Tag Archives: Rob Gronkowski

Five Players that can Solve the Patriots Tight End Problem

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It’s fair to say that Rob Gronkowski is not coming back. Given that Benjamin Watson will be suspended for the first four weeks of the season, the Patriots still have a gaping hole at the Tight End position with the regular season a mere two months away.

Here are some options the Patriots can consider to fill this void. Whether they be a natural Tight End or a big Wide Receiver, all of the players on this list would fill in just fine.

DEMARYIUS THOMAS:

Demaryius Thomas is a Wide Receiver that is bulky enough to fill in at the Tight End position. He is big enough to hold his own against a Linebacker and quick enough to outrun a Defensive Back. Thomas is a solid temporary solution until Benjamin Watson returns from his suspension in Week Five.

DEZ BRYANT:

Dez Bryant is another big Wide Receiver that the Patriots could use to fill in until Watson returns. In fact, the addition of Bryant makes sense even with Watson. Like Rob Gronkowski, Bryant is a big body that naturally causes mismatches. He would be the most physically gifted Wide Receiver the Patriots have had since Randy Moss if he’s healthy. A little bit of work on his blocking and he would be perfect.

BRING BACK AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS:

Last month the Patriots released Austin Seferian-Jenkins due to “personal issues”. Thomas and Bryant have the potential to be great, but Tight End isn’t their natural position. If he feels physically and mentally healthy enough come September, the Patriots should definitely welcome him back as he is easily the most talented Tight End on this list. He is a big bodied underrated pass catcher. He’s not as dynamic as Gronk, but Tom Brady would easily be able to use him in the same manner.

LANCE KENDRICKS:

Just three seasons removed from a breakout 50 catch campaign with the Los Angeles Rams, Lance Kendricks is a considerable option. Kendricks is a Tight End that catches passes like a Wide Receiver. He stands out as a potential small money move that pays big dividends (moves that the Patriots are known for).

MICHAEL HOOMANAWANUI:

The Patriots would have everything to gain and nothing to lose by bringing back old friend Michael Hoomanawanui. Hoomanawanui spent four years with the Patriots and won a Super Bowl with the team in 2014. He would come to New England with a knowledge of the Patriots offense that is deeper than any other player on this list. If they choose to add a Tight End, the Patriots would likely prefer to keep him even after Watson’s suspension, and that’s where Hoomanawanui’s experience makes sense. He should fit right in upon arrival. If Josh Gordon gets reinstated in time for the regular season, this move makes perfect sense because it allows the Patriots to shift towards blocking Tight Ends as opposed to primarily pass catchers. Although Brady is familiar enough with Hoomanawanui to use him as a pass catcher when needed.

Gronk-Brady Workout Amps Up Return Rumors

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Patriots fans thought they got what they have been wishing for this week. Now-retired Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had a private throwing session at UCLA on Monday with his favorite quarterback, Tom Brady.  The Patriots remain one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LIV even without Gronkowski. If your’e thinking of placing a bet on the Patriots, be sure to check out these sportsbook reviews.

In the Los Angeles area for a charity basketball game, Gronkowski told TMZ Sports that Brady needed someone to throw to and, of course, “[Brady] calls Mr. Reliable Robbie G the one and only!”

Gronkowski, 30, announced his retirement in March after weeks of speculation following Super Bowl 53. The Gronk-Brady reunion on the field has Pats fans praying for a possible return. 

There are many factors that would go into a return for Gronkowski. The number one concern is his health. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound phenom has experienced a multitude of injuries dating back before his professional career. 

Gronkowski missed his junior season at Arizona in 2009 due to back surgery. During his nine seasons in the NFL Gronkowski has suffered various injuries to his ankle, left arm, right knee, hamstring, groin and once again to his back. Being The Man and a constant target, however, helped to sustain these injuries.

Gronk often received double coverage in order for teams to cover a man of his height and size. Toward the end of his career, the tight end was utilized more as a blocker. Going up against 250-plus pound men surely increased the toll taken to his body.

With no rush to get back on the field, Gronkowski can spend time caring for his body. Gronkowski MIGHT want another go at the game if his body can feel better than it did when he left the league. 

While the evaluation of his injury history seems bleak, all hope for Gronk’s return isn’t lost. According to Gronkowski’s girlfriend, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model Camille Kostek, with Rob anything is possible.

