ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — If it were up to Brian Robinson Jr., he would have played for the Washington Commanders last weekend.
It's still not up to him now, but he's hoping to be back for their next game Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
Robinson is aiming to return from a knee injury that sidelined the third-year running back and contributed to a loss at Baltimore that ended the Commanders' win streak at four.
After struggling to establish much of anything on the ground between Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and quarterback Jayden Daniels, getting Robinson on the field would be a huge boost in a game Washington is favored to win.
"It’s going to be helpful to have B-Rob back — I'm looking forward to it," Daniels said Wednesday. “Regardless if he’s here or not, we want to be able to go out there and be dominant in the run game. But I mean B-Rob is a special player, how he’s able to run the ball, how he’s able to break tackles and things like that. And people don’t give him a lot of credit for his hands out of the backfield in the passing game.”
Despite missing the Ravens game, Robinson still leads the team with 325 yards rushing — 3 more than Daniels — and five touchdown runs. He also has eight catches for 68 yards in what had been a perfect backfield combo with Ekeler.
“We try to complement each other the best way we can,” Robinson said. "If I need to go be physical so Austin can come in and slice guys up, then we need to try to maximize that.”
Without Robinson, the Commanders rushed for just 52 yards against Baltimore, which is by far their lowest total in a game this season. Some of that had to do with playing from behind and facing the NFL's best run defense, but plenty contributed to the ground stop.
“I think what happened last game wasn’t just a personnel issue but really just executing as a whole offense,” rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman said. “From B-Rob to J-Mac, Austin, they’re all doing a great job and running really hard. We just got to make sure to get them that gap to where they can get through there.”
Coach Dan Quinn acknowledged it was hard not having Robinson available but said, “In the sake of what's best for him first, and then for the team, it was the right call.”
Robinson realizes that, too, and thanked Quinn and general manager Adam Peters for making the decision for him.
“It helped tremendously," Robinson said. "I’m just so prideful. I’m like, ‘Man, look, I’m ready to play.’ They decided that was the best decision for what we’re trying to do, and I’m thankful for them being in my corner.”
Robinson was listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday but gave himself a clean bill of health.
“I don’t want to miss a day, a second out on the field, so just being back out there feels great," the 25-year-old Alabama product said. “I felt good today. Obviously that’s a decision coaches have got to make. I feel great. I feel more like myself again."
NOTES: The team put DT Jonathan Allen ( season-ending torn pectoral muscle ) and DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (ankle) on injured reserve, and DE Dorance Armstrong (rib) did not practice. Quinn does not expect Jean-Baptiste to be out long term. ... To fill the open roster spots, DT Sheldon Day was signed off the practice squad and DE Jalyn Holmes as a free agent. Holmes, 28, made four tackles in five games this season with the New York Jets.
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Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
