BOSTON (CBS) -- Who in the NFL can cover Rob Gronkowski one-on-one?
Realistically, nobody in the league can do that. Gronk is arguably the biggest matchup nightmare in the league. To defend him, you probably need to start with two defenders right on the line. Bills head coach Rex Ryan knows he can't just put one guy on him, unless he had King Kong on the roster. "We got the Gronk. We're putting Kong on him," he joked with reporters this week.
Gronk had the chance to respond to Ryan's comments Thursday, and Bill Belichick would be proud of the way he deflected such innocuous questions. That, or he might actually believe he's going to be staring down King Kong come Sunday.
"Like I said, I got to prepare for everyone," he said, eliciting laughter. "I just got to practice and prepare for anyone at any time."
Gronk fielded more questions about Ryan's defense, which has historically presented problems for Tom Brady. Gronk's performance against Rex Ryan-coached defenses has been up-and-down; he scored a touchdown in last season's Week 16 win, but you'd have to go back to 2012 to find the last time he scored before that game. In the other game against the Jets in 2014, Gronk caught 5-of-10 targets for 68 yards and no touchdowns, and the Patriots barely escaped with a win after blocking a field goal as time expired.
Ryan has had some success in limiting Gronk's production, and Gronk knows this. He acknowledged that he has to prepare for whatever Ryan's defense throws at him - which could be anything and everything all at once.
"Spin the wheel and see what's out there," he quipped. "You got to expect anything, from zone to man to blitz zero to dropping eight in coverage. With his defenses, you always got to be prepared and you always got to be ready for any type of situation."
Safety Devin McCourty said that even King Kong might not be enough to contain No. 87.
"I don't want to go that far," he said. "The guy, [Gronk] has a lot of touchdowns in this league, but I don't know. I think King Kong would probably struggle, too."
Whatever Ryan does to contain Gronk this weekend, it probably won't be with King Kong - I don't think. But if Gronk can prepare himself for a 25-foot ape, he can be prepared for anyone.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for CBSBostonSports.com and would take Gronk in a fight against King Kong. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read more from Matt here and follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff.
Gronk Deflects Questions On Rex Ryan's King Kong Comments: 'I Got To Prepare For Everyone'
/ CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Who in the NFL can cover Rob Gronkowski one-on-one?
Realistically, nobody in the league can do that. Gronk is arguably the biggest matchup nightmare in the league. To defend him, you probably need to start with two defenders right on the line. Bills head coach Rex Ryan knows he can't just put one guy on him, unless he had King Kong on the roster. "We got the Gronk. We're putting Kong on him," he joked with reporters this week.
Gronk had the chance to respond to Ryan's comments Thursday, and Bill Belichick would be proud of the way he deflected such innocuous questions. That, or he might actually believe he's going to be staring down King Kong come Sunday.
"Like I said, I got to prepare for everyone," he said, eliciting laughter. "I just got to practice and prepare for anyone at any time."
Gronk fielded more questions about Ryan's defense, which has historically presented problems for Tom Brady. Gronk's performance against Rex Ryan-coached defenses has been up-and-down; he scored a touchdown in last season's Week 16 win, but you'd have to go back to 2012 to find the last time he scored before that game. In the other game against the Jets in 2014, Gronk caught 5-of-10 targets for 68 yards and no touchdowns, and the Patriots barely escaped with a win after blocking a field goal as time expired.
Ryan has had some success in limiting Gronk's production, and Gronk knows this. He acknowledged that he has to prepare for whatever Ryan's defense throws at him - which could be anything and everything all at once.
"Spin the wheel and see what's out there," he quipped. "You got to expect anything, from zone to man to blitz zero to dropping eight in coverage. With his defenses, you always got to be prepared and you always got to be ready for any type of situation."
Safety Devin McCourty said that even King Kong might not be enough to contain No. 87.
"I don't want to go that far," he said. "The guy, [Gronk] has a lot of touchdowns in this league, but I don't know. I think King Kong would probably struggle, too."
Whatever Ryan does to contain Gronk this weekend, it probably won't be with King Kong - I don't think. But if Gronk can prepare himself for a 25-foot ape, he can be prepared for anyone.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for CBSBostonSports.com and would take Gronk in a fight against King Kong. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read more from Matt here and follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff.
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- Rob Gronkowski
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