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New England Patriots: Rob Gronkowski has been a bright spot this season

By Nick Ziegler

FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 01: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots stands on the field before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 01: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots stands on the field before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /
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In what has been a poor season for the New England Patriots, one of the bright spots has been tight end Rob Gronkowski.

After an injury-plagued season in 2016, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was focused on having a great comeback season. As a great tight end, coming back from surgery is no given for an NFL player.

This offseason, it was clear that Gronkowski was healthy, as he even played in the preseason for the first time in a few years. As he tried to knock off some rust, playing in the preseason was a good sign that he was going to be 100 percent for the regular season.

After a tough first game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Gronkowski has been dominate. In the loss to Kansas City, Gronkowski totaled just two receptions and 33 receiving yards. After that, he has been the best tight end in football.

Against the New Orleans Saints, Gronkowski totaled six receptions, 116 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. In the win against the Texans, Gronkowski played well once again, as he totaled eight receptions, 89 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Last week against the Panthers, Gronkowski played well once again in the loss, as he totaled four receptions for 80 yards.

Through four games, Gronkowski is leading the Patriots in receiving yards and is second in receptions behind James White. Gronkowski is currently graded as the best tight end in the NFL, by Pro Football Focus, but it isn’t only because of his ability to catch the football.

As a blocker, Gronkowski is graded as a top 3 tight end in both run and pass blocking. For a Patriots team that has struggled to block this season, that is another important part of his game.

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Even though the Patriots have struggled this season, the strong season from Gronkowski has been a bright spot. If Gronkowski can stay healthy, he should be on pace for one of the best seasons of his career. However, the Patriots will need to play defense better if they are going to have success as a team.

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