“He is someone who likes to mess around,” Kostek told Extra back in May. “I think he is messing with everybody, then again he stumps me all the time so who knows? He could be pulling this out of the woodwork at some time. I would love to see him out there, but I am also respecting him taking this time for himself, healing up his body, and enjoying the time off.”

Right now, Gronk remains retired and it doesn’t seem like it is going to change before the season begins. But maybe, just maybe, hanging out with Tom Brady will give the 30-year-old some beneficial tips on how to beat father time.

Gronkowski Still has ‘The Itch’

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Rob Gronkowski held his 7th annual Citi, Pro Camp for kids. Helping the Boston food bank along with the kids who all brought food for a great cause.

Gronk was his usual happy self on the first day of his camp this year. The future HOF TE was running around playing quarterback, catching passes and teaching kids the importance of teamwork. He’s a great role model and it showed all day.

Everyone Including 800 Children had the same question for Gronk

https://twitter.com/boston_sports18/status/1138166870027177984?s=21

The Patriots could surely use his services on the football field, but for now he is enjoying retirement. Rob is helping out in the community like he’s always done in the past.

This year the whole Gronkowski gang was out participating and having a blast. The event along with the kids brought in over 6,500 food items for the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Over 6500 items of food for the Greater a Boston Food Bank. (Mike Quilty)
  • Gronk taking a bow
    (Mike Quilty)

The greatest TE I’ve ever seen is just as clutch when it comes to the community as his catches were this postseason and Super Bowl.

Gronkowski could potentially come back to the Patriots at some point this upcoming season. The decision will probably be unexpected and a surprise.

The TE had one amazing surprise for two of the Pro Camp participants, what a class act.

https://twitter.com/boston_sports18/status/1137434664975704064?s=21

Gronkowski always knows how to make someone smile, whether he’s off the field continuing his charities, or suiting up for the Patriots at some point in 2019.

The decision to retire is respected by everyone, but some of his ex teammates said they know he can still play and wouldn’t be surprised by a return. Gronk is going to be Gronk whatever he decides to do, he’s a Champion on and off the field.

Thank you to the Gronkowski’s, Rob in particular and everyone involved in a winning Saturday.

The end of a great day


Belichick Keeps Changing the Game – No Tight End – No Problem

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Rob Gronkowski won’t be walking through that door this season due to his somewhat surprising announcement he would retire, effective immediately. With no legitimate backup waiting in the wings, the conventional wisdom had the Patriots moving up from their No. 32 overall pick to jockey into a slot that would allow them to snatch Iowa’s talented tight end T.J. Hockenson. However, with the eighth overall pick, the Detroit Lions selected Hockenson in what many draft pundits considered a bit of a reach – just a bit.

Most of the mock drafts and some of the best online betting sites found over at Sportsbook Review, had the 6’5” John Mackey Award winner landing somewhere between the mid-teens and early 20’s, a spot where Bill Belichick could reasonably swap first-round picks plus a bit more without too much collateral damage to the many picks he had acquired in preparation of the 2019 draft. Besides, there was always Hockenson’s teammate, Noah Fant, the Robin to his Batman in the Hawkeyes’ battery of twin tight end terrors. But Belichick likes a tight end who can block and catch, however, Fant was more adept at the latter rather than the former, and that limitation wouldn’t warrant Belichick trading up to nab Gronkowski’s heir apparent.

Fant would vanish from the draft board at No. 20 when Denver decided to make him a Bronco but there was still one more tight end to be had, Irv Smith Jr., formerly of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Many believed Belichick had once again masterminded his way into a top tier tight end without moving an inch. After all, Smith had NFL pedigree with his father Irv Smith Sr. having toiled in the professional ranks during the ’90s and was also mentored under the legendary Nick Saban, with whom Belichick shares a deep friendship and has profound respect.

The pieces had all fallen into place but whatever you think Belichick will do, you can be sure he won’t. Yet again, Belichick flipped the script and added a player the same height as Smith Jr. (6’2”) but with more speed and a greater vertical downfield threat when he selected N’Keal Harry as the newest weapon in his offensive arsenal. Think of it this way, when you’ve been tooling around in a Lamborghini for so long, it’s tough to trade it in for a Ford F-150. Sure, a pickup is durable, practical, and will get you from point A to point B but when you already have a few in your garage, it doesn’t make sense to go out and buy a newer model just hoping the engine has a little more giddy-up.

