Gronk diss a gift from mouthy foe
Beating the Jaguars in Jacksonville is a tough Week 2 assignment for the Patriots. No doubt the Jags will be looking for a little payback for their AFC title game loss in January when the two teams hook up Sunday.
Outspoken defensive back Jalen Ramsey, however, may have lit a fuse, or, in former
Patriot Rodney Harrison’s words, provided “a gift” for the Patriots.
The Jaguars cornerback recently expressed the view that Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was overrated. He apparently doesn’t think very highly of the five-time Pro Bowler.
“I don’t think Gronk’s good,” Ramsey said in an interview with ESPN’s Mina Kimes. “Let me say ... I don’t think Gronk is as great as people think he is.”
While Gronkowski & Co. aren’t likely to engage in any trash talk with the stud cornerback in the lead-up to the game, there will be a response on the field.
That’s where the Patriots do all of their talking.
Just ask Harrison.
The NBC commentator and former All-Pro safety recalled past occasions when opponents provided bulletin-board mate- rial and paid for their trouble, whether it was Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell dissing the Patriots secondary prior to Super Bowl XXXIX, saying he didn’t know them by name, only by number, or Steelers safety Anthony Smith guaranteeing a win over the Pats.
“When you’re so beloved as a player, like Gronk is, that’s going to amp up his teammates even more. What Jalen did was, he’s basically given them a gift,” Harrison told the Herald. “There is that next level of excitement, that next level of focus. When Freddie Mitchell did what he did, and guys talk trash, and that Pittsburgh safety talked trash, guys are able to go to that next level, that’s what you’re going to see. Tom (Brady) is a competitive guy. Trust me, this gets him excited. This adds another layer. They’re already one of the best defenses in the league. Let me go out and show how good we can be, even without so many receivers, let me show you what Gronk can do.” Then, there’s Gronk himself. All he did Sunday in the season opener was torch the Houston Texans, who attempted to double-cover him with linebackers and safety help. The tight end who’s not “as great as people think” merely caught seven passes on eight targets for 123 yards and a touchdown.
He was clearly pumped for the season opener. He will be at that level, if not beyond, for the Jaguars. Gronkowski was asked about Ramsey last week, but didn’t want to jump in ahead of the game given the Patriots were playing the Texans, and that’s where his focus was rightfully channeled.
“That will just be another time and place to talk about,” he said with respect to Ramsey’s opinion. The time has arrived. Harrison doesn’t believe there’s much doubt Gronk will be motivated by the put-down.
“All I can say is, if I’m Gronk, if someone calls me out on a national stage, it bothers me,” Harrison said. “It’s disrespectful, and yeah, it’s going to add a lot more incentive for me to go out there and let (Ramsey) know who I am.”
The biggest concern here is not letting the emotion get the best of Gronkowski. It happened last year as a result of a late hit on Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White when Gronk temporarily lost his mind. Gronkowski served a one-game suspension as a result.
“If I’m Gronk, I am motivated. I am excited to play (Ramsey) and let everyone know who I am. But at the same time, you can’t let that emotion overtake you, and get you out of your element, like it did when he played against the Buffalo Bills last year,” said Harrison. “You can play with emotion. You can get excited. You can’t get in a match where you’re getting post-whistle penalties, unnecessary roughness, or anything that could hurt your team. The only thing that’s going to help your team is you making plays and playing with excitement and joy. That’s what Gronk should focus on. It’s about winning. It’s not about proving Jalen wrong.”
Ramsey, drafted fifth overall by the Jaguars in 2016, is a Pro Bowl corner. He’s one of the best, if not
the best, in the league. He’s 6-foot1, 208 pounds. It wouldn’t be out of the realm to see him matched up against Gronkowski. Ramsey also believes Gronkowski has bad games when covered by corners.
“I think from Jalen’s perspective, he’s said some crazy things before, but when he said Gronk isn’t really that good, to me he lost all credibility,” Harrison said. “I was a big fan. He was a guy I cheered for, I rooted for. But when he called out Gronk, and not because he’s a Patriot, because, it’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard. Gronk is arguably the greatest tight end to have ever played. To call him out on the national stage, and be so disrespectful to a guy who’s accomplished so much in his career, I just said, ‘You know what, this guy is a clown.’ He’s a good football player, I just don’t have a lot of respect for him.”
Game on.