Pats rally to win, but Gronk wrecks knee
PATRIOTS tight end Rob Gronkowski suffered what the team feared was a torn ACL in his right knee Sunday in the middle of the third quarter of New England’s wild 27-26 comeback win over Cleveland.
On a first-and-10 at the New England 45-yard line, Tom Brady completed a 21-yard pass over the middle to Gronkowski, who was brought down when Browns defensive back T.J. Ward dove low and smashed into Gronkowski’s right knee. Gronkowski immediately let go of the ball when he hit the ground and appeared to be in serious pain as his hands clutched his helmet.
Gronkowski stayed on the ground for a few minutes before he was carted to the locker room. He didn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped onto the cart. Fox Sports first reported the Patriots fear he tore his ACL. He will have an MRI on Monday.
“Rob was taken to the hospital for observation and evaluation on his injury. That’s all I have on it,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters after the game. Asked if he had an issue with the hit, Belichick said, “I think that’s a question to take up with the league.”
The 6-6, 265-pound tight end didn’t make his season debut until Oct. 20 against the Jets as he worked his way back from offseason back and forearm surgeries, missing the first six games. The 24-year-old had been in usu
al for m since his return, with 39 catches for 592 yards and four touchdowns in seven games, including Sunday.
The injury dampened New England’s i mprobable comeback. The Patriots trailed 19-3 until Shane Vereen ran for a sixyard score with six seconds left in the third quarter. A two-point conversion cut the deficit to eight.
A 50-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski made it a fivepoint game with 5:43 left in the fourth. About three minutes later, Jason Campbell hit Jordan Cameron for a four-yard touchdown that gave the Browns a 26-14 lead. Brady then led New England on an 11-play, 95-yard drive that took 1:38 and ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman. Down by five, the Patriots then recovered an onside kick at the Cleveland 40yard line.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, Cleveland’s Leon McFadden was assessed a controversial pass interference penalty in the end zone, putting the ball at the 1. There was very little contact, and McFadden said after the game he didn't believe he had committed a penalty.
Danny Amendola caught a 1-yard touchdown pass on the next play, giving New England a one-point lead. Cleveland’s Billy Cundiff missed a 58yard field goal attempt as time expired.