Gronk has broken arm according to NFL Network

[ItIsWhatItIs]

Yup and I am sure Gronk can play with a cast...

Depends on how high up on his forearm he broke it. If it was near his wrist, there is no way he can play with a cast. He'd have his wrist in the cast as well. However, if it is up near the elbow, he could wear an Aircast and try to play with it.

It all depends on where the Patriots stand. In all likelihood, by mid-December the Patriots will have sewn up the AFC East, but also will be out of contention for a bye. Houston is two games up and the Ravens are half a game up. The Pats have four tough games in a row, traveling to the Jets and Dolphins, then hosting the Texans and Niners. Even if they go 2-2 there, most likely Denver and/or Baltimore will have leapfrogged them.

If the Pats have indeed locked up the division but are out of the race for a bye, it's best to just rest him until he feels 100%. I know there will be some rust, but he can still train with the forearm injury. He'll have his legs under him and it will just be getting timing with Brady. That is admittedly very important, but to some extent it's like riding a bicycle with these guys - Brady knows how to get Gronk the ball where he likes it.

[hendersonsplow]

The last touchdown was a fluke due to Edelmans run but before that a 3 TD lead with most of the 4th quarter with this D is not always safe.

Sad but unfortunately, probably true.


I heard Dungy and some others say they didn't pull starters on PAT attempts during a blowout.
This isn't a Belichick thing of not pulling his starters. If Brady got heard dropping back then sure but the fact is the Pats were running the ball, killing the clock and Gronk was on the sidelines.

Teams have a couple emergency backups for PATs but coaches, in general not just Belichick, view it as a low risk play and leave that personnel grouping in tact even in blowouts.


edit: FYI, I think you meant Baltimore (8-2, beat NE) is 1 1/2 up on NE (7-3). Patriots probably need to win out for a shot at a bye.

[tyke1doe]

It was broken on a PAT attempt...fluke injury. Could've happened early in the game or at the end. It's kinda silly calling out the coach for that. If he broke it diving for a garbage TD when they already had the game won then I can see the outrage.

^ This ^

[Hyped]

It all depends on where the Patriots stand. In all likelihood, by mid-December the Patriots will have sewn up the AFC East, but also will be out of contention for a bye. Houston is two games up and the Ravens are half a game up. The Pats have four tough games in a row, traveling to the Jets and Dolphins, then hosting the Texans and Niners. Even if they go 2-2 there, most likely Denver and/or Baltimore will have leapfrogged them.

If the Pats have indeed locked up the division but are out of the race for a bye, it's best to just rest him until he feels 100%.

If the Pats win the next two games...the division is locked up. We won't have to play a meaningful game until Wildcard weekend...likely against one of Pittsburgh/Cincinnati/Indianapolis. It is still important that the Pats maintain that #3 seed though...because it avoids a match up with the Steelers who likely are locked in at #5. I'd like the Steelers to go to Denver while we host Cincinnati/Indy...and then go to Baltimore for round 2.

[Jim in NYC]

Vrabel had the same injury and was back in 3 weeks.

I don't remember Brady tossing 7-8 passes in Vrabel's direction every game.

[excalibur]

In a 35 point game no less... Thanks Belichick!

/Bitter fantasy owner

Why was Brady on the field with less than 5 minutes remaining and throwing the ball no less? Stat padding, same as the Saints do with Brees. Hasn't caught up to them, yet.

[hendersonsplow]

Aaron Schatz of football outsiders (and Pats fan)

If you are on the extra point team, you are on the extra point team, period, and a lot of top tight ends (like Jimmy Graham and Jason Witten) are on the extra point team. As for "running up the score," the Patriots are no different from any other team. Leaving in your starters that late may not be wise, but it is neither abnormal nor evil.

Tom Brady threw his final pass with 5:32 left in the game, hitting Wes Welker for a first down at the Indianapolis 12-yard line. At that point, the Patriots led the game 52-24.

Speaking as a Patriots fan, I personally think this is a great time to give Ryan Mallett some valuable NFL experience. Bill Belichick disagrees. But is he the only coach who would dare risk his quarterback's health just so he could "run up the score" that late in the game, with such a big lead? Or is he just the only coach who gets criticized for such things?
In Week 4, John Fox still had Peyton Manning on the field in the fourth quarter with a 28-point lead, and Manning was still throwing from a shotgun set with 5:58 left in the game.

In Week 6, Mike McCarthy still had Aaron Rodgers on the field in the fourth quarter with a 25-point lead, and Rodgers was still throwing from a shotgun set with 5:39 left in the game.

In Week 10, Pete Carroll still had Russell Wilson on the field in the fourth quarter with a 21-point lead. That's smaller than the 28-point lead the Patriots had, but Wilson was still in the game in the last two minutes, in the shotgun and passing the ball on fourth-and-3.

Just yesterday, both Drew Brees and Robert Griffin were still in the game late in the fourth quarter. Brees was still passing the ball with a 28-point lead and six minutes left. Griffin was still passing the ball with a 25-point lead and five minutes left

[PatsFan2003]

In response...

On Boston's WEEI radio, Belichick said: "Football players play football. You tell me which guys are going to get hurt and I'll get them out of there."