Instead, Belichick took a hard look at his receiving corps and realized that this was the area of greatest concern. With all due respect to Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, and the rest of the 2018 New England Patriots’ wideouts, that crew was simply not going to cut it in light of an aging Edelman with plenty of wear on his treads, and a wildcard in Josh Gordon whose status is perpetually uncertain. The coup de grace is that Belichick not only passed on a tight end in the first round but didn’t even have to trade up to land Smith in the second, as he was still sitting there when the Patriots selected Vanderbilt’s rangy cornerback Joejuan Williams at No. 45. Irv Smith Jr. would be taken a few minutes later at No. 50 by the Minnesota Vikings so that ship had sailed. However, there was still some decent tight end talent to be had as Drew Sample of Washington went to the Bengals in the second round shortly after Smith. Four tight ends were taken in the third round and a grand total of 16 overall were plucked from the 2019 draft, but not one was selected by New England.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins will headline the tight end stable this season, but the former second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Bucs has never lasted a full season without injury. Maybe Belichick overplayed his hand this time and Tom Terrific will have one less pass-catching outlet this season. However, if you’ve been watching Bill Belichick long enough, chances are things will work out just fine.

The best of Rob Gronkowski on and off the football field

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Rob Gronkowski announces retirement from the NFL

Via Sports Illustrated

Rob Gronkowski was drafted 42nd overall in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Later that summer, he signed a four-year contract worth $4.4 million. In 2010 Gronkowski played in all 16 games, catching 42 receptions for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns. From the beginning, people were talking about how much value Gronkowski could bring to a team. The 2011 season was his best one, having 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and a career-high 17 touchdowns. Throughout his nine years with the Patriots Gronkowski had 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. As he announced his retirement from football on Sunday night lets look back at the greatest of Rob Gronkowski on and off the field.

Lets start in the beginning of his career in 2011. He was a year into the league and already making headlines. It was week 14 of the 2011 season the Patriots were on the road against the Washington Redskins. Brady had himself a day throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns. The Patriots won 34-27. But this would be Gronkowski’s stand out game. He set a record that day for most touchdowns catches in a single game by a tight end. The standout play was when Gronk was carrying two defenders on his back without going down.

Gronkowski loves to party. If there was one guy on the Patriots you had to party with it would probably be Gronk. From the dancing on stage, to partying hard after a Super Bowl, the 6’6″ giant is the life of any party he attends. However, when it came down to business he knew it was time to focus. What makes Gronkowski great is he knows there’s a time to party and time to be serious. At this Super Bowl Parade maybe in the back of his mind, this was his last ride so he thought he go all out. Well, he did from drinking beer to drinking wine, to catching beers from fans.

Gronk will be remembered for his leadership and playmaking

Gronkowski had great leadership in the locker room being a role model for his teammates. He and Brady had great chemistry and he always came up big when he was needed the most. Whether it was blocking or making a big play they knew they could count on Gronk. He also did a lot in the community for charity work. He’s the founder of the Gronk Youth Foundation, which inspires youth to reach their maximum potential through sports education, community, and fitness.

Gronkowski had lots of memorbale moments

After the Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles he was contemplating retirement. But decided to come back and play at another shot at winning the Super Bowl. Gronk caught three touchdowns this season, and had 47 receptions for 682 yards. The last catch of his career came in the Super Bowl down the sideline to set up the game-winning touchdown by running back Sony Michel. His leadership and playmaking will be missed. But he is without a doubt a first ballot Hall Of Famer, and a three-time Super Bowl Champion.

Devin McCourty not retiring quite yet

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Devin McCourty was one of the Patriots who was flirting with retirement before the Super Bowl. Along with Rob Gronkowski, the eldest McCourty brother was unsure prior to the big game whether he would return to Foxboro in 2019.

He put all of those rumors to bed on Thursday, however, when he went on the Sports Spectrum Podcast.

“Yeah, I’m going to play,” McCourty stated.

The veteran safety went on to say, ” I think once you get a chance to step away for a couple of weeks, you’re like I still do want to be around these young guys that come in.”

There was a growing suspicion that if the Patriots won Super Bowl 53, the 31 year-old would ride off into the sunset with a third Lombardi. McCourty has a multitude of off-field activities, including his sickle-cell charity work. It made sense that a Super Bowl win would give the safety a good ending to a great career and an opportunity to focus his efforts on charitable pursuits.

McCourty signed a 5 year extension after the 2014 season, and at the time was the highest paid safety. If he does return to the Patriots, he will have a cap hit of $13.45 million for the 2019 season. This is obviously extremely high for an aging safety and not the team friendly contract the Pats prefer.

