Gronk 'Played a Great Game' Firing Up Patriots' 27-13 Win Over the Jets, Brady Says

Posted by: Gronkowski

The Patriots road trip to MetLife Stadium on Sunday wasn’t always pretty, but is it ever?

Depsite the score getting a too close for comfort at times, the Pats pulled off a 27-13 win over the Jets as Gronk silenced his critics in New York with a formidable 34-yard touchdown to get New England on the board in the first quarter.

“We wanted to score. We wanted to answer back,” Gronk told reporters after logging 31 consecutive snaps to open the game. “It felt good overall, and we got the win, so it was a good day.”

Throughout the afternoon, Gronk caught three of seven targets for 56 yards and a touchdown despite guzzling on oxygen from time to time.

“I’ve been putting the work in the last couple weeks, or whatever it was, to get back, and now I just feel like I can keep on improving week in and week out and do what I got to do with the team,” Rob went on to say.

Brady for one was definitely impressed, saying in the post-game presser: “We got that pass interference call against us and Gronk did a great job running up the field. I saw him get by the middle linebacker and I saw the corner squeeze in and I threw it. I didn’t really see the end of the play. I heard the cheering. I was sure if [the Jets] intercepted it or if we made the play. 

“I was so happy Gronk made it. What a great play for him. He’s a great player for us,” he said, explaining that was a pass that he’d only trust Gronk to catch. “I think those are certain ones where Gronk is probably the only tight end in the league that can make that play. He played a great game.”

TB12 was struggling with his own minor health issues this week and now has a cut thumb to boot, aassuring everyone: “It’s fine. It’s just a little scrape.” (Panic over, please resume to your normal activities!).

Brady’s other TD of the day went to Julian Edelman, and the G.O.A.T. ended the day completing 20 of 31 passes for 283 yards. One of the many heroes in East Rutherford wearing red, white and blue was Sony Miche, who had yet another impressive day despite getting battered and twisted by the boys in green. The rookie running back’s 133 rushing yards were the most by a Patriots player since Jonas Gray totaled 201 in the 2014 season.

“Coach kind of gave us a challenge this week, on being able to run the football – consistently,” Michel said, according to ESPN. “Any time you can run the ball like we did, it helps a lot of things. You have to play the run, play-action [passes], and we had some chunks [of big plays],” Brady added.

An efficient running game is an essential weapon as winter sets in the temperatures plummet both in New England and in Pittsburgh, where the Pats head for their annual thriller in three weeks. Later Sunday afternoon, the Broncos did the Pats a favor by taking down the Steelers in Denver. 

Now at 8-3, the Pats are biting at the heels of the Chiefs (9-2) with the Steelers (7-3-1) and Texans (7-3) both trailing behind. Next up, the Vikings visit Gillette, before the Pats head south to Miami to avenge their "Monday Night Football" disaster from last year.

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