INDIANAPOLIS — It is almost a certainty Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will play in Super Bowl XLVI tomorrow.
The real question is: How well will he play against the Giants while dealing with a high left ankle sprain?
Gronkowski is listed as questionable, but it would be a shock if he does not play. Nevertheless, he figures to be well below 100 percent, leaving the burden of picking up the Patriots’ offense on others.
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The top two candidates to pick up the slack if Gronkowski is limited are wide receiver Deion Branch and fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez.
“I’d say everybody needs to step up if Rob isn’t 100 percent because he draws so much attention and is such a threat on the field that everybody needs to step up to fill his space,” Hernandez said. “But, I’m sure he’ll be fine. … I think he’ll play. I think he’ll be a big impact in this game.”
Hernandez, the 22-year-old from Connecticut, has teamed with Gronkowski this season to form the most prolific tight end duo in NFL history, recording a combined 169 receptions. Hernandez also has been a versatile weapon for Patriots coach Bill Belichick to use. He has lined up at tight end, slot receiver and, most recently, running back.
It has been as a tight end opposite Gronkowski that he has done his most damage. Having the two of them on the field at the same time creates major mismatches for defenses.
“With Rob Gronkowski, the defense has to decide if they are going to put a linebacker on him,” Hernandez said. “If they put a linebacker on him, we’re going to go to him until they put somebody else [on him]. If they put a safety on him over the top with a linebacker underneath, that’s two guys on him now so someone has a one-on-one mismatch. If you want to put a safety on him, he’s too big for a safety, so [Tom Brady] can just put it in the right spot.”
The forgotten man of the Patriots offense is Branch. He had 51 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns this season, but he got lost behind stars like Gronkowski, Hernandez and Wes Welker. But this is usually when Branch plays best. He had double-digit receptions in both Super Bowl XXXVIII and XXXIX. He was the MVP of the Patriots’ victory over the Eagles in 2005.
After a few years in Seattle, Branch came back to the Patriots in 2010. Now he returns to the Super Bowl.
“It’s an honor,” Branch said. “It’s an honor just to be a part of it. To have the opportunity to come here, to come back, and also to play with these guys and play with my quarterback who I came into the league with, it’s an honor.”
Both Brady and Belichick spoke glowingly about Branch this week.
“Deion is a big part of what we do,” Brady said. “As you saw in the Denver game, when he makes those big plays down the field — and he’s made some big ones in AFC Championship games and Super Bowls — he’s a very clutch player. He always seems to show up for the big games. I’ve always enjoyed working with him.”
Belichick said everyone on the Patriots appreciates Branch.
“I couldn’t imagine anybody on the team not thinking that Deion Branch has a tremendous importance to our football team,” he said. “I don’t care if they play offense, defense or wash towels, I just can’t imagine that anybody would think that. Maybe a lot of people out there do, but I can’t imagine anyone on our football team would feel that way. He does a great job for us.”