We are still only five days away from the 17th
edition of the Brady-Manning Bowl with the chance to represent the AFC in Super
Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, February 7th. Today the talk revolved around
Rob Gronkowski and Denver Broncos’ defensive backs.
Bronco cornerback Chris Harris told Business Insider reporter Cork Gaines “you gotta hit him low, man –
hit him in the knees.”
That is one terrifying statement to fans across New England.
But it is not entirely untrue. The only way to tackle the Patriots tight end is
“to go low.” It should not come as much of a shock.
It is physically impossible for one defender to wrap up
Gronkowski. And even if said defensive back has help over the top; the second
defender may do more harm than good as John Brenkus in ESPN’s Sport
Science was demonstrated. While, in theory, having a second player come in
to help bring down the big man, he is actually helping Gronkowski as the
additional weight counter-balances the initial defender.
In actuality, the only way to bring down “The Gronk” is to
go low. However, it does not give defenses the right to attack the knees as
Harris mentioned. That is just a cheap-shot and unsportsmanlike although it probably
won’t result in the official through the yellow bean-bag for a 15-yard
unsportsmanlike penalty.
Pats fans will have another reason to sit on the edge of
their seats on Sunday afternoon. Watching and praying that every time Gronk goes down he gets back up in a reasonable amount of time. We all saw what happened on a nationally televised Sunday night game at the end of November 29th with Gronk down on the ground, writing in agony.
Although it turned out to be a "minor" deep bone bruise, Pats fans don't want re-live that experience or there will be a long line of people along the Tobin Sunday night.
Up Next: If the Brady-Manning Bowl were a Television Series
