The tale of two Giants

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) avoids Cleveland Browns free safety Jordan Poyer (33) on a pass reception in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard) ORG XMIT: OHMD
By Sam Gordon 11/3/16
In the national football league, there are 31 other defensive coordinators, and none of them are sleeping. Why? Because they are trying to decipher any way to cover the weapons the Patriots have. The Patriots have three slot receivers that could be starting for any other team and boasts one of the league’s best running games. But, one thing that could be the best aspect of the 2016 Patriots offense. The Patriots two monstrous tight ends.
Through four games this year the two men have twenty seven catches for 434 yards and four touchdowns. It’s difficult to cover one in Gronkowski, but two of the best tight ends the NFL has to offer seems to be unfair.
Take a look at one of Bennett’s three touchdown catches from last week’s game against the Browns.
The Patriots lined up in a four wide receiver set with Hogan, Edelman, and Bennett on the left side while Gronk was on the right side outside the numbers by his lonesome.
The Brown’s best cornerback Joe Haden is lined up against Edelman, and Chris Hogan is lined against safety Jamar Taylor. That leaves Gronkowski to be double covered by safeties Ibraheim Campbell and Jordan Poyer. This only allows the Browns to single cover Bennett with linebacker Christian Kirksey which is a clear mismatch. Brady takes advantage of this and feeds it to Bennett for the touchdown.
Everyone who has been watching New England football knows what Rob Gronkowski has done here over the years but what about Bennett?
Bennett was high draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys and started six of the fourteen games he played in his rookie year.
After three years with the Cowboys, Bennett signed with the New York Giants and started all sixteen games for the first time in his career catching fifty five passes for 626 yards and five touchdowns, undoubtedly the best year of his career.
After a one year stint with the Giants, Bennett was signed by the Chicago Bears and spent three years with the team totaling 208 catches and 2,114 yards and fourteen touchdowns earning himself a Pro Bowl appearance in 2014.
Now with the Patriots, Bennett is only 125 yards away from tying his season high in yardage last year of 439.
There is no doubt that Bennett has the talent to be a big playmaker on his own, but with one of the other best tight ends in the league Gronkowski, chemistry is important between the two.
Gronkowski told weei.com how much Bennett has impacted the team on and off the field and how he couldn’t wait to get on the field with his new teammate
“He’s a great player, great dude and a great teammate to have out there,” Gronkowski said. “You learn a lot from a guy who has about nine years in the league. We’ve been waiting for this moment since we got together to both get out on the field both healthy. It’s great working with each other, and we just have to keep improving every week and keep helping each other out.”
Bennett also voiced praised toward his fellow tight end as well as how excited he was that Gronkowski was slowly becoming 100%.
“I love playing with Gronk,” said Bennett. “I’m very excited for him. It’s pretty dynamic with both of us out there today and he played very well. I expect him to continue to play like that. That’s what Gronk is. That’s what Gronk does. That’s why he’s the Gronkinator.”
Bennett also came up with a cool name for the dynamic duo, giving the two of them nicknames from one of the most notable Buddy Cop Franchises “Lethal Weapon.” Roger Murtaugh and Martin Riggs.
Martellus Bennett posted this picture with the caption “Roger Murtaugh & Martin Riggs.”
The New England Patriots (7-1) are definitely going to need more stellar play from their two biggest weapons coming up in their next matchup against the Seattle Seahawks (4-2-1) Sunday November 13th at 8:30 P.M.