Why the Pats Can’t Win the Super Bowl Without Rob Gronkowski

[Kid~Brady]

My point is, that apart from BB and TB, no player is absolutely necessary to win the SB. We can scheme around the loss of WW and RG. Vince is a great player but I'm not convinced we'd suffer to such an extent that it would be impossible to win a SB.

In fact, I'd suggest that McCourty might be the most important cog. Since his switch to safety, our propensity to give up the long ball is severely reduced and those were potential game killers.

Indeed, I understand your point.

You're right, no player, well, other than Tom Brady, is essential for us getting to the playoffs or Superbowl but you have to wonder how different the last superbowl would've played out had we had a 100% Gronk. The Giants have no one who can stick Gronk one on one.

 

[King Brady]

anything can happen..

 

[sly24]

We came a drop away from sealing the deal with a banged up Gronk last february against the team that we match up the worst against. We obviously can make it.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

We won 3 SB's with less talent. Gronk is vital but not essential for us to win another SB.

This. Last year we suffered after his injury because our best wideouts after Welker were Deion Branch and Oocho, so in other words Deion Branch. And a run game that was formidable but incapable of actually hurting the opposition.

This year Lloyd hasn't torn it up, but he's a reliable target. Ridley and Bolden if healthy are both upgrades in the run game and both have the ability to take a game over if teams don't respect the run, something we never had since 2004. Also Vereen adds a new dimension to the offense in both the pass and run. 2 games in a row now he's had big plays for us in the pass game (TD against NYJ, drew a long PI against Miami). This offense can beat you in so many ways this year that I of course would love to have Gronk back, he's arguably the 3rd most important guy on the team, but I wouldn't put it past us being able to get it done in the scenario that he would be out in January.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think we can win without him - we nearly won the SB without Gronk, it's just we'd need to literally put up massive rushing numbers to do so.

We didn't, though. And the offense sputtered through most of the second half of the Super Bowl. Add in the fact that the AFC is going to be tougher to get through this year than in 2011, and Gronk being back is an absolute necessity.