How should the team respond to Gronk?

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

11 minutes ago, klos63 said:

I don't think that's the standard definition of premeditated. If he planned it all game or throughout the 4th qtr, I would agree. If he reacted after that play, no it's not. If it was, everything would be premeditated. If we took revenge 2 weeks after the incident, that's more like the according to hoyel definition of premeditated.

 

you're right about the standard definition, but gronkowski's hit was egregious.  it was not an extension of the play, a hit that drifted too high, or a shot that hit too low.  it was, even by nfl standards, a nasty, viscous and crappy thing to do.  he had time to think, he had time to settle down, and he chose to hit the guy.  he expressed frustration that built up during the game because of the applications of the rules, and chose to act the way he chose to act. 

 

I've not seen one player for the bills, nor one coach, suggest that retribution was on the menu.  so, adding subjectivity and the threat of a harsher penalty seems like a bad idea to me. i don't advocate targeting the guy, but it's a fine line between playing a guy like gronkowski to win AND having to worry that your shot to the shoulders can be considered retribution and or retaliatory.  to be honest, they really should be watching gronkowski like a hawk to make sure he doesn't push the envelope. 

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

Hold him to 2 catches for 23 yards and no TDs while heading home to Buffalo with a W. That's how we should handle it.

 

 

 

[Buddy Hix]

I would take every opportunity presented to hit him as hard as possible in the most vulnerable locations (knees, back) during the play and legally. The time for retaliation and cheap shots passed when the team stood there and did nothing, now all that you can do is play hard in between the whistles.

[Teddy KGB]

30 minutes ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

Hold him to 2 catches for 23 yards and no TDs while heading home to Buffalo with a W. That's how we should handle it.

 

 

 

And then get Tolbert to pull a Blount post game ? 

 

 

 

[Doc]

2 hours ago, klos63 said:

should i start whining like a little child too?

 

No, just keep bending over and repeating “thank you sir, may I have another?”

[Worstcaseontario]

Go low like the Browns did, kill the knee Greg Williams style

[billsfan_34]

Why Gronk is still allowed to wear that battering ram on his arm is beyond me. He has been clubbing people with it all year. That arm was the arm used to help drive Tre’s head into the ground. Clearly, his arm is healthy enough if you do can that and dont need that weapon. It is a shame the NFL can’t see this! 

 

To the OP and topic at hand. We cannot be blinded by what Gronl did. That would play right into the Pats hands. We have to run the ball, smack Brady around, disrupt their dink/dunk stuff and shut down Gronk. If in the process Brady and Gronk suffer injuries so be it.

[BarleyNY]

The payback should be against him or Brady.  Not a late shot, but something more like a knee level tackle from a deep safety when he is on a seam route.  Or a knee/head shot on Brady is also an option.  The message has to be clear: Try to injure or cheap shot a Bill and we will end your playoff hopes.  That’s the only way to get this crap to stop.  The NFL isn’t properly policing Gronk because they don’t want to hurt their TV ratings.  So it’s up to the Bills to do that job - or it’ll never end and we will forever be a bullied little punching bag.

[Lfod]

I agree with people that say just win. Although I wouldn't feel bad for Gronk if something dirty happened to him. You reap what you sow. I'd take a win over seeing Gronk get taken out if I could choose.

Edited December 21, 2017 by Lfod

[3rdand12]

6 hours ago, leh-nerd skin-erd said:

 

I don't know about "justify" or not, that's too deep for me.  I would think Tre' White probably would be "justified" to respond, but that's an emotional response, not rational.  I agree that retaliation via cheap shot is 100% the wrong way to go.  I disagree though, with the premise that the nfl should hit a bill's player harder than they hit gronkowski.  more than a few causal observers feel that gronkowski benefited from the pats treatment, that the suspension was unreasonably light because goodell  et al wanted the money player back on the field as quickly as possible.  personally, I believe that, because it's virtually impossible to justify a short term suspension for that sort of play given the talk about head injuries and cte.

 

that said, the potential downside to penalizing one high-profile player on the highest profile team with one set of standards, and subsequently taking a harder line on a second player just because you can is substantial.  with fans seemingly already staying away from games in large numbers, it sends the wrong message.  add in other social factors, it could get ugly.

 

btw--on that note, much was made of the suh punch to the side of tyrod's head.  I get the concern, and think Suh is a dirty player, but felt the worst that should happen there was an unsportsmanlike penalty for clapping the guy in the head. Earlier in the game, though, another dolphins player sacked Tyrod and slammed his forearm into the back of tyrod's helmet.  I believe I saw the official speaking to the fins player after the hit (he definitely spoke to a fins player, just couldn't see if it was the offending player) and got the feeling he was warning him.  I can't imagine that not being penalized against an upper tier qb like brady, brees, rothlisberger etc and can't quite understand some of the things that go on with taylor.   

 

anyway, the nfl should follow their own precedent and not apply a sliding scale of justice. 

It is true that occurs. Even if unintentionally.
 

 Hard for me to appreciate a Refs job when bias does seem prevalent.

 Is this why they announce the Refs for the game ? Is it supposed to be a factor for an outcome ?

 

 seen and not heard

On Mondays

 is a Refs job

6 hours ago, Happy Gilmore said:

 

He doesn't kill you with his speed, but rather his height.  Assuming we have a LB on him, we're going to need to dedicate the nickel or Poyer/Hyde as additional coverage.

