New England Patriots: 5 observations on week 10 win over Broncos
By Ben Porter
Tight Ends not named Gronkowski
Who knew we had capable receiving tight ends not named Rob Gronkowski? I sure didn’t. What a wonderful sight it was to see Martellus Bennett and Dwayne Allen catching some passes this week.
We all know what Martellus Bennett can do. On the field, he’s a supplement to Gronk and can block very well. Off the field, he’s an A+ personality who just likes to have fun. A fan favorite.
Today, Marty had three receptions for 38 yards. His longest gain was 27 yards, which came on a quick pass in the face of a strong pass rush. Tom Brady recognized blitz and dumped the ball over the line to Bennett, who took it for a long gain.
Related Story: Time for Dwayne Allen to do his job
It was only his first game back with the Patriots, but Martellus Bennett is clearly trusted by Tom Brady and will act as a safety valve in certain situations. Welcome back, Marty.
Speaking of firsts, how about Dwayne Allen losing his offensive virginity! Last night Dwayne Allen recorded his first reception in a New England Patriots uniform. And what a reception it was, going for 11 yards and a touchdown.
I’d be lying if I told you that Dwayne Allen was Tom Brady’s newest weapon. I like you guys too much to tell you a lie that ridiculous. Dwayne Allen is almost an afterthought as a receiver. But he’s not useless on offense. He delivered some key blocks last night, most notably clearing a path for Rex Burkhead to convert on a 4th down rush.
Dwayne Allen might not make highlight reel plays, and he’ll rarely catch passes. But he has a job to do and he does it. He’s not here by mistake because Bill Belichick doesn’t make mistakes. Besides, doesn’t his lack of receptions make it more fun for us when he does catch a pass?
If you’ve seen Gronk’s SI Body Issue, you’ll know that he doesn’t need any supplements. Au naturale, baby. But having a supporting cast is always nice. I like our TE corps.