Gronk’s feeling super
Atlanta can’t dodge this bullet
FOXBORO — The Falcons didn’t have to contend with Rob Gronkowski the last time the two teams met.
The all-world tight end was a cheerleader on the sideline during that memorable Super Bowl eight months ago, faithfully rooting his teammates on during that miraculous Patriots comeback.
Dan Quinn’s defense didn’t have to defend one of the most important pieces of Tom Brady’s arsenal on that unforgettable night in Houston. The Falcons know all about James White, Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola based on the heroic effort by the Patriots, who erased a 28-3 third-quarter deficit, but they’ll have to deal with Gronk Sunday night.
As the teams square off in a rematch of Super Bowl LI, the Falcons get to meet Brady’s near unstoppable tight end.
As it was, they had a hard enough time with Gronkowski’s then backup Martellus Bennett. He’ll seem like a picnic once they get a load of a super-motivated 6-foot-6, 265-pound Gronkowski, who is bound to wreak some havoc.
“Keanu Neal doesn’t stand a chance,” NBC ana- lyst Rodney Harrison said of the young Falcons safety in a text message with the Herald yesterday. “He’s a good young kid and a good young player. But Gronk should eat him alive.”
And if Neal doesn’t get a healthy dose of Gronk, the Falcons will likely utilize linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who boasted Monday how well he matches up with the Patriots’ alltime touchdowns leader.
Harrison, the former Patriots safety, doesn’t think it was the brightest move to “motivate the best tight end in the league” with that kind of talk, and no doubt, Brady has also taken note of Campbell’s cockiness.
While the Falcons haven’t allowed a touchdown to an opposing tight end through five games, and have yielded just 24 receptions on 44 targets, Gronkowski didn’t sound too concerned with the num- bers.
Gronkowski, naturally, gave the Falcons some props, and talked about how well they are playing. But at the same time, he stated the obvious when it came to his own performance.
Said Gronkowski: “I feel like at any time, any given time, if I’m not playing my best football, if I’m not taking the coaching points, if I’m not doing the things right out there on the field, then I feel like I could be covered by any one. But also at the same time, if I’m doing things right, feeling good, taking the coaching points, then I feel like I can get open on anyone. It just all comes down to playing the game this coming Sunday night.”
While speaking at the podium yesterday, Gronkowski had that little twinkle in his eye. Bill Belichick might be calling him twinkle toes for some of the highstepping he’s been doing of late to get into the end zone, but Gronk is feeling good about himself, and his likely matchups in this game. He’ll be ready for Neal, Campbell or whoever attempts to cover him.
Last week, he feasted on the Jets’ young safety duo of Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, catching six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. And after missing Super Bowl LI with a back injury, there’s no doubt he will be pumped for the prime-time rematch.
“Prime-time games are nice. I mean, they’re definitely different from the 1 o’clock games,” Gronkowski said. “You’re under the lights. You get all day to hang out and chill. I feel like that atmosphere of excitement — for once the game starts — is up there. It’s great. The fans, I feel like, are just always way more into the game when it’s nighttime.”
The fact he missed the Super Bowl after undergoing a third surgery on his back prompted him to make changes in his training. He’s changed his eating habits, committing to TB12 Sports Therapy Center and Brady’s body coach Alex Guerrero.
Gronkowski acknowledged how great it is to be healthy and playing again, but didn’t want to delve back into what was going through his mind during that game in February.
“It’s a whole new year. It’s a whole new week. They’ve got different players now. We’ve got different players,” he said. “They’ve got a different scheme a little bit from all the different players. We’ve got a little different scheme from all the new players that we have, so it’s a whole new game. It’s a whole new challenge.”
Maybe the Falcons and Campbell think they have a beat on covering Gronk for the first time. Well, here’s two words: Good luck!
‘. . . If I’m doing things right . . . I feel like I can get open on anyone.’ — ROB GRONKOWSKI On facing Falcons’ coverage