0xbt

 It would seem that I write one of these every single September.The Patriots lost their first game Youth Rex Burkhead Jersey , which means you fall into one of two categories: you’re either already over it and looking forward to seeing what Josh Gordon will do catching passes from Tom Brady, or you’re one of those sky is falling folks who isn’t happy with New England boasting a Top 10 defense at the end of the season because they’re using September to test different personnel groupings and find out which combination of players works best. But no matter where you fall on the spectrum, nobody likes to lose, so here are five positives we can take away from Sunday’s Jags game.It’s Week 2. For some teams, Week 2 matchups are important. The results are worth celebrating, and a win instills all kinds of confidence. I mean that in all sincerity, as every team in the NFL is at a different point in the developmental process. But the Patriots are not that team. The month of September is more or less an extended preseason for New England, and this game isn’t likely to matter at the end of the season unless the Pats and Jags manage to finish with identical records. And I just don’t see that happening, to be honest. I said the same thing when the Chiefs beat the Patriots in Week 1 of last year, and New England ended that season with the Number One seed.No Marcus Cannon. The Patriots also lost Flowers and Chung to concussions, which meant that three key pieces of the team that the Patriots would need to beat the Jaguars were out. The early pressure that Brady felt, his inability to get into any kind of rhythm, his inaccuracy, a lot of that stemmed from the pressure that the Jaguars were able to get when the game first got going Adam Butler Jersey , and LaAdrian Waddle got tossed around for much of the game. I don’t want to say that getting Cannon back in the lineup is an instant fix, but it’s definitely going to help. Expected offensive rust. This is more or less exactly what I expected from the Patriots offensively, especially early in the year. We saw it against the Texans; tentativeness, difficulty by the receivers getting separation, and some miscommunication. But that’s OK, because the Patriots will be able to figure this out and come back next week with the necessary adjustments. Plus...you know. There’s that whole Josh Gordon guy. He’s pretty okay, I guess.Defense. There isn’t another defense like Jacksonville’s. This was the best defense the Patriots will see this year. The blueprint for beating the Patriots hasn’t really changed in a decade plus; the reality is that there just aren’t that many teams who can do it defensively while also putting a solid game together on offense. Going up against that defense, on the road, in the heat...I’m OK with it. And as a defensive guy, I really enjoyed watching what the Jags could do to an offense still trying to find it’s feet.We’ll see them again. The AFC South is going to be an incredibly interesting division to watch. While it’s still way to early to make any real judgments, it seems that the Jaguars are the favorites to win that division – which means the Patriots will see them again in the postseason. And New England usually does pretty well in rematches. When the game really matters, I’m confident that the result will be different, regardless of where it’s played.New England Patriots 2018 roster breakdown: #87 TE Rob Gronkowski The New England Patriots currently have 88 players on their active roster. However, only 53 of them will be able to survive the cutdowns on September 1 and ultimately make the team. Over the course of the offseason Authentic Elandon Roberts Jersey , we take a look at the players fighting for those spots to find out who has the best chances of helping the Patriots recapture the Vince Lombardi Trophy.Today, the series continues with the NFL’s best tight end.Name: Rob GronkowskiPosition: Tight endJersey number: 87Opening day age: 29Experience: 8Size: 6’6, 270 lbs.2017 review: After ending the 2016 season on injured reserve due to a back injury, Rob Gronkowski returned in impressive fashion last year and left little doubt that he is still in a tight end class of his own. The future Hall of Famer was named first-team All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl, and led all tight ends in receiving yards during the regular season (1,084) — all while finishing second in touchdowns (8) and fifth in receptions (69).Gronkowski also was a rather reliable presence for the Patriots in 2017. He appeared in 14 of 16 regular season contests and missed one game each because of a thigh injury (week 5 vs. Tampa Bay) and a suspension stemming from an unnecessary roughness call (week 13 vs. Miami). Overall, he was on the field for 903 of a possible 1,139 offensive snaps (79.3%) and played less than 85% in just two of his in-game appearances.As noted above, Gronkowski was his usual dominant self when on the field. Not only did he stand out as a pass catcher who led his position in yards per reception (15.7) and yards per route run (2.4), he also once again proved to be arguably the best blocking tight end in the game: Gronkowski was regularly used as a run blocker and pass protector, and usually held his ground even when going against some of the NFL’s best defenders.Gronkowski’s high-level play continued in the postseason. Pro Football Focus’ number one rated tight end appeared in all three of New England’s playoff games and was on the field for 79.6% of his team’s offensive snaps (176 of 221). If not for a concussion he sustained during the second quarter of the AFC Championship Game, his playing time percentage would have been even higher.But despite missing some time — just like during the regular season —, his numbers were again magnificent: Gronkowski finished the tournament with 16 receptions for 218 yards and three touchdowns. He was at his best in the Super Bowl against a very good Philadelphia Eagles defense: catching nine passes for 116 yards and two scores, Gronkowski was one of the factors why New England was in the game up until the very end.But while the Patriots came up short in the title game http://www.patriotsauthorizedshop.com/authentic-phillip-dorsett-jersey , 2017 was another successful individual campaign for Gronkowski. Coming off a stint on injured reserve, he proved to still be the NFL’s best tight end and a weapon unlike any other in the league.2018 preview: Gronkowski made headlines immediately after the Super Bowl, when he did not fully commit to returning in 2018. Despite the wave of rumors and speculation this kicked off, though, he ultimately was back on the practice fields for the mandatory portion of the Patriots’ spring and summer workout sessions. And from that point on — through minicamp and training camp —, it was business as usual for the NFL’s best tight end.Consequently, Gronkowski is expected to be one of the most dominant players in the league in 2018. When healthy — something that was not always the case over his previous eight years as a pro —, the 29-year old should be on the field for at least 85% of New England’s offensive snaps every given week and be among the team and league leaders in every significant receiving category.Gronkowski will therefore continue to be one of the core members of New England’s offensive machinery. In that role, he will once more be a reliable receiving weapon for quarterback Tom Brady in the intermediate and deep portions of the field as well as in the red zone — which is especially valuable when considering the team’s current uncertainties at the wide receiver position, with personal turnover and Julian Edelman suspended for four games.At a salary cap hit of $10.91 million (the fourth-highest on the team), he will furthermore also be a sound investment for the team: a player of his elite caliber and abilities as a pass catcher and blocker in the passing and running game is certainly worth this level of financial burden.