Is it possible the team improves without Gronk?

[mosslost]

Nope

 

[Gwedd]

Of course it is. It depends upon the other skills players stepping up, but this team won three Superbowls without him.

Winning is still a team effort, and New England still has one hell of a team.

 

[TBR]

The team as a whole won't improve because of Gronk's absence, but the offense should still be great without him. A fully healthy offense with Gronk and everyone else was an absolute embarrassment of riches. Without Gronk, I see a great offense that's about equal to, if not slightly better than, the offense of the Saints in terms of talent. It will be a matter of adjusting.

 

[mosslost]

Of course it is. It depends upon the other skills players stepping up, but this team won three Superbowls without him.

Winning is still a team effort, and New England still has one hell of a team.

and the AFC is just down year too

 

[chasa]

gronk is an all time great player.

That being said, he tends to get a lot of attention from brady, sometimes with bad results. Forcing the ball when he has better options.

the only way this team IMPROVES without him is if Brady is able to stop relying on his binkie.

 

[luuked]

gronk is an all time great player.

That being said, he tends to get a lot of attention from brady, sometimes with bad results. Forcing the ball when he has better options.

the only way this team IMPROVES without him is if Brady is able to stop relying on his binkie.

The issue with this is that this also removes the usual double team that others have to put on Gronk which makes life more difficult for everyone else.

While I understand the "Brady now needs to use all his weapons" POV and it makes it even harder for opponents to prepare I don't see a single angle where you could claim the offense is better off without him while a game is played.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Of course it is. It depends upon the other skills players stepping up, but this team won three Superbowls without him.

Winning is still a team effort, and New England still has one hell of a team.

Can we still win the Super Bowl without him? Sure. Is it possible that we're better without him? Of course not, that's insane.

 

[dalero]

Gonna come down to Marty B being able to stay on the field.

 

[Gwedd]

Can we still win the Super Bowl without him? Sure. Is it possible that we're better without him? Of course not, that's insane.

Depends on whether the other skill players step up. If we win a superbowl WITHOUT Gronk, is the team improved? Or is it not improved, but winning despite him? hard to say.

 

[Nikolai]

The issue with this is that this also removes the usual double team that others have to put on Gronk which makes life more difficult for everyone else.

While I understand the "Brady now needs to use all his weapons" POV and it makes it even harder for opponents to prepare I don't see a single angle where you could claim the offense is better off without him while a game is played.

Didn't the Jest try to triple team Marty B on the last touchdown? If Brady and Bennett can establish a connection, then he's going to command those same double teams.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Depends on whether the other skill players step up. If we win a superbowl WITHOUT Gronk, is the team improved? Or is it not improved, but winning despite him? hard to say.

It's really not, IMO. If they win without Gronk, that means they were good enough to win without Gronk, which is a far cry from saying they're better off without him. They just aren't. When you subtract a GOAT candidate in the prime of his career from a team, that team gets worse. Maybe they were so good to begin with that they can still win without him, but that doesn't mean they improved in his absence.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

The only thing I can say is that I prefer a gameplan that accounts for Gronk being completely out of the picture as opposed to one that includes a 60% Gronk and failed plays involving him like the start of the Jets game last week.

This is the first time in the Gronk era though where I feel like we still have enough weapons to survive his loss.

I remember thinking it was a season ender last year (in Denver) and my heart ****ing sank. This time around? It hurts but we can survive.

 

[deroc5050]

If the offensive line can give Brady another .5 seconds to survey the field, they could definitely improve. But thats not really realistic. We are putting more strain on our Defense most likely with the loss of Gronks contribution. Which I am not really that confident about.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

The team as a whole won't improve because of Gronk's absence, but the offense should still be great without him. A fully healthy offense with Gronk and everyone else was an absolute embarrassment of riches. Without Gronk, I see a great offense that's about equal to, if not slightly better than, the offense of the Saints in terms of talent. It will be a matter of adjusting.

Agreed!! Biggest question with the offense is can the key guys stay healthy? If so they're in really good shape because the biggest weapon (when healthy) yet the biggest anchor that weighs them down (when hurt or not 100%) is gone for the year with 5 games left in the regular season. It is a blessing in disguise to have Gronk gone early so they can develop their offense without him. He is such a supreme talent that the Patriots have built their O around him but seems like every freakin' year when December and January roll around there are Gronk issues that require real time management and it has hurt this team significantly on numerous occasions including last season when home field advantage went bye bye.
If they don't lose anyone else then it won't be the offense that holds them back come playoff time.
LOTS of folks (other fanbases, mediots etc) are counting them out. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!
Please keep counting them out. Love the role of the underdog.

 

[nabwong]

It's possible. Brandon and Danny are gonna be given more carries.

 

[Bertil]

Sooooo....we're going with Bill Simmons' "Ewing Theory"? Alrighty then.

 

[The_Riddler]

We are the chameleon, no one adapts like our beloved GOAT with what's around him, that's what makes him Great...All is well...

 

[mosslost]

 

[NormZauchin]

If the Pats won three of four at the beginning of the season without Brady (and without Gronk for two of them), they can win without Gronk.

 

[luuked]

Didn't the Jest try to triple team Marty B on the last touchdown? If Brady and Bennett can establish a connection, then he's going to command those same double teams.

I don't disagree but if we had Gronk in there as well this would create even more space for other options or leave Marty/Gronk single covered. Now I am not saying we are dead in the water because we still have one of the better offenses in the league. Just don't see any angle where you could think we could be better without him if everything else is the same.