Gronkowski Still Nursing Ankle Injury

Added on Jan 26, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

Patriots Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski will miss the team’s first practice leading up to Super Bowl XLVI due to the sprained left ankle he suffered against Baltimore in the AFC Championship. With eleven days remaining until kickoff, Gronkowski is hopeful his ailing ankle will be healed in time for him to play. The decision to keep him off the practice field is being viewed as precautionary to prevent any setbacks.

Gronkowski had his ankle pinned underneath him after being tackled by Ravens safety Bernard Pollard in the the second half of the AFC title tilt. He limped to the locker room, but returned minutes later, although he didn’t catch another pass the remainder of the game.

The second-year pro led all NFL tight ends with 1327 yards receiving and his 17 touchdowns topped all pass catchers, and set a league record for single-season touchdowns by a tight end. In his first two seasons, he has 27 scores. To put that in perspective, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has 27 touchdowns since 2007.

Gronkowski’s importance to the Patriots offense cannot be underestimated. Without a true speed wide receiver on the outside, he is the team’s best deep play threat. Few linebackers and safeties can cover him one-on-one due to his unique combination of size, strength and quickness.

Needless to say, having “Gronk” fully healthy will be vital against the Giants, whose defense has been exploited by tight ends throughout the regular season and playoffs, including Gronkowski’s eight catches for 101 yards and a score in New England’s Week 9 loss, and Vernon Davis’s three grabs for 112 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC Championship.

Gronkowski, New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham and to a lesser extent, Aaron Hernandez, are ushering in a new era of athletic tight ends capable of dominating on a weekly basis. Until defenses devise ways to contain these types of players, expect this trend to continue.

The Patriots are currently listed as 3-point favorites.

Source: NFL.com