Love him or hate him, the New England Patriots' offense has been a completely different animal with tight end Rob Gronkowski back in the mix. And that's not just because of the points he's put up on the board.
Since his return against the New York Jets in Week 7, Gronk has made an immediate impact on the stat sheet, averaging around 93 yards receiving per game.
He's tallied touchdowns in four consecutive weeks now dating back to the team's big win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while sharing the lion's share of targets with wide receiver Julian Edelman.
He's tallied touchdowns in four consecutive weeks now dating back to the team's big win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while sharing the lion's share of targets with wide receiver Julian Edelman.
But his scoring plays are only half the equation, according to quarterback Tom Brady.
"Whenever he gets going, the rest of us get going," Brady said Monday, via patriots.com. "I hope he realizes the importance for him to be able to play that kind of style for us. It really helps everyone."
The type of play Brady alluded to was best illustrated in the beginning of the third quarter Sunday, where Gronkowski dragged two defenders downield during a 50 yard reception that eventually led to a Patriots touchdown. The tight end's has had similar plays following his slew of injuries in the offseason and the start of this year, and his impact is widely seen by his teammates.
"Gronks one of the top tight ends in the league," Edelman said after Sunday's victory. "Any time you have the big Gronkster out there it defintely makes the team better."
