Patriots Playoffs: 5 keys to beat the Titans in the Divisional Round

3. Feed the Beast: Gronk

A healthy Rob Gronkowski for the New England Patriots in the playoffs? Oh, happy day! Last season, the Patriots found a way to win Super Bowl LI without him, but it’s clear that they’re a better team when Gronk is on the field.

In the 2017 regular season, Gronkowski played in 14 games (his most since 2015). He hauled in 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and 8 touchdowns on his way towards becoming an All-Pro. Now, he will look to improve upon his playoff numbers. In 10 career playoff games, Gronk has 52 catches, 754 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Saturday night seems like a game in which he could record over 150 yards and 2 scores.

Tennessee simply does not have a player that can cover Gronkowski, but most teams don’t. Gronk went without a catch, or a target, in week 17, so you know he’s eager to get his hands on the football once again. The Gronk Spike has been brewing for weeks now, and you’re going to see a lot of it against the Titans.