Assuming New England hangs on to McCourty, a contract restructure will undoubtedly be on the agenda. He is still a productive player, recording 82 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and one pick-six this past season. More importantly, he is the heart and soul of the secondary, and is a perennial team captain.

Devin McCourty reached the top speed in the NFL during this Monday Night interception against Buffalo.

The smart move for New England is to keep McCourty for his last season under contract. Of course, this hinges on a restructure, which would reduce his 2019 cap hit. Hopefully he will be open to the idea, since he already has plans on winning number seven for New England.

“If you play this game only for Super Bowls, you’re going to be very empty. Because as soon as you win it, it’s all about how you can win it next year. … You have to play for so much more,” he told the Sports Spectrum Podcast.

The new league season starts on March 14th, so this is when you can expect the majority of deals to go down. The Patriots would like to see if McCourty would take a pay cut before this however, so they can have a better idea of where they’re at financially.

This offseason promises to be a crazy one, and the Patriots are right in the thick of it. Restructuring Devin McCourty should be a top priority for New England, along with resigning his brother Jason. Hopefully with Devin back in a Pats uniform, the youngest McCourty will sign on for another year.

Follow @bossportsextra on Twitter to stay up to date on all NFL offseason news.

Rob Gronkowski will most likely be back

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Rob Gronkowski will be back

Via Sporting News

A year ago this time Rob Gronkowski was contemplating retirement. The Patriots just lost the Super Bowl and Gronkowski was looking to move on from football. He did that weird motocross press conference in March and wasn’t talking about playing in 2018. After that press conference Belichick had a talk with him about coming back or he’s going to be traded. Then Gronkowski made a video after that meeting stating he would come back. After the Patriots lost to the Detroit Lions eariler in the season Gronkowski confirmed he was almost traded but said he’d only play again if Tom Brady was the quarterback.

Gronkowski is weighing his options

Throughout the 2018 season Gronkowski was battling back and other injuries. He really wasn’t himself all year and it was a wonder if he was hanging it up after this season. The Patriots got the number two seed and Gronkowski seemed good to go for the playoffs. He mostly blocked in the win against the Los Angeles Chargers. He made some big plays in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City. Finally during the Super Bowl he made a game changing catch to set up the game winning touchdown. When it came down to it Gronkowski was clutch as ever when it mattered the most.

The difference between last off season and this off season there’s no drama. What really helped was winning the Super Bowl when people counted them out. But Gronkowski is a key asset to that offense even though he gets hurt easily. His blocking skills can open holes for Sony Michel, and James White. He’s been at the Stadium seeing doctors since the Super Bowl weighing his options to see if it’s worth coming back for another season. Rumors are that he told teammates he wants a seventh ring.

In my opinion he’s probably going to comeback to get another ring. At this point he’s not going to get traded or ask for a trade he only wants to play for Brady. Also Brady will probably ask him to comeback for another season amd get treatment at TB12 to help with his back. At the end of the day Gronkowski knows his best chance at winning a Super Bowl is with the Patriots. He has plenty of time to make movies but only has a few years left with Brady as the quarterback.

Will Gronk be Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Seven’s Door?

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After three long, grueling months since Boston won a world championship, the Patriots snapped that drought with their sixth Super Bowl title, all under Tom Brady’s watch. If you’re new to the wonderful world of sports wagering and want to learn how to bet then click on over to Sportsbook Review, and you will find an excellent primer.

The good news is that TB-12 will be back under center to try to take the Patriots to the Promised Land. But the bad news is that New England may be without the services of All-World tight end Rob Gronkowski. The parting will come sooner or later but the verdict is still out on just how much gas Gronk has left in his tank. Until this season, Gronkowski has been as stunning and reliable as a Rolex but cost about as much as a top-of-the-line Timex. It’s been a good deal for Gronk but a great deal for New England.

Yet, this season proved that Father Time is winning the battle over the soon-to-be 30-year-old as all those punishing hits in the past have finally taken their toll in the present. Gronk demonstrated in the team’s Super Bowl victory over the Rams that he can still flash his brilliance when he caught a pass thrown on a dime by Brady to set up the eventual touchdown scored by Sony Michel. He also remains a top-notch blocker, an often-overlooked aspect of what makes him so special and will ultimately see him reside in Canton, amongst all the other greats of the game. When the regular season ended, Gronk tallied 47 receptions for 682 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. But what many didn’t know was that he had been ailing throughout with a bulging disk in his back and an Achilles injury.

