Morning sports update: Mike Lombardi said Rob Gronkowski is ‘not right’
"He's not separating from anybody."
The Celtics gave the Bucks their first loss of the season on Thursday night at TD Garden, triumphing 117-113. Boston set a team record for most three-pointers in a game, with 24.
Elsewhere, the Bruins head to Nashville to face the Predators on Saturday, and the Patriots welcome the Packers on Sunday night.
Rob Gronkowski is “not right,” according to a former Patriots executive: Gronkowski wasn’t seen at Patriots practice Thursday, which potentially is an indication that he’s still dealing with an injury. But even before then, a former team assistant had a blunt assessment.
Mike Lombardi, the former Browns general manager who worked with the Patriots as an “assistant to the coaching staff” from 2014-2016, sounded off on Gronkowski in a recent episode of his podcast, “GM Street.”
“And look, I’ve said it on the podcast before: You can watch the tape, study the tape, I think Gronk’s a great player,” Lombardi said. “I’ve always thought Gronk’s a great player. I think Gronk is a Hall of Fame player, but he’s not right. He doesn’t look like the same player right now. He’s always catching the ball in a crowd. He’s not separating from anybody. He’s a huge target, don’t get me wrong, and he makes some unbelievable catches, but in terms of just being open, it’s not easy for him right now. Whether it’s his back, whether it’s his lower body right now, I don’t know. But I’ll just say that again. You could see it last night; it was fairly clear.”
Gronkowski — normally one of Tom Brady’s favorite options — hasn’t been targeted 10 or more times in a single game so far in this season.
More from Boston.com:
- Here’s what makes calling a game in Foxborough special, according to NBC’s Sunday Night Football crew
- 10 decisions that helped lead the Red Sox to another World Series win
- Red Sox bring victory celebration to Celtics game
- Puerto Rico-bound this weekend, Alex Cora looks forward to celebrating with friends and family
- Steve Pearce carried on the tradition of shaving his playoff beard for charity
- Here’s what Alex Cora had to say about getting hit with a beer during the Red Sox parade
- The Red Sox say they haven’t discussed or made a decision on a White House visit
- This high schooler came to the Red Sox parade to see Andrew Benintendi. Instead, she took a beer to the face.
Paul Zimmerman, “Dr. Z,” changed how the NFL was covered
: Longtime NFL journalist Paul Zimmerman died Thursday at the age of 86. Known by generations of Sports Illustrated readers as “Dr. Z,” his coverage and intense style forever altered football analysis. [The Boston Globe]
Looking back on a particular moment of Belichick’s genius: On a Monday night in 2003, the Patriots elected to snap the ball through their own end zone for an intentional safety. Yet instead of it being a peculiar, ruinous moment, the move led directly to an improbable, ingenious comeback. Jeff Howe of The Athletic revisited an all-time Belichick moment 15 years later.
Keeping an eye on the Packers’s defense: While much of the focus ahead of the Patriots-Packers game is rightfully on Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, New England will still have to deal with Green Bay’s defense. That’s a prospect that presents a few difficulties. [The Athletic]
Brian Flores spoke about a returning Patriots rookie: Duke Dawson has yet to make his regular season debut for the Patriots after being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft. That could change soon, as the New England rookie — on injured reserve since the start of the season — is expected to make his return soon. Defensive coach Brian Flores offered some insight into what Dawkins could bring. [Patriots Wire]
Daily highlight: The Celtics’ win over the Bucks produced several quality moments, but this one stood out:
https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1058187914180526080
