Controlling mammoth TE Gronkowski pivotal for Steelers

a catch as the NFL’s leading receiver this season. Against everyone this season, Gronkowski averages 15.4 yards on 55 receptions (which lead the Patriots) and seven touchdowns.

Other than New England’s AFC East opponents, no other team has allowed Gronkowski more catches and yards than the Steelers.

Yes, the Patriots won a Super Bowl without Gronk last season, but they had Julius Edelman and now they don’t.

So, how do the Steelers stop him or slow him down?

“He’s a big guy, he’s like a big Ford that bodies people up down at the low post and all that stuff,” said Keith Butler, the Steelers’ defensive coordinator. “He runs his routes where he puts his body in front of you, between you and the ball. He’s very hard to cover when he does that.” And then there is this: “They’ll throw it up high, he’ll take it off the top of your head,” Butler said of the 6-6, 285-pounder. “He’s a big man. So, we have a plan to try to defend him as much as we can. We’re not going to tell them what that plan is right now, though.”

It might be all hands on Gronk, perhaps literally. The first plan might have been Ryan Shazier. But now, there could be multiple schemes that involve safety Sean Davis and linebackers Sean Spence or L.J. Fort.

“Just watching him, we have to keep our hands on him,” said Davis. “He’s a big guy, he has good hands. We just have to play tight to him and whatever we do, put pressure on the quarterback.”

Davis has not played against Gronkowski because, in his rookie 2016 season, he did not play safety against New England and Gronk did not play in the title game. Yet, he could draw the primary assignment of covering him Sunday.

“This is my first time seeing him,” said Davis, who is 6-1, 202.

“I’m looking forward to playing against him. He’s strong, he’s physical, he has good hands. He catches the balls thrown to him for the most part. He’s a playmaker.”

Or a dream-wrecker, as far as the Steelers are concerned.

Cornerback Joe Haden played against Gronkowski when he was a Cleveland Brown, and, while it was not his chief assignment, he has his theories.

“You have to disrupt him, get your hands on him. Make sure your safeties lean on him when they have those matchups with linebackers on him sometimes.

“Gronk is a big part of their offense. He’s a big dude, and they like to play power football — running backs, tight ends, they like those matchups against linebackers and safeties.”

There’s a lot not to like for the Steelers when Gronkowski plays them.