Don’t Look For Much Gronk Pass Blocking
January 21st, 2022
Head coach talks Gronk.
Sunday’s game will not be a repeat of the Bucs’ first playoff game of the 2020 campaign.
That’s when Rob Gronkowski was kept on the line of scrimmage often to pass block against what was a ferocious Washington Football Team defensive line. Gronk had just one target that night.
It was no huge loss for the Bucs. Why? Because Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown were on the field, and Cameron Brate was effective. That trio combined for 11 catches, 208 yards and 2 touchdowns.
So on Sunday, will Gronk be a mighty blocker again? No chance, Bucco Bruce Arians effectively said this afternoon.
“Gronk’s very, very critical in the passing game to be sitting back there blocking too much,” Arians said.
Amen, Coach. The Bucs don’t have the luxury of keeping Gronk leashed and on the line of scrimmage.
This is no time to neuter Gronk. If Tristan Wirfs can’t go at right tackle, the Bucs can always keep a running back in to help Wirfs’ replacement just enough to let Tom Brady work magic with his quick release.
January 21st, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Well he has better get open in a hurry then or at least chip a guy first
January 21st, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Or, dare I say it, OJ Howard…
January 21st, 2022 at 2:25 pm
Smoke and mirrors..🤔
January 21st, 2022 at 2:26 pm
The goal line offense with that beastly full house backfield, keep him in, play action fake to Lenny…….Gronk releases……..touchdown!
January 21st, 2022 at 2:27 pm
Makes perfect sense to me. Gronk just makes big plays. Meanwhile, we all wait not so patiently for OJ to make a play. Use him for the playoffs then cut him.
January 21st, 2022 at 2:28 pm
It’s really fustrating, due to the fact that we supposedly have two other tight ends that could step in if Gronk is used primarily as a blocker, however, Brate is not what he once was and O.J. Howard just can’t play.
January 21st, 2022 at 2:29 pm
This game will be won by the team who makes the best in game adjustments.
January 21st, 2022 at 2:39 pm
This sounds like playoff spin by Arians. I also think he knew that Fournette wouldn’t be ready last week, he just wanted to throw a wrench into Phili’s game planning.
While Gronk is now the best Buc receiving option in the slot, he’s also going to be needed as a blocker if Wirfs isn’t effective. If Wirfs cannot play, the only way I see Gronk being used heavily as a receiving option is if the Bucs go with 6 man Offensive Line, even though that too cuts down on the flexibility of the Buc offense.
January 21st, 2022 at 2:43 pm
I know most people deslike OJ Howard, I get it…..But his blocking has improvesd sustancially…..
If he will be with us next year is a different story….
January 21st, 2022 at 2:44 pm
Lenny & Gio are damn good blockers aren’t they?
January 21st, 2022 at 2:45 pm
They are supposed to have weak safeties, slant him right across the middle,
January 21st, 2022 at 2:49 pm
Rams are very vulnerable to short passes over the middle. Guess what Brady’s favorite kind of pass is?
I think if we have Jensen at least, we carve up this overconfident Rams D.
January 21st, 2022 at 3:07 pm
Watch M1K3 dominate this game! Godzilla mike is back !
January 21st, 2022 at 3:08 pm
The Rams will also have challenges with pass protection and deep pass coverage: Taylor Rapp has been ruled out, leaving the Rams without their best 2 Safeties. Andrew Whitworth is also out at LT.
January 21st, 2022 at 3:17 pm
Rams starting left tackle is out. Huge! I’m getting more and more fired up as we get closer to kick off. I will be there loud as can be for the Bucs! Go Bucs! Time to get our vengeance!
January 21st, 2022 at 3:21 pm
Huge mistake. Gronk will be needed to stop the best pass rush in the NFL. Bucs need to run early and often straight at them. Gronk needs to be a part of that. If we play no biscuit risk it nonsense, this will be a blowout for the Rams
January 21st, 2022 at 3:31 pm
Whitworth out? Confirmed?
January 21st, 2022 at 3:32 pm
Why announce Gronk won’t be blocking? I don’t get it.
January 21st, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Rams just rolled out there left tackle .. LFG bucs
January 21st, 2022 at 3:52 pm
On Whitworth potentially being out – it didn’t seem to matter to the Rams much last year when his replacement (Noteboom) played against us. I don’t think Shaq and JPP did much even then.
January 21st, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Ramsey covering evans im
Assuming gronk gets double teamed .
Someone going to
Have to step up.
January 21st, 2022 at 3:58 pm
Rams left tackle is out, things are looking up for us
January 21st, 2022 at 4:04 pm
LFG!
January 21st, 2022 at 4:24 pm
Noteboom played well in Whitworth’s absence. I wish we could say the same about our backup RT.
January 21st, 2022 at 4:34 pm
A three down Lenny and Gronk are solid safety valves for TB12. I would prefer big gashes in the run game from Lenny and sneak. We are likely to see both. This team brought the run game and defense to a simmer this time last year as well.
January 21st, 2022 at 4:50 pm
Seriously doubt that the Rams believe anything that BA is saying. If they’re getting solid pressure on Brady & he goes down a couple of times, Gronk will be blocking his arse off. Without Brady, we’re toast.
