The NFL’s rushing leaders will be in the spotlight on Sunday when Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons face Kenneth Walker III and the Kansas City Chiefs.
asserted
Robinson → face → III
The Chiefs (6-2) enter the weekend one-half game behind Denver in the AFC West and bolstered their roster by acquiring wide receiver Josh Downs for two draft picks at the trade deadline.
asserted
Chiefs → enter → deadline
The Falcons (3-6) have lost four of five but are still just one-half game out of first place in the woeful NFC South.
asserted
Falcons → lose → South
Atlanta traded two starters, safety Jessie Bates III and center Ryan Neuzil, before the deadline while adding three draft picks.
asserted
Atlanta → trade → picks
The Falcons on Wednesday also cut kicker Nick Folk.
asserted
Falcons → cut → Folk
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Atlanta’s 29-20 win over previously unbeaten San Francisco on Oct. 25 is proof the Falcons are “a good football team.”
asserted
Falcons → say → Oct.
“It wasn’t but a couple weeks ago that they got after the 49ers, so we know what they’re all about,” Reid said.
asserted
Reid → get → what
The Chiefs have strong offensive balance with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and rank second in the NFL with 384.1 yards per game.
asserted
Chiefs → have → game
The Falcons set a season high with 12 penalties in their 34-17 loss to Cincinnati last week in Madrid.
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Falcons → set → Madrid
The previous week, Michael Penix Jr. threw four interceptions and completed only eight passes in an ugly 16-0 loss at Tampa Bay in heavy rain.
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Jr. → throw → rain
Robinson leads the NFL with 880 rushing yards in nine games.
asserted
Robinson → lead → games
Walker is second with 872 yards in eight games and his average of 109 yards per game leads the league.
asserted
average → lead → league
“He’s a tough guy to get on the ground,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said of Walker.
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Stefanski → ’ → Walker
“He’s got a great combination of size, speed that’s legit.
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that → get → size
Really good scheme fit for what they’re asking him to do.
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they → ask → him
He can catch the ball out of the backfield.
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He → catch → backfield
And then you add him to that offense already with Pat Mahomes and all the things that they’ve done over the years, it’s a really difficult scheme to defend.”
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it → add → years
Robinson has 169 carries and is on pace to surpass his career high of 304 in 2024, when he rushed for 1,456 yards.
asserted
he → have → yards
He had 287 carries for 1,478 yards last season.
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He → have → yards
He said he doesn’t feel the workload has been too heavy this season.
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workload → say → ?
“No, I feel good, man, I feel great,” Robinson said.
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Robinson → feel → ?
“That’s what I’m here to do.”
asserted
I → ’ → what
Falcons still have high hopes after player departures
Robinson said it hurt to lose Bates, Neuzil and Folk, although players “understand in the business of the NFL that’s what happens.”
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what → have → NFL
“Those are great leaders for this team that have been on this team for a long time,” Robinson said.
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Robinson → say → time
“I know Nick just got here, but it definitely sucks to lose guys like that.”
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it → know → that
Robinson said players don’t agree with the “external” opinion that the moves reflect the Falcons’ hopes for this season “plummeted.”
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hopes → say → season
“We’re still trying to get to where we want to get to this season,” Robinson said.
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Robinson → try → ?
“We’re all confident in ourselves and what we’ve got to do ... to try to make a push.
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we → ’re → push
So that’s where we’re at right now.”
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we → ’ → where
Butker is under pressure to make kicks for Chiefs
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Butker → make → Chiefs
The Falcons’ decision to cut Folk and sign Jake Moody off Baltimore’s practice squad comes with Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker facing pressure in his return to Atlanta, where he played at Georgia Tech.
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he → cut → Tech
Butker has an NFL-leading 17 misses since the start of last season, including one last week.
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Butker → have → one
“Over time, sometimes you go through these little peaks and valley things,” Reid said.
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Reid → go → things
“So, you’ve got to give him a chance to work through them.
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you → get → them
We’ll see how things go.”
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things → see → ?
Stefanski expressed similar statements of support for Folk before Folk was wide left on a 38-yarder in the third quarter of last week’s loss.
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Folk → express → loss
The Chiefs have veteran kicker Justin Tucker on their practice squad.
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Chiefs → have → squad
When asked if Butker is facing a short leash this week, Reid said, “I’m not going there.
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I → ask → leash
I’m just taking it week by week here.”
asserted
I → take → week
The Falcons must win at least six of their last eight games to avoid their ninth straight losing season.
asserted
Falcons → win → season
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
