Rob Gronkowski has not played in full Gronk mode for most of what could be his final NFL season. But the Patriots will need their future Hall of Fame tight end to find his explosive receiving self at least one more time in Sunday's AFC championship game against the Chiefs in Kansas City.
Gronkowski made his mark in the divisional round as a strong run-blocker while the Chargers' strong, deep safety play held him to just one catch for 25 yards. But that was a different kind of matchup. The Chiefs have been a sieve in tight end coverage all season.
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Kansas City has given up 92 catches for 1,118 yards and 10 TDs to tight ends this year, playoffs included. In his past, Gronkowski could post similar numbers in a season by himself. In 14 games through the playoffs this season, he has posted 48 catches for 707 yards, and his three regular-season TDs tied his career low.
By normal standards, Gronk was still an effective pass-catching tight end. He flashed full Gronk, however, only three times. His biggest games came in Week 1 against the Texans (seven catches for 123 yards and one TD) and Week 14 against the Dolphins (eight catches for 107 yards and one TD). In between, in Week 6, he burned the Chiefs with three catches for 97 yards.
Gronkowski was quiet in that 43-40 New England victory over Kansas City until the fourth quarter. He was left wide open in a release off the line and stiff-armed safety Ron Parker downfield for a 42-yard gain to set up a Patriots field goal. He later torched safety Josh Shaw for a 39-yard play on the game-winning drive.
Shaw was cut not long after that game, and Parker was released just this week. Now at safety for Kansas City, Eric Berry is practicing in full and has a good chance to return to the lineup barring an injury setback. Daniel Sorensen, who also didn't play in the October meeting, will be in the lineup and will be asked to cover Gronkowski most. Jordan Lucas, who started in the October game and has been an active tackler filling in for Berry, will get his share of snaps.
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When the Chiefs blew out the favored Patriots to open the 2017 season, they contained Gronkowski with physical play, mostly early in his routes, from Berry and others. The tight end was held to only two catches for 33 yards on six targets. But that also was when the Patriots didn't have a healthy Julian Edelman to draw attention in the middle of the field. And on top of their struggles against tight ends this season, the Chiefs have a had difficult time stopping the run and covering backs.
That means Sony Michel, James White and Edelman figure to be busy, as the Patriots will again rely on the running and shorter passing game like they did against the Chargers.
The Chiefs are fortunate they don't have to worry about a downfield threat since Josh Gordon is no longer with the Patriots. Chris Hogan has been limited in that area, though his best game of the season (four catches, 78 yards) did come against Kansas City. But given all the underneath coverage concerns, the Chiefs need a game plan won't allow Gronk to beat them. In the crucial moments of the first meeting, they all but forgot about him and allowed him to run free.
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Another injury-riddled season is why the 29-year-old Gronkowski reportedly is thinking about retirement after the season. But he remains a matchup nightmare because he can still use his size, strength and route-running smarts to make up for what he has lost in speed and quickness.
The Patriots must take advantage of those big-play opportunities for him, because the matchups in this game are more favorable than those of any game this season.
