MINNEAPOLIS — Bijan Robinson got back to work on the ground, and the Atlanta Falcons were back in business.Robinson ran 22 times for 143 yards, Georgia native Parker Romo made five field goals without a miss in his Falcons debut, and Atlanta smothered J.J. McCarthy for six sacks and three turnovers in a 22-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.Tyler Allgeier added 13 carries for 67 yards with a late touchdown run against a Vikings defense that admirably kept the game close all night while the offense crossed midfield just three times and only once got inside the 20.“For us to be balling like that throughout the whole game, it was pretty cool to see,” said Robinson, who helped the Falcons (1-1) keep the pressure off quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and keep the crowd noise from being a factor after the first quarter.Penix was 13 for 21 for 135 yards and has yet to commit a turnover this season.“He’s selfless. He’ll do whatever it takes to win, which is exactly what he did tonight,” coach Raheem Morris said.Robinson and Allgeier thrived all night behind a fired-up offensive line, culminating in a 12-play, 83-yard drive that took 6:17 off the clock down the stretch. In an opening loss to Tampa Bay, Robinson had only 24 yards on 12 rushes, though he caught six passes for 100 yards.McCarthy, the first-time starter taken two picks after Penix in the 2024 draft whose rookie year was lost to a knee injury, overcame an interception return for a score in his debut at Chicago by leading the team to three fourth-quarter touchdowns. There was no late magic for McCarthy or Minnesota this time in his first game as a father.“We’ve got a lot to do, and I’ve got a lot to do personally,” said McCarthy, who threw two interceptions and lost a fumble on a sack. With all of the home-opener hype in the background, highlighted by another prime-time kickoff and a halftime ceremony for newly minted Hall of Fame member Jared Allen, the fans w …