Can see a LOT of short passing on Sunday … by both teams. A lot of running too. Doubt seriously that either team will set the world on fire with their rushing, but it is a good way to keep the opposing defense honest & to control the clock, to a degree. Of course, a high completion rate on short passes does essentially the same thing. And Brady hit on 80% of his short passes last time we played the Rams of I remember right.
January 21st, 2022 at 4:52 pm
Run the damn ball
January 21st, 2022 at 4:55 pm
I agree…..we can put Stinnie, Leverett…..Nacho……Warren Sapp….anyone on the line to help block…..we need the Rams to worry about someone other than Evans & that’s Gronk.
January 21st, 2022 at 4:56 pm
Everybody agrees, the right o line has to be shored up or Brady is in for a long and painful game. The obvious answer is Gronk. Now you see him now you don’t, but you won’t know when. He’s the lynch pin to the whole passing offence. Blocking and receiving.
January 21st, 2022 at 4:58 pm
It will be difficult to move the ball with consistency if guys like miller and johnson don’t step up. I can’t believe they only have those two other guys right now.
January 21st, 2022 at 5:16 pm
Brady is a tough mofo, but I’m expecting the Rams to do whatever they can to take him out of the game, even if it means swallowing a roughing the passer call or two. Phili is pretty awful at pressuring the QB, and yet they had 4 sacks, all because of the RT position becoming a turnstile.
What’s sad is that the Rams are very vulnerable at the Safety position. They could play a Corner 2 shell and still be vulnerable. Too bad Wirfs is hobbled and AB lost his freaking mind.
January 21st, 2022 at 5:22 pm
It’s confirmed, both whitworth and both starting safeties will be out for sunday’s game for the Rams. Need to take advantage of that.
January 21st, 2022 at 5:26 pm
Damn sure better stop Akers and Michel. On D it all starts there.
January 21st, 2022 at 6:32 pm
Rams starting tackle was out last time too.
Didn’t matter.
January 21st, 2022 at 8:18 pm
Add that to the list of stupid stuff BA has said all year. The reality is he has no idea what he’s talking about. He doesn’t call plays, and they aren’t even plays from his offense. Do you honestly think he has any impact on the game whatsoever? That being said, of course Brady wants gronk out in the pattern, but the game may dictate different. Ben will remind y’all that it was gronks blocking and not his pass catching that allowed Brady to defeat this Rams front in the superbowl. Oh right, you hated Brady then, and called him a cheater. This front is even more fierce than the one Brady beat. BTW Bill’s defense won that title.
January 21st, 2022 at 9:07 pm
Well if he is “sustancially” better put him in because that has to be better than substantially better…
January 21st, 2022 at 9:18 pm
Man, their are some real fans who know something about football here. Their comments usually have something to do with Joe’s subject.
Then there are couple of fake fan who like to spout off and pretend to be Buccaneer fans. Pay them no mind.
Wirfs or Wells? It is going to be important who helps either of them with blocking in this game. That is not the only thing that will determine how we win this one, however!
Go Bucs!
January 21st, 2022 at 11:32 pm
OJ has been kept in blocking, mainly, when he’s been out there, and he’s mostly done a good job, certainly better than Brate. I’m not sure why OJ isn’t running routes and playing so little, they keep saying he’s healthy and looks good when he plays, but they rarely play him, seems obvious he’s not healthy or when he healed he’s only 75% of what he was before the injury.
But really, it’s not going to matter if the RT play is as awful as it was last Sunday. They need Wirfs bigly if they’re going to win this game, it’s going to be damn near impossible to win without him.
January 22nd, 2022 at 1:19 am
The offence will do what Brady wants. Arians is a tool. You know he has been watching fiilm all week.
January 22nd, 2022 at 2:27 am
Haha.. BA babble on the offensive strategy.
Gronk will do both. Hes mr. Everything. But his best move is hiding as a blocker then releasing as a check down for brady.. which he will need in this game with that pass rush.
Von Miller is scary for brady since he was crazy good at Denver and beat him in the playoffs before. We shall see.
January 22nd, 2022 at 2:49 am
I would expect Gronk to come off blocks, not sit on the line the whole time, but to say he’s not more valuable protecting Tom Brady is ludicrous. Without Brady, we’re finished. It’s not like Brate isn’t a great pass catching TE that we would be handicapped with Gronk spending more time on the line.
Brady was not comfortable in the pocket with a healthy starting 5 OL in week 3, it’s not going to be any easier with a banged up OL and possible backups.
The only kryptonite against Brady is to collapse his pocket early.
January 22nd, 2022 at 7:19 am
With Donald, Floyd, and Von Miller rushing the QB, I think it will be important
for Rb’s or even an H back to be a big part of the protection package for Brady.
An H back could also help in the run blocking scheme with the possible loss of
Wirfs. As for TE’s Cam is reliable but doesn’t seem to be a downfield threat anymore. OJ can be a downfield threat , but has to prove he is reliable for
Brady to trust him.
January 22nd, 2022 at 9:53 am
He’s lying… If wirfs can’t go gronk will be 60/40 blocking catching … He’s just trying to throw off the other team