Gronk cleared to play !!!!

[TheBostonStraggler]

Despite Gronk's agent speaking out of turn and breaking a tenet of BB's Patriots, Gronk playing still remains an uncertainty. It's obviously looking positive but that does not mean, again, he is a certainty to be active. And even if he is active I have my doubts he will have a tangible effect (maybe this is why it was a good move for him to not have been put on PUP, he has been practicing for weeks). The big thing I want to see is Gronk catching just a pass or two, take a few tackles/hard blocks, see him get up from this action un-phased.......in other words see him play football without favoring his forearm or in general looking like he is one hit from being re-injured.

As much as it is a good thing for him to be back tomorrow (if he is back), I'd exchange Gronk remaining out for a few more weeks for Tommy Kelly being back and at full strength. As much as Kelly is not a star at his position like Gronk is at his position, the Patriots are frighteningly uncertain at run D. After 6 games into the 2013 season (all without Gronk) the Patriots have shown increasing success in the passing game, shown a semi decent run game (Ridley being back and healthy is key), have shown they can defend the pass satisfactorily (even without Talib I expect the secondary to still perform modestly satisfactory), and have shown their punt and kick game is good. As of right now the Patriots have the complimentary parts on place to contend with the HUGE exception being their run D.

Man do I hope I am wrong but I'm envisioning the Jets calling run play after run play with the result being the Jets having a lot of fthird and short, a lot of successful conversions of those third and short, and prolonged drives that result in trips to the red zone. IMHO it's just too much to expect all new/unknown/unheralded DTs without Mayo behind them to be an effective run stopping unit (a picture that gets significantly less worrisome if Kelly is back).

I know this is unlikely but I'd give my right arm to see the Patriots pull off a trade for a serviceable veteran DT. It doesn't have to be a 2012 Talib like trade, just a serviceable veteran (one that is hungry to play and win) that can be paired with a healthy Kelly.

 

[supafly]

Despite Gronk's agent speaking out of turn and breaking a tenet of BB's Patriots, Gronk playing still remains an uncertainty. It's obviously looking positive but that does not mean, again, he is a certainty to be active. And even if he is active I have my doubts he will have a tangible effect (maybe this is why it was a good move for him to not have been put on PUP, he has been practicing for weeks). The big thing I want to see is Gronk catching just a pass or two, take a few tackles/hard blocks, see him get up from this action un-phased.......in other words see him play football without favoring his forearm or in general looking like he is one hit from being re-injured.

Yeah, just seeing him back to where he was prior to 11/18 last season would be so good for the old nerves. I really don't want to have to hold my breath every time he blocks or runs a route, although I imagine that's exactly what will be occurring for awhile.

Man do I hope I am wrong but I'm envisioning the Jets calling run play after run play with the result being the Jets having a lot of fthird and short, a lot of successful conversions of those third and short, and prolonged drives that result in trips to the red zone. IMHO it's just too much to expect all new/unknown/unheralded DTs without Mayo behind them to be an effective run stopping unit (a picture that gets significantly less worrisome if Kelly is back).

So you're saying that I should play Bilall Powell in my fantasy league then?

The thought did cross my mind, but I just envisioned him having approx. 50-60 yds total. The wildcard would be whether he scored a TD or not, but when you assume that they don't have much of a passing attack, their use of the RB seems to be their only real shot. That, and the fact that they may be trying to keep Brady on the bench.

I still think they'll be throwing it a bit too though, as I see them taking some shots downfield in an attacking/aggressive style of play, despite their lack of talent at the position.

I know this is unlikely but I'd give my right arm to see the Patriots pull off a trade for a serviceable veteran DT. It doesn't have to be a 2012 Talib like trade, just a serviceable veteran (one that is hungry to play and win) that can be paired with a healthy Kelly.

I think you speak for all of us with this wish. It even seems to be a bit odd at this point that we haven't brought in some outside talent.

