5 crucial storylines to watch during the Commanders at Falcons in Week 6

Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr.'s big challenge

Brian Robinson Jr. and Bijan Robinson have both carried the ball 67 times this season. The Washington Commanders running back is averaging a mundane 4.0 yards-per-carry, and due to poor blocking, he is doing a lot of that on his own.

The Atlanta Falcons' highly-touted rookie is averaging a gaudy 5.4 yards per carry. He looks every bit as advertised coming out of Texas, boasting the dual-threat capabilities that already have him tabbed as one of the league's best at the position.

What makes this matchup even more troubling for Washington is that the Falcons' run defense is only allowing 3.8 yards per carry to opposing running backs. The Commanders are conceding a full yard more per carry, which is inexcusable for a defensive front seven loaded with first-round picks.

On the surface, that seems to suggest that the Commanders' RB1 will hit his normal average while the first-year-pro may well explode. And if that happens, I don’t like Washington’s chances of ending their recent skid to relieve some pressure from head coach Ron Rivera's shoulders.

So a second trend to look for is whether Washington's Robinson can keep his yards-per-carry within a half-yard of Atlanta's new stud. If he can, the Commanders should be in a much better position.