We're going to miss him. Let's get that out of the way. Your team doesn't lose one of the 10 best players in the league and not have it hurt. We've all been hearing or reading how Gronk's absence affects Brady's numbers, and by extension, the Patriots offense. The local pigskin pundits and bobbleheads have adopted the role of stern church deacons, necks bulging, warning us of the pigskin Armageddon about to befall the kingdoms to the east of the Connecticut River. The national pigskin pundits and bobbleheads ghoulishly repeat the prognosis on Gronkowski while arguing over whether this makes the Raiders the new favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
I still embrace the sentiment that if something is going to end badly it's best it end quickly. I'm going to say it: It could've been worse. This could've happened after Christmas, leaving Bill Belichick and the Patriots little time to adapt to the new Gronk-less normal. Now they have all of December to figure out how to win a Super Bowl without Rob Gronkowski.
How will they do that, anyway?
They don't have a choice, do they?
Gronk is not coming back for the Super Bowl. That's not happening. Let it go. Let. It. Go. (Word on the street is the Patriots will place Gronkowski on season-ending IR tomorrow if not later today.) Okay, technically "they don't have a choice" doesn't speak to how. Except it does. It's about mindset. No single player can replace Gronkowski. Everyone needs to step up. I'm guessing Belichick will remind them all how the gridiron cognoscenti seem to believe the Patriots are shit without Gronk. No one outside of this locker room believes you can win!
They otherwise need to stay healthy...
Actually, they need to get healthy. Martysaurus Rex has a bad ankle and a bad shoulder. How is Chris Hogan's back injury, anyway? Will Julian Edelman's foot be listed on the injury report for the rest of his career? The Patriots definitely can't afford another injury of any significance.
But if Martellus Bennett gets healthy, he'll allow Josh McDaniels to do some Gronky things with the offense.
A Star Is Born...
The offense is going to need to change even if Bennett can stay on the field. I expect we'll see a lot more of Cameron Fleming in his tackle eligible role when New England wants to go with the extra blocking tight end.
As for opportunities in the passing game, I like Malcolm Mitchell. I'm starting to get a Deion Branch kind of vibe off the rookie wide receiver. I like how fast he is with the ball in his hands. Small data sample but he also seems to be a weapon in the red zone.
Or it could be Dion Lewis in a return to pre-injury form that carries the offense. Maybe they give a few more opportunities to LeGarrette Blount. I personally can't get enough of James Develin so I'd be good with that. Or Danny Amendola, who just seems to make plays whenever the Pats need it most. Maybe all of the above. Somehow, someway, the Patriots offense needs to find 100 yards and a touchdown from someone or some combination of someones.
Complementary Football...
Now would be a good time for Cyrus Jones to stop fumbling and take a couple of kicks to the EZ.
Now would be a good time for Devin McCourty to lead the defense by example with a scoop and score on a fumble recovery and some gold glove work in centerfield.
Now would be a good time for Stephen Gostkowski to visit a therapist and deal with whatever issues his inner child has with extra point attempts.
Now would be a good time for Jabaal Sheard to get over whatever it is he needs to get over and be the player that had us all shrugging off the Chandler Jones trade.
Now would be a good time for Matt Patricia to let Dont'a Hightower prove he's the best damned linebacker in the NFL and make himself some Von Miller money.
There Is No Accomplishment Without Adversity...
The Patriots didn't just survive September without Brady, they thrived. If Jimmy Garoppolo hadn't been injured I believe they would've finished 4-0-0. This is an organization that has won games with wide receivers playing on defense. They went 11-5-0 with Matt Cassel subbing for Tom Brady. There just isn't another NFL organization better prepared mentally or physically than the Patriots to deal with the loss of the best non-QB player on their roster.
Season-ending injury is one of the harsh realities of football. Teams ill-prepared for the loss of a key starter will be scrambling for 3rd place scraps. Look at the Bengals without A.J. Green or the Falcons in 2013 without Julio Jones. Like Gronk, those aren't players you easily replace or even replace with great difficulty.
It won't be easy. Something tells me Bill Belichick doesn't care. I know he won't tolerate any excuses and I know the expectations haven't changed. It's still about winning.
The Narrative Demands It...
There's still only one satisfactory ending to this movie and it's Tom Brady shoving the Lombardi Trophy up Roger Goodell's fat white ass.
By any and all means necessary, the Deflategate narrative demands the Patriots overcome the loss of Gronk, win out for home field in the playoff, beat the Raiders in the AFC Championship game in the snow in Foxborough on a Gostkowski game-winner and win in a rout over the Cowboys in the Super Bowl.
That would be my favorite movie of all time.
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