Patriots Gridiron News: The beast in Rob Gronkowski ready to awaken
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski hasn’t had his typical dominant season due to injury, but don’t count out his impact heading down the stretch.
After sitting out the last two games, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to return in the team’s Week 12 matchup with the New York Jets.
Due to back issues, Gronkowski will probably never be 100 percent again, but a less than 100 percent Gronk is still one of the best tight ends in the game. While it has been obvious that the best in the Patriots tight end has simmered, thoughts of his decline are starting to be greatly exaggerated.
Ahead of Sunday’s game with the Jets, old New York media friend Manish Mehta recently wrote in the New York Daily News that Rob Gronkowski is finished. Well, he could be right after this season with rumors of retirement swirling once again.
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But physically? Gronkowski may just have six-plus good weeks in him, especially if his body is right. If he is locked in mentally, he is still capable of a few dominant games. There is still some beast in the All-Pro tight end and Mehta may have just woke him up.
In the article he wrote, via NESN:
"“Alas, the Gronk is gone, replaced by this prideful wobbly 6-6, 268-pound dude plodding along like some tip-calculator-carrying resident of Del Boca Vista. His body is 29 going on 92. Watching him run around on the few fall Sundays that he’s actually available is cringe-worthy stuff.”"
Ouch!
Well, that wobbly tight end has still had a couple 100-yard receiving performances this season. He is also prideful enough in his ability to explode on any given Sunday. Even if he is not as fast as he used to be, he is a smart enough football player to play to his strength, which is his size and physicality.
With Tom Brady as his quarterback, you better believe the New England Patriots offense will utilize Gronkowski to get the best out of him with just six regular season games remaining. We all saw what he did to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15 last season.
So, Manish Mehta, before you think Rob Gronkowski is down and defeated, that old Undertaker music may start echoing throughout MetLife Stadium Sunday afternoon. Just like the WWE legend, the greatest tight end in the modern-day NFL may just rise from the proverbial coffin and unleash the best within him.
light. Related Story. Rob Gronkowski may never be ‘100 percent’ again
It may very well be the last stretch of games he makes an appearance, but he’ll at least exit the game of football the same way he entered it back in 2010.
Dwayne Allen missing from practice
The New England Patriots must really be confident in the health and status of Rob Gronkowski.
With just two other tight ends on the active roster, the team will still only have two available Sunday against the New York Jets with Dwayne Allen nursing a knee injury.
Allen was not present for Tuesday’s practice, which means all the load on Sunday will be on the shoulders of Gronkowski and second-year tight end Jacob Hollister. Fullback James Develin is also able to fill in a little as a blocking tight end. That could be the reason why the team hasn’t brought in another tight end.
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With the recent injury history of both Rob Gronkowski and Hollister, the Patriots are walking a fine line with their tight end depth. Perhaps they are moving their offense away from the tight end position with more emphasis on their running backs.