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- iHaveNet.com: NFL Football
Seahawks' Lane Runs Mouth on Rob Gronkowski
Steve Rudman (SportsPress NorthWest)
Despite what nickel corner Jeremy Lane says, the Seahawks face a formidable task in trying to slow down New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, a three-time All-Pro.
In a week dominated by Deflategate and Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch's on-going cash drain for crotch-grabbing and non-talking, Seattle nickel cornerback Jeremy Lane, in a burst of Emerald City swagger, contributed a headline of his own that appeared on all major sports web sites. It said, "Seahawks' Lane: Gronkowski not that good." A fourth-year pro out of Northwest State (LA.), Lane apparently possesses knowledge no one else does.
Gronkowski entered the NFL in 2010 as a second-round pick out of Arizona and has three Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro designations in his portfolio. He's scored 54 touchdowns in five seasons, a span in which no other tight end targeted fewer than 500 times has scored more than 40 (Antonio Gates). Gronkowski's 14.22 yards per reception over the same stretch is also No. 1. Comparison: Future Hall of Famer Jason Witten of the Cowboys is at 10.80.
This season, Gronkowski caught 82 balls for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Simultaneously, the Seahawks employed four tight ends. Zach Miler, Cooper Helfet, Luke Willson and Tony Moeaki combined for 48 catches for 757 yards and six TDs.
Not persuaded by such evidence, Lane delivered the first provocation for Super Bowl XLIX when a trap door opened on his forehead and a little wild cuckoo sprang out and said of Gronkowski:
"I actually don't think he's that good. He's OK. He does have a big body. But from what I've seen on tape, he doesn't like you putting your hands on him. So if we put our hands on him and shake him up a little bit, he won't catch that many balls."
Gronkowski didn't bite, taking the high road when asked what he thought of Lane's tongue-wagging.
"Everyone's entitled to their own opinion," Gronkowski said. "It is what it is. They've got a great defense overall. We've got to be worried about their whole defense. We've got to be sure we practice hard, prepare hard all week so we're ready to roll."
Gronkowski has been rolling since he joined the Patriots. In the modern history of the NFL (since 1960), the following are the only tight ends to catch at least 60 passes, produce 1,000 or more yards and score at least 10 touchdowns in a season. Before he opines again, Jeremy Lane should be clued in that Gronkowski is the only TE to do this twice, and that he's already had two seasons that top the best year ever by Kellen Winslow, a Hall of Famer:
Year | Player | Team | Rec. | Yards | Y/R | TDs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL | ||||||
2011 | Rob Gronkowski | New England Patriots | 90 | 1327 | 14.74 | 17 |
1983 | Todd Christensen | Oakland Raiders | 92 | 1247 | 13.55 | 12 |
2014 | Rob Gronkowski | New England Patriots | 82 | 1124 | 13.71 | 12 |
2011 | Jimmy Graham | New Orleans Saints | 99 | 1310 | 13.23 | 11 |
1965 | Pete Retzlaff | Philadelphia Eagles | 66 | 1190 | 18.03 | 10 |
1981 | Kellen Winslow | San Diego Chargers | 88 | 1075 | 12.22 | 10 |
1996 | Shannon Sharpe | Denver Broncos | 80 | 1062 | 13.28 | 10 |
2005 | Antonio Gates | San Diego Chargers | 89 | 1101 | 12.37 | 10 |
2008 | Tony Gonzalez | Kansas City Chiefs | 96 | 1058 | 11.02 | 10 |
2009 | Dallas Clark | Indianapolis Colts | 100 | 1106 | 11.06 | 10 |
The Patriots often line up Gronkowski in the slot, which means Lane could be isolated against him on occasion. New England will take -- and love -- that matchup: Gronkowski is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, Lane 6-0 and 190.
"I'm good no matter who's lined up there," Lane bloviated. "But (the Patriots) try to do things like line a bunch of ineligible guys out there to get you confused. We have a plan for it."
Specifically, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a plan for it, but is far more respectful of Gronkowski than Lane.
"He's a terrific tight end," said Quinn. "I think he's a unique guy in the run game, the pass game, and with his catching radius. I think at the end of it, he just has great hands to finish routes. So when he's up in the air, generally he's strong-handed enough to come down with it. So those are a few things that impress us about him and why we regard him so highly."
Quinn's Seahawks sport the No. 1-ranked defense and this year led in fewest points and yards allowed for the second season in a row. But if they are vulnerable anywhere, it's stopping tight ends -- not a comforting thought with Gronkowski due up next at University of Phoenix Stadium a week from Sunday.
The Seahawks allowed 17 touchdown passes this season, one more than they permitted in 2013. Of the 17, 11 were tallied by tight ends, including three by Antonio Gates in a 30-21 Week 2 loss at San Diego.
