Gronk

[RelocatedPatFan]

I think Jimmy Graham is a fantastic receiver. He's every bit as good as Gronk when it comes to the skill position that requires running routes and catching a football. Where Gronk obliterates Graham is his brutality and in the running game. He's the prototypical all round package. Quite simply, the guy is unstoppable when healthy.

full agreement here.

With Graham in the game the receivers get much better. With Gronk in the game, the collective offense gets better (running, receiving). Gronk is that once in a generation type player.

 

[Uncle Rico]

As receivers from a purely numbers stand point Gronk has a sleight upper hand.

Graham - 280rec, 3594yds, 36tds

Gronk - 218rec, 3096yds, 41tds


Graham's played 57 games and Gronk's played 48. Gronk has more TDs in less games and averages more yds per game with 64.5 Graham with 63.1. Throw in Gronk's blocking and the scale tips even more.

Two great players, best in the game. I'll stick with Gronk...

Yup. And all those Gronk receiving stats not only come in fewer games, but don't account for the entire games or halves when the game plan calls for Gronk to block.

As an aside, remember the "Do the Pats beat the Bengals with Gronk?" thread earlier this year? I seem to recall it was somewhat intensely debated. Answer seems fairly obvious by now.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

full agreement here.

With Graham in the game the receivers get much better. With Gronk in the game, the collective offense gets better (running, receiving). Gronk is that once in a generation type player.

Figured I'd try to back up my statement with stats. now some measure of "improving" has to be factored in with the rookies and units as a whole, but here's what I see.

Stat                          No Gronk     With Gronk
Record                           5 - 1          3 - 2
Pass %                          56.9%          63.4%
Yds Per Completion               10.1           11.0
Yds Per Attempt                   5.7            6.9
Yds Per Run                       4.1            4.5
Red Zone made/att                9/22          16/25
Red Zone %                      40.9%            64%

i'm not going to redo the numbers but when I took the Passing Yards, I grabbed the wrong stat line, I took the box score Team Stat Comparison and not the Passing (thus sacks take away from total passing yards)

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Graham can't block like Gronk..that right there is a huge plus

 

[SalemPats]

Graham can't block like Gronk..that right there is a huge plus

That's biggest thing. A team has to have safety or safety help on Gronk. Even when he's blocking he still pulls that safety away. His impact on a game is more so than any other TE in the league