I could not have said it any better.
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The Jets’ Key to Grounding Gronkowski and the Patriots
One proven way to slow the All Pro tight end is to double-team him on almost every down
Tight end Rob Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady form the heart of the NFL’s most potent offense. ENLARGE
Tight end Rob Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady form the heart of the NFL’s most potent offense. PHOTO: DAVID E. KLUTHO/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED/GETTY IMAGES
By STU WOO
Oct. 21, 2015 8:48 p.m. ET
0 COMMENTS
FLORHAM PARK, N.J.—There’s no easy way for opposing teams to cover Rob Gronkowski. The New England Patriots’ two-time All Pro tight end is faster than most linebackers and, at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, is bigger and stronger than defensive backs.
“He’s been covered by cornerbacks,” Jets head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday. “He just runs over them and beats them.”
But there is one proven way the Jets can slow Gronkowski when they face him on Sunday: double-team him.
The Jets’ visit to New England should be Sunday’s most fascinating NFL game. It pits New York’s top-ranked defense, which is allowing just 15 points a game, against the Patriots’ league-leading offense, which is scoring 36.6 points a contest.
‘He’s been covered by cornerbacks. He just runs over them and beats them.’
—Todd Bowles on Rob Gronkowski
The key to slowing down the Patriots is hampering quarterback Tom Brady and Gronkowski. Of course, it’s easier said than done.
The Indianapolis Colts tried double-teaming Gronkowski last Sunday. It mostly worked. Gronkowski had three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown, which would be a fine result for an ordinary tight end, but not for a guy who averaged five catches for 93.8 yards and one touchdown in his first four games.
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On seven of the 29 plays that Gronkowski lined up as a receiver, the Colts put two defenders on him, bracketing him with a player in front and another behind. And that doesn’t count the plays on which a safety hovered farther behind the defender covering Gronkowski individually.
Gronkowski didn’t have a catch on those seven plays, but there are downsides to this strategy, too. With Gronkowski drawing extra attention, Brady was able to target wide receiver Danny Amendola, who made seven catches for 105 yards, and hand the ball to running backs LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis, who combined for 114 rushing yards.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is faster than most linebackers and stronger than defensive backs. ENLARGE
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is faster than most linebackers and stronger than defensive backs. PHOTO: MIKE EHRMANN/GETTY IMAGES
The Jets are better equipped than the Colts to pull off the two-on-Gronkowski strategy. During the off-season, they re-signed cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, who have 10 Pro Bowl appearances between them.
Revis, perhaps the league’s best cornerback, and Cromartie can individually defend Amendola and the Patriots’ top receiver, Julian Edelman, without the help of a safety. That should be sufficient considering that Brady has thrown very few long passes this season. He has targeted a receiver 20 yards or more downfield on only 8.1% of his passes, the league’s third-lowest deep-passing rate among starting quarterbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
That frees up a safety to help a linebacker or cornerback cover Gronkowski. Even then, though, it’s not easy. On one play against Indianapolis, Gronkowski shoved aside Mike Adams, the Colts’ 5-foot-11, 205-pound safety, to get open just past the line of scrimmage.
“He’s just stronger,” said Jets safety Marcus Gilchrist, who added that referees often allow Gronkowski to push off on defenders.
Gilchrist, who used to play cornerback, said that he was assigned to cover Gronkowski several times while a member of the San Diego Chargers. While he was faster than the Patriots tight end, the challenge was the significant size difference—Gilchrist is listed at 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds.
“You just gotta play,” said Gilchrist. He expects to cover Gronkowski on Sunday, along with a slew of his teammates. “He’s a guy you just gotta do by committee. Everybody has to know where he is at all times.”
Write to Stu Woo at Stu.Woo@wsj.com
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-jet...he-patriots-1445474932?mod=rss_newyork_sports
One proven way to slow the All Pro tight end is to double-team him on almost every down
Tight end Rob Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady form the heart of the NFL’s most potent offense. ENLARGE
Tight end Rob Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady form the heart of the NFL’s most potent offense. PHOTO: DAVID E. KLUTHO/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED/GETTY IMAGES
By STU WOO
Oct. 21, 2015 8:48 p.m. ET
0 COMMENTS
FLORHAM PARK, N.J.—There’s no easy way for opposing teams to cover Rob Gronkowski. The New England Patriots’ two-time All Pro tight end is faster than most linebackers and, at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, is bigger and stronger than defensive backs.