Four other teams allowed as many or more scoring catches by tight ends, but no club allowed a higher percentage of TD passes to tight ends than the Seahawks. The number isn't even close (TDs=total touchdown passes allowed; TEs=TDs by opponent tight ends):
Team | TDs | TEs | Pct. | Skinny |
---|---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL | ||||
Seahawks | 17 | 11 | 64.7 | Antonio Gates 3 TDs in 30-21 loss to SD |
Cowboys | 22 | 10 | 45.4 | Vernon Davis (SF) 2, Jimmy Graham (NO) 2 |
Jets | 31 | 14 | 45.1 | Allowed two TE TDs in a game five times |
Titans | 28 | 11 | 39.2 | Colts TEs tallied 3 times in Week 17 win |
Bears | 34 | 13 | 38.2 | Gronkowski (NE) 3 TDs in 51-23 win Week 8 |
Colts | 27 | 10 | 37.0 | Julius Thomas (Den) 3 TDs in Week 1 |
Steelers | 30 | 11 | 36.7 | Owen Daniels (Bal) 2 TDs in Week 2 |
Giants | 25 | 9 | 36.0 | Allowed two TE TDs in Weeks 6, 7 and 9 |
LB Bobby Wagner was a rookie in 2012 when the Seahawks last had to deal with Gronkowski, who had six catches on eight targets for 61 yards and no touchdowns in a 24-23 loss at CenturyLink Field. Wagner's assessment:
"The Patriots definitely present a deep threat. Julian Edelman does a good job, especially on third down, getting open, getting the first downs and stuff like that. I think you definitely have to pay a lot of attention to Gronk (Gronkowski). He opens those guys up, because everybody pays so much attention to him. But I feel like we have the athletes to match up very well with them."
Obviously, so does Jeremy Lane. But from now until the Super Bowl kickoff, he is advised to keep his wild cuckoo in mute mode.
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Super Bowl History
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Super Bowl I
Packers 35 Chiefs 10 -
Super Bowl II
Packers 33 Raiders 14 -
Super Bowl III
Jets 16 Colts 7 -
Super Bowl IV
Chiefs 23 Vikings 7 -
Super Bowl V
Colts 16 Cowboys 13 -
Super Bowl VI
Cowboys 24 Dolphins 3 -
Super Bowl VII
Dolphins 14 Redskins 7 -
Super Bowl VIII
Dolphins 24 Vikings 7 -
Super Bowl IX
Steelers 16 Vikings 6 -
Super Bowl X
Steelers 21 Cowboys 17 -
Super Bowl XI
Raiders 32 Vikings 14 -
Super Bowl XII
Cowboys 27 Broncos 10 -
Super Bowl XIII
Steelers 35 Cowboys 31 -
Super Bowl XIV
Steelers 31 Rams 19 -
Super Bowl XV
Raiders 27 Eagles 10 -
Super Bowl XVI
49ers 26 Bengals 21 -
Super Bowl XVII
Redskins 27 Dolphins 17 -
Super Bowl XVIII
Raiders 38 Redskins 9 -
Super Bowl XIX
49ers 38 Dolphins 16 -
Super Bowl XX
Bears 46 Patriots 10 -
Super Bowl XXI
Giants 40 Broncos 20 -
Super Bowl XXII
Redskins 42 Broncos 10 -
Super Bowl XXIII
49ers 20 Bengals 16 -
Super Bowl XXIV
49ers 55 Broncos 10 -
Super Bowl XXV
Giants 20 Bills 19 -
Super Bowl XXVI
Redskins 37 Bills 24 -
Super Bowl XXVII
Cowboys 52 Bills 17 -
Super Bowl XXVIII
Cowboys 30 Bills 13 -
Super Bowl XXIX
49ers 49 Chargers 26 -
Super Bowl XXX
Cowboys 27 Steelers 17 -
Super Bowl XXXI
Packers 35 Patriots 21 -
Super Bowl XXXII
Broncos 31 Packers 24 -
Super Bowl XXXIII
Broncos 34 Falcons 19 -
Super Bowl XXXIV
Rams 23 Titans 16 -
Super Bowl XXXV
Ravens 34 Giants 7 -
Super Bowl XXXVI
Patriots 20 Rams 17 -
Super Bowl XXXVII
Buccaneers 48 Raiders 21 -
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Patriots 32 Panthers 29 -
Super Bowl XXXIX
Patriots 24 Eagles 21 -
Super Bowl XL
Steelers 21 Seahawks 10 -
Super Bowl XLI
Colts 29 Bears 17 -
Super Bowl XLII
Giants 17 Patriots 14 -
Super Bowl XLIII
Steelers 27 Cardinals 23 -
Super Bowl XLIV
Saints 31 Colts 17 -
Super Bowl XLV
Packers 31 Steelers 25 -
Super Bowl XLVI
Giants 21 Patriots 17 -
Super Bowl XLVII
Ravens 34 49ers 31 -
Super Bowl XLVIII
Seahawks 43 Broncos 8 -
Super Bowl XLIX
Patriots 28 Seahawks 24