NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

New England Patriots: Rob Gronkowski, players to watch vs. Bills in Week 8

By Laith Malhas

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots celebrates his four yard touchdown catch with teammates James White #28 Chris Hogan #15 and Tom Brady #12 during the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots celebrates his four yard touchdown catch with teammates James White #28 Chris Hogan #15 and Tom Brady #12 during the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 2
Next
FOXBOROUGH, MA – OCTOBER 14: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots interacts with Josh Gordon #10 of the New England Patriots before a game with the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – OCTOBER 14: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots interacts with Josh Gordon #10 of the New England Patriots before a game with the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

2. Josh Gordon

Perched on the podium as he was addressing reporters during the weekly media press conference, Tom Brady was asked about Josh Gordon’s approach to football, prompting a glowing review of his teammate, per the Patriots’ official YouTube channel:

"“It’s so impressive in my view what he has done in a short period of time and how he has assumed a specific role in our offense.”"

Gordon has been steadily improving from game to game with the Patriots, his last performance against the Bears was his first 100-yard receiving game. Gordon should be able to continue his path of impressive catches and gains after the catch versus Buffalo.

New England will need Gordon to contribute against a solid Bills secondary that is the best cog of their defense. Brady seemingly is giving Gordon more chances as the season goes on, so look for Brady to test Buffalo’s secondary early in the game.

In light of the fact that New England spreads the ball on offense, the Bills will struggle to cover all the threats in the receiving corps. Gordon will be able to break out and make some game-changing plays as the offense hits their scoring sweet spot of 30 points.

1. Rob Gronkowski

For a player that grew up in Buffalo, Gronkowski has a strange way of showing love for his hometown. Gronk has been a nightmare for the Bills on a consistent basis in recent years, performing at a high level and breaking out for 100+ yards that usually ends in a Patriots blowout.

During the 2017 season, Gronkowski tallied 147 yards on nine receptions, leading to a 23-3 drubbing of the Bills on their home field. The Bills defense has always faced difficulty when attempting to cover Gronkowski, despite their best efforts in doubling and switching coverages on the talented tight end.

Next. NFL Power Rankings, Week 9: Rams avoid loss, Texans white hot. dark

Considering that Gronkowski missed the last game due to a minor back injury, he should be back at full capacity with a lot of rest and is surely motivated to perform in front of the hostile fans in Buffalo. The Patriots will look to implement Gronkowski vertically against the undersized cornerbacks that will not be able to cover him efficiently.

Home/New England Patriots