Gronkowski NOT READY FOR WEEK 1?

[MidnightVoice]

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/9582280/rob-gronkowski-new-england-patriots-unlikely-back-week-1

It is "not realistic" to expect New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who underwent offseason back and forearm surgery, to be ready to play in the team's regular-season opener against the Bills in Buffalo, sources familiar with the situation said Monday.

"It's a huge stretch to think he could play against the Bills," the source said.

Potential very good news!!! :D

[Meathead]

hernandez will be able to execute

[Turf]

We really have no excuse to lose this game to them. I declare ambush time.

[mightysimi]

hernandez will be able to execute

Haha brilliant! I'm helping a buddy chirp Pats fans on PFT and had to steal that line :up:

[OpIv37]

There has been speculation about this for a while.

I bet he plays though- the Patriots have had too much bad luck lately when usually all they have is good luck.

[OpIv37]

We really have no excuse to lose this game to them. I declare ambush time.

Yeah we do.

They still have Brady and Bellicheck. They still have a ton of talented players.

We have new systems on both sides of the ball and either a rookie QB or Kevin Fitzkolb throwing to Stevie and 4 guys with one year of experience between the 4 of them.

[GingerP]

I don't think this is a surprise. He had back surgery in mid-June, and that is a 12-week recovery. He will be out until week 4.

[GingerP]

Yeah we do.

They still have Brady and Bellicheck. They still have a ton of talented players.

I read today that Jake Ballard is playing as the In-line TE and UDFA Zach Sudfield is the 2nd TE and will be used more in the passing game. Those guys may end up being OK, but you have to admit that is a big downgrade from Gronkowski & Hernandez.

[OpIv37]

If he really is out until week 4, this is the most vulnerable the Pats have been since, well, probably since 2000.

Of course, we're in the first year of a rebuild, the Jets are a disaster, and the Dolphins could go either way. So the Pats will probably still luck into the div title with a 9-7 record.

[OpIv37]

I read today that Jake Ballard is playing as the In-line TE and UDFA Zach Sudfield is the 2nd TE and will be used more in the passing game. Those guys may end up being OK, but you have to admit that is a big downgrade from Gronkowski & Hernandez.
Definitely a downgrade but we've been here before when Brady got hurt, when various players left via FA, when they had so many DB's hurt that they had to convert WR's mid-season, etc. I'll believe it'll hurt them when I see it happen.

[better days]

There has been speculation about this for a while.

I bet he plays though- the Patriots have had too much bad luck lately when usually all they have is good luck.

Signing Tebow really made the Prince of insufficient light angry & now the Devil is ready to collect his due.

[better days]

I will bet Gronk goes on PUP & will not play until the 7th game at the earliest.

[MTBillsFan]

No, remember the Bruschi game? It was a Sunday night game and ESPN kept playing up that he was a hero. Expect something similar to that.

[BillsFever21]

It's only preseason but he's still been looking pretty damn good with everyone out. He has about what 3 or 4 incomplete passes in two games? Plus him and Amendola has looked pretty good together so far.

[OpIv37]

No, remember the Bruschi game? It was a Sunday night game and ESPN kept playing up that he was a hero. Expect something similar to that.
Ugh. One of the worst games in history. The Bills actually kept it close but ESPN wouldn't stfu about Bruschi. When he wasn't making any plays, they actually invented a stat called "hits" and showed every time Bruschi made contact with another player, even if it was just shedding a block or trying to jam a WR. Then they were showing Brushci's wife and telling the story about the number of doctors he saw for the FOURTH time when Holcomb threw an INT that ended the Bills chances. It was a travesty of a broadcast.

[better days]

It's only preseason but he's still been looking pretty damn good with everyone out. He has about what 3 or 4 incomplete passes in two games? Plus him and Amendola has looked pretty good together so far.

Brady has looked good with Amendola against the Bucs, but the Bucs played a vanilla defense & without Revis at CB.

It will be interesting to see how they do against a PRESSURE Bills defense week one.

[coastal]

Patriots are going to have a solid D.

[Frenchman]

Yeah but the TEs that were so good for the team, the Pats need to come up with finding a TE and fast!

[better days]

Patriots are going to have a solid D.

As long as Belicheat is the HC the Pats* will always have a solid Defense.

But the armor is showing signs of serious cracks on that team. They are no longer invincible, even with the CHEATING, which I am sure has not dissipated.

[GingerP]

I will bet Gronk goes on PUP & will not play until the 7th game at the earliest.

I doubt it. He is too valuable a player and he will be ready before that. A guy that good they will keep on the roster if he can play earlier, and he will likely be ready sometime around week 3/4.

Same thing with Jason Pierre-Paul, who had the same back surgery. He is too good for the Giants to PUP, so they will carry him until he is ready.

[GingerP]

But the armor is showing signs of serious cracks on that team.

People have been saying this for so long, I laugh whenever I hear it. Every time people think they are vulnerable they go out and win 12 games.

[Thief]

Yeah, you don't put a game changer on your PUP so he misses 2-3 extra games so you can keep a guy named Jake Strogenhouseburger available for 6.

[ServoBillieves]

Yeah, you don't put a game changer on your PUP so he misses 2-3 extra games so you can keep a guy named Jake Strogenhouseburger available for 6.

Or some ridiculous name like Michael Hoomanawanui... who the hell would actually have a name like that am I right?! Right?! What a made up... oh wait he's real?

[better days]

People have been saying this for so long, I laugh whenever I hear it. Every time people think they are vulnerable they go out and win 12 games.

They may win 12 games this year as well, along with the AFC East.

But it is not a given they will do so this year. I think there is a very real chance every team in the division splits games with them this year.

[jamze132]

Brady has looked good with Amendola against the Bucs, but the Bucs played a vanilla defense & without Revis at CB.

It will be interesting to see how they do against a PRESSURE Bills defense week one.

So expect us to show something similar to what the Bucs did because we have this Ron Brooks clown as the Nickle. It's going to be open all day.

I swaer to god, he's doing his best Chris Watson impersonation.

[better days]

So expect us to show something similar to what the Bucs did because we have this Ron Brooks clown as the Nickle. It's going to be open all day.

I swaer to god, he's doing his best Chris Watson impersonation.

Maybe you did not hear, but Wanny is now coaching the Bucs special teams.

He is no longer the Bills DC. The Bills will show NOTHING like the cover 2 the Bucs played against the Pats*.

[GingerP]

Or some ridiculous name like Michael Hoomanawanui... who the hell would actually have a name like that am I right?! Right?! What a made up... oh wait he's real?

I could see him getting cut. Daniel Fells could be in trouble as well. They have Gronk, and are probably going to carry him if he can play at any point in the first 6 games (too good to PUP if there is a chance he plays). Jake Ballard ($555K salary) And Zach Sudfield ($405K salary) having been playing the most with Brady in their first 2 preseason games.

That leaves Hoomanawanui ($1.323M salary) and Fells ($1.25M salary) as the next options. Those guys are pretty expensive for 3rd/4th TE's, and they could be cut to save room. In the Pats last game they played James Develin ($480K salary) at FB/H-back ahead of Hoomanawanui & Fells. They might just want to look at him, but more likely they see him as a cheaper option if he can fill the role. It would not be surprising to me if both Hoomanawanui & Fells were cut.

I'm not a big believer that preseason is indicative of what kind of success a team will have during the season, I think there is near zero correlation. That said, you can see trends based on who is playing and what they are doing. What is apparent from watching the Pats so far is that outside of Brady and their OL (which is very good), they are going to be near unrecognizable. They have a bunch of young, unproven players that will be playing key roles for them. It will be interesting to see what they look like at the opener.