Rob Gronkowski is back and is once again a matchup nightmare for the opposing defense. The Patriots tight end is tough and physical and continues to gain the trust of Tom Brady this season in just a few games back into action. In preparation for Sunday's matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is preparing extra hard to learn how to slow down the tight end.
In two games this year, Gronkowski has 141 yards off 10 catches. He immediately became the top wide receiver with his impressive ability to get up to speed quickly after missed a lot of football time with injuries. It is that type of play that has the Steelers extra focused on different types of coverages.
"You just have to get your hands on Gronk," defensive back Robert Golden said, via the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. "He's aggressive and you have to be aggressive with him. He's athletic. He gets better and better every time he plays. He's definitely not the player he was in college. But if you can get your hands on him, it can disrupt the timing and throw him off."
Gronkowski has dominated the Steelers in recent years. As a rookie he put up three touchdowns on five passes. A year later he had 94 yards on seven catches. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has yet to find a real scheme that can keep the tight end at bay during the game. Brady notes that his chemistry with Gronkowski could be the reason the tight end has been so successful recently.
"We've had pretty good chemistry since he got here," New England quarterback Tom Brady said. "It usually doesn't take too long with a guy like him. I think any quarterback could throw him the ball and look good. He's that kind of athlete. The kind of catches he makes in traffic, he's tough, he's physical, he's everything you look for.
"It's just more of getting him involved, getting back into shape and understanding what it takes to play a football season. That's part of the challenge of any player coming back when they've been off. The more he's in there, the better it seems like it's going for him."
Cortez Allen expects to get the call to cover the tight end on Sunday. Troy Polamalu understands that with Brady, any receiver is a true threat. Gronkowski has clearly seen just about every defensive scheme a coordinator can throw at him. The Steelers will have to be on their game to get to him.