He runs rather well for someone wearing armor. 

 must be his long gait

[KD in CA]

They should take as many shots to his knee as it takes to KO him for the season.

 

Nothing short of that will be enough.

 

I fully expect to be disappointed.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by KD in CA

[3rdand12]

5 hours ago, Buddo said:

The Pats have regularly got away with stuff against the Bills, over a good few years now. From Wilfork attacking Losman's knee, to Chandler getting a cheap shot from behind, (iirc, resulting in another concussion), to the latest from gronkowski. All of these were dirty play, and basically have been got away with. There comes a time, when you simply have to stop people walking all over you. If that results in 'extra - curricular' events, then so be it. 

 

Much like their cheating, the Patsies have exhibited scant regard for the rules when it comes to 'fair play'. Cheap shots, late hits etc., are simply playing the game by the same rules as they use. Until you show them that you are going to do to them, what they have been doing to you, it will continue. 

 

It's noticeable to me, that they don't do this stuff against teams like the Steelers, Ravens, Giants, etc. where they know they will get it back.

if you are waiting for the Refs ( I AM LOOKING AT YOU PRESTON BROWN ) to do the right thing ? you are going to be there awhile.
Play to the edge. It is what the game demands

32 minutes ago, Worstcaseontario said:

Go low like the Browns did, kill the knee Greg Williams style

Kill the Gronk and the Body will wither ?
figuratively of course 

3 hours ago, papazoid said:

alter the game plan.....double team him more than usual. go out of your way to hit him harder than you have ever hit anyone.

 

if you get a chance to go after his knees....you do it....all friggin game.

 

brady is fair game too.....send a message loud and clear

play over aggressive you lose discipline. field discipline.

 Every one should just do their job. Because they should hit hard and effectively every play. Beating down the opponent physically and emotionally down after down does win games

[Sweats]

The best way to respond to Gronk, Brady, the Pats, etc. is by winning outright...........yes, it's just that simple.

[Fadingpain]

I'm going on record now as predicting absolutely nothing will happen in the game which we can all point to and call "payback".

 

I hope I'm wrong.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Sweats said:

The best way to respond to Gronk, Brady, the Pats, etc. is by winning outright...........yes, it's just that simple.

Good luck with that.

Got a plan "B" ????

 

 

8 hours ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

Reality is we should do nothing.

 

Belcihek is going to school him over and over again to control himself, the refs aren't dumb they are going to be watching.

We cheapshot him he will likely take it and laugh at the Bills as they get useless penalties.

I think the refs are dumb, will not be especially watching out for cheap shots, and in fact, may have no knowledge of Gronk's cheap shot in our first game with NE.

 

Not sure why they would, unless the league made it a point to brief them on that, and I'm not sure the league has its act together that much.

 

 

 

[3rdand12]

18 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

I'm going on record now as predicting absolutely nothing will happen in the game which we can all point to and call "payback".

 

I hope I'm wrong.

 

 

Good luck with that.

Got a plan "B" ????

 

 

I think the refs are dumb, will not be especially watching out for cheap shots, and in fact, may have no knowledge of Gronk's cheap shot in our first game with NE.

 

Not sure why they would, unless the league made it a point to brief them on that, and I'm not sure the league has its act together that much.

 

 

 

Double haha actually

[Boatdrinks]

Simple. Have a low rent defensive lineman swan- dive on Brady's head after a play. When he's on the ground, after the whistle. The player then can say it was out of frustration from being held. The penalty has already been established by the league as a one game suspension. Totally worth it. 

[stony]

1 hour ago, Sweats said:

The best way to respond to Gronk, Brady, the Pats, etc. is by winning outright...........yes, it's just that simple.

One does not simply walk into Foxborough....

[Augie]

11 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

This is more along the lines of what I'm thinking.  I think the Bills need to be a) sneaky and b) smart.  They need to get any kind of physical shots in without being caught and they need to get into his head, so - as you stated - he retaliates and gets flagged.

 

It all sounds so easy when you put it like that. Then the game comes.... 

1 hour ago, Fadingpain said:

I'm going on record now as predicting absolutely nothing will happen in the game which we can all point to and call "payback".

 

I hope I'm wrong.

 

 

Good luck with that.

Got a plan "B" ????

 

 

I think the refs are dumb, will not be especially watching out for cheap shots, and in fact, may have no knowledge of Gronk's cheap shot in our first game with NE.

 

Not sure why they would, unless the league made it a point to brief them on that, and I'm not sure the league has its act together that much.

 

 

 

 

Belichick will warn them so we get some bogus personal foul call against us. That just makes sense in my gut....

[ColdFront_USAF]

12 hours ago, Happy Gilmore said:

 

I think the metal bar protects the arm that was broken twice.

 

There's an article somewhere out there that explains it in good detail. Basically there's so much scar tissue in that arm that operating again would be nearly impossible, making another arm injury career ending for him. Something to do with resistant viruses causing severe infection. 

 

I still say if if he ever uses it as a weapon again like that it gets taken away, and whatever happens to his arm after that is on him for abusing the bionic arm. But that won't happen, because he is both a Patriot and a superstar player. NFL needs players like that because the game is a lot more exciting with guys like him playing. 

[Kelly the Dog]

Could always hire Jeff Gillooly.