New England Patriots: How Will Rob Gronkowski’s Return Change Patriots Offense?

December 26, 2012   ·   James Ermilio   ·   Jump to comments

While the New England Patriots inch towards the playoffs, their star tight end Rob Gronkowski is inching towards his return.  
"Gronk," who broke his arm in Week 11, took part in practices leading up to the Pats' game against the Jacksonville Jaguars but was ruled out for the game. While it's uncertain whether he'll play against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, Gronkowski looks like a good bet to be healthy by the playoffs given his initial four-to-six week prognosis.
The Pats will need him for their postseason run, too—with Gronk, the Pats offense (which has stumbled out of the gate in back-to-back games) becomes much more difficult to defend.
How exactly does Gronk's return change things for the Patriots offense?  Let's take a look.
 
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