The Patriots ratcheted up Rob Gronkowski’s workload during yesterday’s 16-9 victory against the Oakland Raiders, and he had his best performance as a result.
The tight end caught three passes for a season-high 44 yards and the game’s lone touchdown, and he played in 39 of the team’s 71 offensive plays (54.9 percent), not including the final set of kneel-downs.
While Gronkowski’s usage decreased in Week 2, the lopsided margin against the Minnesota Vikings likely played a role. The Pats surely needed him in yesterday’s tight-collared affair, and he contributed with the biggest offensive play of the day.
Gronk's snaps are up from Week 1 - 38 plays, 44.2 percent of snaps - and Week 2 - 27, 41.5 percent. It was only a matter of time, and hopefully owners stayed patient with Gronk. He was still worth putting in lineups for his work in the red zone, and that certainly paid off in two of the first three weeks. Things should only get better for owners at least in terms of workload.
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