When asked about the punishing position he plays and how he deals with the aches and pains, Gronkowski replied thusly, “To take hits to the thigh, take hits to your head. Abusing your body isn’t what your brain wants. When your body is abused, it can bring down your mood. You’ve got to be able to deal with that, too, throughout the season. You’ve got to be able to deal with that in the games.”

The operative sentence in all of that is, “Abusing your body isn’t what your brain wants,” which essentially means “I am just so sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Gronkowski isn’t the first professional athlete to feel this way and he won’t be the last. But walking away from throngs of fans genuflecting at your altar is not easy. The national, and even international, acclaim is an intoxicant, a dopamine rush that never gets old. But in a few months, Gronkowski will be 30-years-old, an age which generally spells the beginning of the end for professional football players. There is also the reported $9 million salary the Patriots will have to pay on Gronk’s contract if he chooses to return but a number that the Patriots may find untenable.

We should hear sooner than later regarding Gronk’s decision and undoubtedly the Patriots will want to know before the draft. There are three very good tight ends in this year’s NFL meat market, including the Hawkeye tandem of TJ Hockenson (who will most likely be long gone by the time the Pats pick at No. 32) and Noah Fant with Alabama’s Irv Smith completing the triumvirate. If New England does decide to opt for a premier tight end to replace (although there’s no replacing) Gronkowski, then they will most likely expend their first-round pick to get the job done. But until Gronk declares his intentions, the Patriots will wait – while Canton awaits.

Via google search for New England Patriots

Unfinished Business

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The Patriots just finished up winning their Sixth Super Bowl. After seeing Brady, Edleman, and Belichick embracing and talking about still being here, and the post-game comments from Robert and Jonathan Kraft that were giddy but edged, it all adds up to one thing: The Patriots have unfinished business. What else do they need to accomplish? They are being compared to the greatest dynasties in all sports. Brady arguments are starting with Jordan and Russell, not Montana and Starr.

This team once finished a season 18-1. That nasty taste in the back of all Patriots fans throats is still there. The Patriots have very few goals left to achieve. Let’s look at what might very well be in store for the 2019 off-season.

It Starts With Motivation

The Patriots 13-3 win was by the biggest margin in their Super Bowl history. But according to most outlets, this was a boring Super Bowl. No buzz. More an indictment on the Rams and Sean McVay than a Patriots win. Sure, there’s the occasional 2/3rds of the Ringer football staff, or Greg Bedard, who champion this team’s accomplishments. But this is a taste of what you get when you search ‘Patriots boring’ into google:

Don’t think for a minute Coach Belichick hasn’t noticed. We just saw what happens when Belichick regains control of the team and uses motivation to maximum effect.

Again, the Patriots just pulled into a tie with the Steelers for all time Super Bowl wins. Tom Brady stands alone as the player with the most Super Bowl rings. Coach Belichick can do things like this:

Freddy Mitchell, a part time player, was used as motivation against the Eagles in Super Bowl 39. What do we think a national movement belittling this Super Bowl can do?

Salary Cap & Draft Capital

The NFL salary cap can be convoluted. But the bottom line is the Patriots currently have around $18 Million in cap space. Between potential retirements and restructurings that number could grow to around $50 Million or more. That’s enough cheddar to do some serious damage.

As far as draft picks, the Patriots have 5 in the first four rounds. When have they ever used all their draft picks? Now they have an extra upper round pick to parry with.

All this adds up to a lot of possibilities.

Potential Moves

What are the kind of players we could be talking about? Randy Moss was traded for a 4th round pick in 2007. Aqib Talib was traded for a 4th round pick in 2012. Brandin Cooks was traded for first and third round picks in 2017.

There is a certain Steeler wide out who has just requested a trade. Yes, Antonio Brown, probably the best wide receiver in the NFL, is not outwardly Patriot material. He put the post-game locker room on Facebook live. He doesn’t show up for work at times. Brown also just missed a court date, so is now a convicted reckless driver.

The Steelers will have to be desperate to trade Brown to the Patriots, but his radioactivity might make it possible. With him missing the final game of the season, and now a reckless driving conviction in Pennsylvania, the price could be coming down from 1st round pick territory. Brown is owed a lot of money, around $12 to $13 Million a year for the next three years. But his contract isn’t guaranteed. It’s easy to see a reworked one or two year deal, a la Darrelle Revis in 2014. It’s also easy to see a hardworking, nose to the grindstone Antonio Brown looking to rebuild his value.

