Within the eyes of Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski, this yr’s staff is doing “spectacular,” even exceeding the expectations he set together with his “nice analyst abilities” within the preseason.
“They’re blowing it out of the water in comparison with what everybody had thought they have been going to be,” Gronkowski instructed reporters at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. “All of us knew that it was going to be an enormous enchancment.”
Gronkowski commented on this yr’s staff after the tight finish signed a ceremonial one-day contract so he may formally retire as a member of the Patriots. He’ll function the Keeper of the Gentle forward of the staff’s Week 11 Thursday Night time Soccer tilt versus the Jets.
Within the preseason, Gronkowski predicted the Patriots would make the playoffs as a wild card staff, ending second within the AFC East, behind Buffalo. New England sits at 8-2, coming off a signature win in its Week 10 matchup versus Tampa Bay, and is one and a half video games forward of the Payments.
“I feel they will be fallacious this yr,” Gronkowski mentioned of his analyst abilities. “We’re on monitor to win the division, knock on wooden, and on monitor to not simply get a wild card seed however to get seeding within the high 4, which makes it a particular yr right here.”
Gronkowski additionally recounted how he mentioned final yr that he thought Josh McDaniels would make match as offensive coordinator in New England. That got here earlier than McDaniels reunited with the Patriots final January underneath head coach Mike Vrabel for his third stint with the group.
McDaniels served as Gronkowski’s offensive coordinator, serving to coach the staff to 3 Tremendous Bowls with an offense led by quarterback Tom Brady.
“Each single week, they’re getting higher as a staff,” Gronkowski mentioned on Wednesday, “and they’re correcting their errors from the prior week. They’re discovering methods to have extra explosiveness on the offense. I might say that is because of Josh McDaniels.”
In 2024, the Patriots posted simply 291.9 yards per sport and 17.0 factors per sport, the second and third-worst marks within the league. This yr, these numbers are as much as 359.1 yards per sport and 26.5 factors per sport, each within the high 10.
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye is an enormous a part of that enchancment, Gronkowski mentioned.
The Fox Sports activities analyst interviewed Maye earlier than the staff’s Week 8 matchup versus Cleveland, and Gronkowski mentioned the quarterback’s solutions to his questions impressed him.
Maye has emerged as an MVP candidate, throwing for two,555 yards and 19 touchdowns, whereas posting sturdy quarterback rating, all of that are within the high 5 on the place.
“What I actually liked about him was his IQ and his intelligence for the sport of soccer,” Gronkowski mentioned of Maye, “once we have been simply speaking soccer, and I used to be asking him questions, and the best way he revered the blokes that have been earlier than him, too.”
“Clearly, you’re coming after Tom Brady, you’re at all times going to be in comparison with Tom Brady,” Gronkowski added, “however the best way he answered the questions confirmed his respect, but in addition knew that it’s his time and that he has acquired to do what he has acquired to do.”