“He’s been covered by cornerbacks,” Jets head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday. “He just runs over them and beats them.”
But there is one proven way the Jets can slow Gronkowski when they face him on Sunday: double-team him.
The Jets’ visit to New England should be Sunday’s most fascinating NFL game. It pits New York’s top-ranked defense, which is allowing just 15 points a game, against the Patriots’ league-leading offense, which is scoring 36.6 points a contest.
‘He’s been covered by cornerbacks. He just runs over them and beats them.’
—Todd Bowles on Rob Gronkowski
The key to slowing down the Patriots is hampering quarterback Tom Brady and Gronkowski. Of course, it’s easier said than done.
The Indianapolis Colts tried double-teaming Gronkowski last Sunday. It mostly worked. Gronkowski had three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown, which would be a fine result for an ordinary tight end, but not for a guy who averaged five catches for 93.8 yards and one touchdown in his first four games.
Advertisement
On seven of the 29 plays that Gronkowski lined up as a receiver, the Colts put two defenders on him, bracketing him with a player in front and another behind. And that doesn’t count the plays on which a safety hovered farther behind the defender covering Gronkowski individually.
Gronkowski didn’t have a catch on those seven plays, but there are downsides to this strategy, too. With Gronkowski drawing extra attention, Brady was able to target wide receiver Danny Amendola, who made seven catches for 105 yards, and hand the ball to running backs LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis, who combined for 114 rushing yards.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is faster than most linebackers and stronger than defensive backs. ENLARGE
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is faster than most linebackers and stronger than defensive backs. PHOTO: MIKE EHRMANN/GETTY IMAGES
The Jets are better equipped than the Colts to pull off the two-on-Gronkowski strategy. During the off-season, they re-signed cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, who have 10 Pro Bowl appearances between them.
Revis, perhaps the league’s best cornerback, and Cromartie can individually defend Amendola and the Patriots’ top receiver, Julian Edelman, without the help of a safety. That should be sufficient considering that Brady has thrown very few long passes this season. He has targeted a receiver 20 yards or more downfield on only 8.1% of his passes, the league’s third-lowest deep-passing rate among starting quarterbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
That frees up a safety to help a linebacker or cornerback cover Gronkowski. Even then, though, it’s not easy. On one play against Indianapolis, Gronkowski shoved aside Mike Adams, the Colts’ 5-foot-11, 205-pound safety, to get open just past the line of scrimmage.
“He’s just stronger,” said Jets safety Marcus Gilchrist, who added that referees often allow Gronkowski to push off on defenders.
Gilchrist, who used to play cornerback, said that he was assigned to cover Gronkowski several times while a member of the San Diego Chargers. While he was faster than the Patriots tight end, the challenge was the significant size difference—Gilchrist is listed at 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds.
“You just gotta play,” said Gilchrist. He expects to cover Gronkowski on Sunday, along with a slew of his teammates. “He’s a guy you just gotta do by committee. Everybody has to know where he is at all times.”
Write to Stu Woo at Stu.Woo@wsj.com
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-jet...he-patriots-1445474932?mod=rss_newyork_sports
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Yeah i guess that's going to be it. Gilchrist, and depending what kind of D they are playing, sending people, or dropping people, will determine who gets to help him.
I like Gilchrist. He's probably one of the better cover corners/safeties we've had in a long time. If Antonio Allen can cover Gronk at a satisfactory level so can he.
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I hope your right. Just a note. Gilchrist is 5'10" Allen is 6'1"
If Gilchrist is going to be the guy, think they are going to need a bigger guy to help him.
Gilchrist on Gronk, Revis on Edelman. Don't forget about Edelman, he's a big target of Brady's.
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Have you read anything about it looking good for Skrine? As of yesterday he was still in concussion protocol, and hadn't practiced. I haven't looked to see what's going on today.
Skrine is my biggest concern leading up to the game. It's about practice time, I'll go look.
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@Connor_J_Hughes will skrine play?
Connor Hughes @Connor_J_Hughes 2h2 hours ago
Connor Hughes Retweeted MileHighJetsFan
He's in concussion protocol. There is no timetable. Could go tomorrow, could go in a month.
Connor Hughes @Connor_J_Hughes 2h2 hours ago
Connor Hughes Retweeted MileHighJetsFan
He's in concussion protocol. There is no timetable. Could go tomorrow, could go in a month.
