Bitter Bills Unimpressed With Rob Gronkowski's Record-Breaking Performance
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Rob Gronkowski set a Patriots franchise record when he caught his 69th career touchdown from Tom Brady in the second quarter of their 41-25 road win over the Buffalo Bills. It was a perfectly executed 53-yard seam pass that Gronk caught in stride and rode cleanly into the end zone as he beat Bills corner Nickell Robey-Coleman over the top. In all, Gronk caught 5-of-7 targets for 109 yards and the score.
Just don't ask the Bills if they're impressed with the tight end's performance on Sunday.
Most Patriots detractors can't seem to make up their mind who deserves credit (if anyone) for the team's incredible run of success. It's Bill Belichick, right? No, he cheats. But then Belichick only wins because he has Brady, right? Nope, it's just the system. In the case of the Bills, Gronk's really not all that impressive because he has Brady throwing him the ball.
Bills corner Corey Graham gave Gronk a minimal amount of credit for his overall skills.
"He uses his body well, but he's got Tom Brady," Graham said after the game, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. "I mean, Tom Brady's Tom Brady."
Linebacker Zach Brown, for whatever reason, gave more credit to the clear No. 2 tight end on the team.
"I'm more impressed with [Martellus] Bennett than Gronk," Brown said. "When Tom Brady wasn't here, you didn't hear [Gronk]. But when Tom Brady comes back he knows where to place it, how to place it, and he uses Gronk's size to his advantage.
"As far as blocking, no, I do not think [Gronk's] one of the best. Bennett is probably a better blocker."
There's no doubt that Brady has helped transform Gronk from underutilized to unstoppable in his dominant return to the field. Brady is as good as any quarterback in history at putting the ball in a spot where only his receivers can catch it. But it also helps that Gronk's hands are so good and his catch radius is so large that Brady can put the ball in a wide range of spots with the confidence that Gronk will come down with the ball. Ultimately, it's the combination of the two players that makes them so dominant.
Not to mention, Gronk battled a hamstring injury that left him out of the first two games of the season entirely and the whole offense mostly stalled with unprepared third-string rookie Jacoby Brissett under center. Gronk is not the only player who has markedly improved with Brady back - No. 12 has made everyone better, as he always does.
The Bills just come off like sour grapes with these comments, and everyone sees that. Except, maybe, Bills fans. Not that you expect the enemy to be cheered on the road, but Gronk nonetheless thanked the Bills faithful for their hospitality on Sunday.
"You get 50 middle fingers from the people in the first three rows, so I definitely feel that," Gronk said after the game when asked if he can feel the hatred for the Patriots from the vaunted "Bills Mafia." That's to be expected, but the classless post-game response from his actual opponents on the field, after getting dusted for 41 points, was just a bad look for Buffalo.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