Chris Jones and Joe Vellano have been serviceable, which is important--but I think we'd all be happier with a nice mid level pickup as we approach the trade deadline (even though I think it's unlikely).

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Yeah, just seeing him back to where he was prior to 11/18 last season would be so good for the old nerves. I really don't want to have to hold my breath every time he blocks or runs a route, although I imagine that's exactly what will be occurring for awhile.



So you're saying that I should play Bilall Powell in my fantasy league then?

The thought did cross my mind, but I just envisioned him having approx. 50-60 yds total. The wildcard would be whether he scored a TD or not, but when you assume that they don't have much of a passing attack, their use of the RB seems to be their only real shot. That, and the fact that they may be trying to keep Brady on the bench.

I still think they'll be throwing it a bit too though, as I see them taking some shots downfield in an attacking/aggressive style of play, despite their lack of talent at the position.



I think you speak for all of us with this wish. It even seems to be a bit odd at this point that we haven't brought in some outside talent.

Chris Jones and Joe Vellano have been serviceable, which is important--but I think we'd all be happier with a nice mid level pickup as we approach the trade deadline (even though I think it's unlikely).

Ha! Bilall Powell, good one. Maybe we shouldn't jinx it though. I'd hate to end up seeing him with 150 yards after poking fun at him. Seriously, I hope I'm wrong about the run D but that one drive by the Saints in the second half, their OL was just plowing the Patriot's inside DL. The push was so big that any RB would have been getting 5 yards a pop (at minimum). A push so big that it was a matter of time before the RB would break a long one as the LB's were smothered by the forward push of their OL. I only remember seeing that kind of lopsided push on that one drive so hopefully it was the defensive scheme on that particular drive that was more at fault (Patriots just needed an adjustment in play calling/personnel packages). And in the larger view, it wouldn't be the first time that I thought we were in trouble at a certain position only for BB to somehow find a way for 'no name' (so to speak) guys to perform well enough to keep the team winning. I think it was 03 (not sure) where the run D looked awful in the first part of the season only to be solidly stout by the end of the year. Hopefully this is a similar situation....yet right now I am far far more concerned about this area than any other area (by a lot).

On Gronk, well said. I guess because of how quickly and seemingly easy he got hurt in the big game last year, how the healing process played out with all the drama, and all the talk of plates and screws and bacteria and bones and complications got me skittish about the player we may see later today. I just want to see that concern for him, for the team, for us fans put to rest and see him back to being the player he has been. IMHO with a healthy Gronk, with our best backfield receiver returning in a few weeks, with what KT, Dobson, JE are bringing to the table (and their continued improving), maybe DA getting healthy and finding a way to stay on the field, I like this receiving group's abilities/potential more than last year's. It will be shame to see that come to fruition coupled with a secondary that finally is getting it done! only to see teams able to run it with success too easily. BB has to know this and I believe he must think that Jones and Vellano and the return of Kelly are a serviceable group (or he believes there is nothing better out there). We'll find out in about 7 hours if Jones and Vellano can get it done because I firmly believe the Jets are going to be running, running, running (including some 'wildcat') until the Patriots prove they can stop it.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Should have seen this coming....

Patriots-Jets Live: Rob Gronkowski Reportedly Not Guaranteed to Play Despite Being Cleared by Doctors | New England Patriots | NESN.com

it wouldn't surprise me one bit if belichick sticks it to gronk and tells him "you play when we tell you to play."

 

[Uncle Rico]

Should have seen this coming....

Patriots-Jets Live: Rob Gronkowski Reportedly Not Guaranteed to Play Despite Being Cleared by Doctors | New England Patriots | NESN.com

it wouldn't surprise me one bit if belichick sticks it to gronk and tells him "you play when we tell you to play."

I don't know, what I see from the original PFT story is just restating the obvious: We won't know for sure if he's playing until the inactives are released. I don't think BB has a long history of letting players travel with the team then not suiting them up.