NFC Notes: Thomas Brown, Frank Reich, Bijan Robinson, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers

Buccaneers

• The Buccaneers hosted CB Kris Boyd for a workout, via Aaron Wilson. 

Falcons

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson and HC Arthur Smith spoke about some of the struggles that the team has endured so far this season with their offense, specifically the running game and the workload of the team’s running backs.

“It doesn’t matter how many guys are in the box,” Robinson said, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN. “We got to come up with a plan to get past because that’s what we do, we run the ball to pass the ball. I feel good, just sore. But other than that, I got to get my body right every single week. There are a couple of sorenesses I have to get through. It’s just like college. I got my routine and then we’ll be good from there. They’ve got a lot of guys in the box ready to stop the run, but it doesn’t matter how many guys are in the box, we have to come up with a plan to get past it. That’s what we do — we run the ball to pass the ball. That’s our bread and butter. We have to go back and watch the film and see who the free hitters were and see how we have to pick those guys up. We have to continue to work on that. Teams are not going to stop doing what they’re doing, so we have to get past it and learn from these experiences right here.”

“We kind of get some of those three, four, I call ugly runs, and then you obviously start hitting bigger ones later in the game,” Smith said of the running game. “And you tweak some things or the games within the game. But sometimes, last year, too, there were some quarterback runs and things we were doing that opened some things up, too. That’s kind of the give-and-take. As we’re trying to evolve, I think we’ve moved the ball pretty well through the air. We’re going to continue to evolve. You can’t deny the fact that the passing game has gotten a lot better, but we have to eliminate some of the critical mistakes. I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses. What happened, happened, but if you look at the big picture, there are a lot of things that are expanding. (Ridder) is making some big-time throws. Guys are doing a good job of getting open. That should benefit us, but the critical errors…”

“I think you have to be careful,” Smith added on Robinson’s workload. “It’s not just physical, it’s the mental side. You want them to do everything, and he’s a unique player. You have to be careful. He’s helped us a lot, but you look at that all the time. We’ll never abandon it. There may be some ugly runs early, but I’d argue it starts to wear (opponents) down. It also helps your (pass) protection. If you just have 45 straight dropbacks, it’s going to be pretty brutal.”

Panthers

Panthers HC Frank Reich spoke about handing over the team’s playcalling duties to OC Thomas Brown after six straight losses.

“I probably told him two weeks ago, ‘Hey, get ready. Here’s what I’m thinking.’ I hinted. I didn’t promise. Because it’s the NFL, things change,” Reich said, via Joe Person of The Athletic. “But I hinted a couple of weeks ago that the bye would be the right time. So I know he’s ready. He’s been impressive since I interviewed him, to be honest with you. At every step. There’s never been anything that’s ever given me even a seed of doubt about him. I thought the way he called it in the three preseason games … I could feel it in the very first game that he called it, ‘OK, this is going to be fine.’”

“Listen, we’re 0-6. I understand that. So as a play caller, there’s not much pride I can take in being 0-6,” Reich added. “But I do feel like the offense is starting to find a rhythm. So looking forward to that continuing to grow.”

• Brown says he’s “super-appreciative” for Reich hiring him and eventually turning over the playcalling to him, despite the fact that he is from a different background. (Darin Gantt)