Rob Gronkowski ready to rebound against Lions
New England Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski struggled in Week 2 against Jalen Ramsey’s Jacksonville Jaguars, so he’ll be out to bounce back from that anomaly in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions.
Rob Gronkowski has been the consensus top tight end in the NFL ever since his breakout sophomore campaign in 2011, when he hauled in 90 passes for over 1,300 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns. After struggling to stay healthy for a few years, Gronk has solidified himself as the premier player at a position that includes superstars like Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen.
Few players mean as much to the Patriots offense as Gronk, so when he was added to the Patriots injury report on Thursday, fans made sure to stay tuned for more news.
According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there is no concern about Gronkowski’s ankle going into Sunday’s game against Detroit. Via Around the NFL’s Kevin Patra, Rapoport reported on Good Morning Football that Gronk just wanted to take things lighter before Sunday’s game. It is worth noting that Gronk was able to practice on a limited basis.
After dropping more than 120 receiving yards on the Houston Texans in Week 1, Gronk didn’t manage to break off any explosive plays in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ramsey and Co. had the answer for Gronk, who got his hands on just two passes for 15 yards.
A much better game awaits Gronkowski against a Lions defense that doesn’t match up as well against a standout tight end like Gronk. He can make life difficult for this defense, as he and Tom Brady will be dying to have bounce-back games against former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who is now the Lions head coach.
Josh Gordon could make his Patriots debut in Week 3 after the team acquired him in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. While Gordon would only play on a limited basis if he is active, it would be quite interesting to see how Bill Belichick will deploy Gordon and Gronkowski if they are on the field together. That could be a duo to watch closely, and wide receivers Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett could be beneficiaries in terms of facing softer coverages.
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Gronk averaged 77.4 yards per game in the 2017 regular season, and that’s the high standard he sets for himself each week. The Lions could incur the wrath of a massive rebound performance from Gronk and the Patriots offense, so it’s a relief for New England fans to hear that there is indeed nothing serious about his addition to the injury report.