How do you cover Gronk?

[Bengalstripes9]

(09-22-2015, 02:21 PM)J24 Wrote: Hit Brady hard and often.

(09-22-2015, 03:42 PM)jason Wrote: ^^^^  This  is your best bet to slow Gronk...  All of this "Hall and Iloka combo with a LB kinda watching him" isn't going to work.

You're right, the best bet is to get in Brady's face, and somehow prevent him from being able to look downfield and find his man. But you can't just all out blitz and leave him wide open. You need to attempt to cover him. Confuse Brady with different looks in the pass rush and in coverage, don't let him look downfield by getting in his face, and if he can look downfield, have good coverage.

(09-22-2015, 02:26 PM)bfine32 Wrote: The popular answer in nobody, but I went with George Iloka. He's 6'4" 225 with corner cover skills. Let George cover him only after whoever we have lined up at SAM knock the shit out of him every play within the first 5 yards.

If folks remember we were pretty much the team that started RGIII's downfall.

I like this response. It's easier said than done though. The guy is huge. If you have the power to knock him off stride within 5 yards that probably draws a flag for unneccessary roughness (even though it's kind of necessary). But if we could combine a good rush with disrupting Gronk at the line and sticking with him down field, at least we have a chance.

I'm curious about the RGIII downfall comment though. I remember we lit him up a couple years ago. I forget if we injured him or not. I'm guessing your implication was that we're good enough to shut Brady and Gronk down. I think we can, but maybe not in New England. I'm really hoping we get home-field advantage in this scenario so there's a level playing field.