Brown on his own wouldn’t be enough. Belichick is always ready to praise the opposition. He just saw the Rams defense do a great job against Brady and Co. Someone like linebacker Donte Fowler, Jr., who is a free agent, would look great next to Dont’a Hightower in the Patriots defense.

Re-signings to look for

A push for an undefeated season would include convincing Gronk to go for it one more year as well. Why go through the pain and hard work? The same reason Belichick and Brady are still doing it. To achieve the unattainable, the immortal.

And of course this would include bringing back Trey Flowers. As stated above, there is room on the Patriots cap, with some massaging, for a few big moves.

The Patriots have the motivation and ability to go all in for an undefeated season in 2019. Let’s put those ’72 Dolphins out to pasture, we want our own insufferable undefeated toasts every year.

The Patriots are Super Bowl Champs…Again

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The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl 53, winning their sixth Championship.

One year ago today, New England lost to Philadelphia in a game that most expected Super Bowl 53 to mirror. A game where the phrase, “Defense wins Championships” is crumpled up and thrown out of a window. A game that has more trick plays than punts, and offensive coaches have a field day. A lot can remembered about Super Bowl 52’s incredible offensive heavyweight bout. However, the one lasting memory for most New England fans is the defense choking when it mattered most.

If there were any predictions for the game last night, they most likely were centered around an offensive outburst. Most people were assuming this would be another bloodbath, similar to the Chiefs-Rams Week 11 matchup that ended 54-51. Maybe not to the extent of 105 combined points, but it is Tom Brady and Sean McVay so it was a possibility. What we got instead was pound for pound football that exemplified this Patriots team resolve in more ways than one.

One could argue Tom Brady would have already had six rings coming into the 2018 season. Brady did after all throw for 505 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl 52. But that still wasn’t enough to overcome Matt Patricia’s sorry excuse for a defense. The Malcolm Butler argument can be made all day long but nothing was slowing down Nick Foles that night. This year however, it was the defense who helped Brady capture his record sixth ‘chip.

From Stephon Gilmore to Dont’a Hightower to Jason McCourty, every defensive player on the field made a play. Whether it was Gilmore’s last minute interception or Jason McCourty’s touchdown saving pass breakup, it was the defense who won the game this time around. There has never been a Super Bowl performance quite like the one we saw last night, and Tom Brady and the offense are beyond grateful. Brian Flores forever left his mark on New England lore, helping architect the best defensive performance in Super Bowl history. He will be sorely missed when he heads south to Miami.

Even though getting yards wasn’t an issue offensively, getting past the Rams 40 yard line was. It seemed like every drive ended with a long field goal attempt or a punt at the L.A. 45. This field position certainly helped the defense, but scoring points would have been far more helpful.

If there was one diamond in the rough for the offense last night, it was Julian Edelman. JE11 turned in perhaps his best game in a Patriot uniform, totaling 141 yards on ten receptions. The Rams Pro Bowl caliber cornerbacks could do nothing to stay in coverage, and no matter what Nickell Robey-Coleman says, they could not stop him. This immaculate performance led the way for the offense, and landed Jules his first Super Bowl MVP.

Julian Edelman shined when it mattered most, taking home the MVP award for Super Bowl 53.

Rob Gronkowski, in what could be his final game, looked like vintage Gronk, going for 87 yards and setting up the game’s only touchdown. Other than those two, the only other Patriot to have a solid offensive night was Sony Michel, who once again scored and had over 90 yards rushing. This was his third straight postseason game with a score and at least 90 yards on the ground, and he could have a monster next year as long as the offensive line stays intact.

Sony Michel scored the only touchdown of the game, capping off his incredible 2018 postseason.

In the end, this game was what no one expected and few wanted. Most people in New England would tell you they wanted a blowout and at least 40 points. Most of America would tell you they wanted the same thing, but in the Rams favor. However, if you look past the boring incomplete passes and negative rushing attempts, you’ll find that this game is what the Patriots are all about. They’re not a one dimensional team like Kansas City, where if the offense doesn’t score then they have no chance of winning.

The New England Patriots always preach that it takes all three phases, offense, defense, special teams, to win football games. That’s what Super Bowl 53 was, an all around effort with each group coming up clutch when they needed to. Without each player doing their job and stepping up to the plate when it mattered most, we would be sitting here thinking about what could have been. Instead? We wake up six time Super Bowl Champions and get ready for our second parade in 100 days.