580 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. He's tied for the fourth-most rushes of 10 yards or more (13). Robinson has also caught 18 passes for 152 yards, averaging 8.4 yards per reception, and one touchdown this season.

He's handful, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is well aware of how Robinson's explosive playmaking ability. 

“He's a bigger player than you think when you watch it on tape," Allen said. "But just his speed and his transition, his ability to make cuts and accelerate is exceptional. You watch him play, and when there's space in the defense, he can really exploit that. It's going to be a hell of a challenge for us. I certainly think he's, if not the, one of the best backs in our league right now. And when he's going, they're playing at a really high level.”

Johnson said Robinson "might be leading the charge for MVP right now." 

Defensive lineman Grady Jarrett spent two season with Robinson while he was in Atlanta. The 33-year-old veteran has seen up close what is capable of and shared what will be needed from Chicago's defense this Sunday.

“That it’s going to take everybody doing what we need to do in attacking the line of scrimmage, not playing passively, not playing selfishly," Jarrett said. "It takes a whole unit to attempt to slow down a special player like Bijan, God-given ability to see, to burst, to separate, to contact balance. I mean this is a really, really special player, special person, and he knows he’s the bloodline of that organization. So we’ve got a heck of a challenge ahead of us.”

The Atlanta Falcons are on outside zone running team. Heading into Week 5, the Bears were the No. 1 outside zone running team and the Falcons were directly behind. There are certain coaching points that Chicago's defense must follow to prevent Robinson from gashing the unit on the ground. Bears defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett shared the difficulties of defending an outsize zone run scheme. 

"Yeah, these guys, you know, they want you to run sideways," Garrett said. "You know, you get outside zone, you get stretch teams they want you to run the line of scrimmage, sideways, to the sideline, so they can, Bijan can find a hole and stick his foot into the ground, so I think that's the biggest thing. Man, you got to knock the line of scrimmage back. You got to disrupt the zone footwork. You know, those guys can't stay on track and same with the running back and that's a really good O-line, you know, really good running back, both of them, and O-line coach is really good so.

The Bears' defensive line coach mentioned the Falcons' other running back, Brian Robinson. He has another 210 yards and four scores himself. Atlanta is No. 2 rushing team in the league (834 total yards).

Entering this Week 6 game, defensive end Montez Sweat won't be available since he is suspended for two games for violating the NFL's Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy. Fellow pass rusher Dayo Odeyingbo hasn't practiced the last two days because of a quadricep injury he sustained in the loss to the Green Bay Packers. 

"Unknown quite yet how long he could potentially be out," Johnson said. "We don't feel like it's serious enough to warrant IR and yet it's likely he will miss some time here."

The Bears did activate activate second-year player Shemar Turner from PUP, and he will make his 2026 debut on Sunday. The former second-round pick from Texas A&M will play a limited role, but the Bears will need all the help they can get to stop Bijan and the Falcons' rushing attack.

Well, it's gonna be really challenging," Turner said." ... A good running back, one of the best in the league, best back in the league. So it's gonna be a challenge."