‘I’ve just got to do my job’: Rob Gronkowski explains his lack of red zone production
When you're 6' 6" and 265 pounds, the defense is going to do all they can to keep you covered.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is barely on New England’s scoresheet so far this season, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Gronk has had just one red-zone target in six weeks of the NFL season, and it was an incomplete pass from quarterback Tom Brady. But the glaring lack of ‘Gronk Spikes’ this season– there’s only been one so far, on a play of 21 yards– isn’t something that Gronkowski is frustrated by.
“It is what it is,” Gronkowski said. “First off, I’ve got to get open. I’ve got to get out there and run better routes and then I’ll start seeing more targets. Whatever play is called, we’re scoring points, we’re scoring down there.”
With the Patriots offense being as elite as it is this season, Brady has more than a few options to choose from when it comes to finding red-zone targets, including new Patriot Josh Gordon, rookie Sony Michel and veteran Julian Edelman. And the lack of red-zone action for Gronkowski isn’t entirely because of the Patriots offense: when you’re 6′ 6″, 265 pounds and as big of an offensive threat as Gronk, the defense is going to try all they can to keep you covered at all times.
With so many other talented receivers on the roster, Gronk believes that sharing the red-zone wealth will bode well for the Patriots in the long run.
“We’re just trying to work together as a unit and whoever gets the ball, we’re trying to do the best in our job to help him score,” Gronk said. “Whatever I have to do to help out the team, even if the ball’s not going my way, I’ve just got to do it and just keep grinding. If I keep playing ball, keep doing what I need to do, keep playing better, I might start receiving the targets. That’s what it comes down to so just got to get better and get open.”
Gronkowski’s plan to open up his red-zone production might come to fruition in the Patriots-Bears game on Sunday in Chicago, but if not, the tight end knows he has other roles to fulfill on the field.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t like running every single play,” Gronk said. “I don’t like running a route every play and I don’t like blocking every play. I like the balance and I love a balanced offense.
If the Gronk-Block becomes a reality, can fans expect to see more of his pass blocking this season?
“Yeah,” he said. “Why not?”
