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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off of an exhilarating, 38-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. It took a 24-7 run within the second half together with 4 touchdowns from Leonard Fournette for Tampa to finish Indy’s three-game win streak, however the Bucs could not have discovered the win column with out star tight finish Rob Gronkowski.
Gronk led the Bucs with seven catches for a season-high 123 yards Sunday. The long run Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer has missed 5 video games this season due to some completely different accidents, however he was amped up after certainly one of Tampa’s greatest wins of the season.
“We simply got here out firing within the second half,” Gronkowski instructed CBS Sports activities of Sunday’s win. “The primary half, a little bit ‘duddish.’ A bit sluggish, the power wasn’t actually there. Simply got here out within the second half firing on all cylinders. Offensive aspect of the ball, defensive aspect of the ball and we simply did what we needed to do within the second half with the intention to pull out a win on the highway in that ambiance. It was an amazing win, it was a playoff win — a playoff ambiance. That was large, to carry it collectively within the second half and get that W.”
Gronk is in his second season with the Buccaneers, and the 2021 marketing campaign has been a lot kinder to him when it comes to on-field success than the 2020 marketing campaign was. He is averaging 63 yards receiving per sport in comparison with 38.9 from final yr, and he has 4 touchdowns in simply six video games performed. Gronkowski stated he feels extra acclimated in Bruce Arians’ scheme — and it is displaying.
“The largest distinction is simply feeling snug,” stated Gronkowski. “Simply figuring out the playbook, figuring out how all the pieces works, figuring out all my teammates. You simply bought rather a lot higher really feel than simply stepping proper in final yr and getting to satisfy everybody, studying the playbook throughout coaching camp. So it simply feels a lot extra snug this yr with total all the pieces.”
Regardless that he and Tom Brady underwent their first-ever change of surroundings final season, it did not have an effect on the success they’d develop into accustomed to. Tampa gained seven straight video games to get to Tremendous Bowl LV, and gained the Tremendous Bowl of their dwelling stadium. Gronk caught two touchdowns in what was his fourth Tremendous Bowl win.
It says one thing that Gronk and Brady might pack up, go away the New England Patriots (or come out of retirement) and win a Tremendous Bowl of their first season with their new group. Gronk stated his Tremendous Bowl run in Tampa was very completely different from the others he had in New England. Naturally, the COVID-19 pandemic affected issues in an enormous means, however it was additionally completely different with how the playoffs shook out.
“Two completely completely different experiences, two completely completely different groups,” Gronkowski stated, evaluating his Tremendous Bowl success in Tampa vs. New England. “Simply the way in which that final yr went down with COVID and all the pieces, that was completely completely different. All my Tremendous Bowls with New England, let me let you know, we went by the entire 9 yards of going by these Tremendous Bowl experiences with media day, all of the followers in every single place, each occasion you go to was simply epic, wild. After which this yr with COVID, it was a house sport. We gained all three (playoff) video games on the highway, I’ve by no means carried out that; normally all my playoff video games are at dwelling, so we gained all of them on the highway after which had the Tremendous Bowl at dwelling — which was simply epic. To win three playoff video games on the highway after which have the Tremendous Bowl at dwelling? Epic.”
Talking of epic, Gronkowski instructed CBS Sports activities he will likely be sporting some epic cleats when the Buccaneers tackle the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday. Gronk has teamed up with USAA, the Official NFL Salute to Service Accomplice, to honor the USO and the Gronk Nation Youth Basis on his cleats for this yr’s NFL My Trigger My Cleats marketing campaign.
Moreover, Gronk not too long ago shocked Grasp Sergeant Jasen and his household at Raymond James Stadium once they have been instructed they have been taking a particular tour. The Professional Bowl tight finish determined to place their household on his cleats to honor Grasp Sergeant Jasen and his family members for the sacrifices they’ve made. The cleats have been designed by Marcus Rivero, who is best often known as Soles by Sir.
Mike Pernal, USAA
“Simply to place a smile on a army member’s face is all the time an amazing factor to do,” stated Gronkowski. “All of the sacrifice the army members do for ourselves to ensure that us to be free right here on this nation, after which additionally all of the sacrifice from their households — it is simply second to none.”
The Buccaneers will look to brush the season collection towards the Falcons this Sunday whereas Gronk is carrying his particular cleats. A win can be Tampa’s third straight and put strain on the Arizona Cardinals and Inexperienced Bay Packers — who’re the 2 groups forward of the Bucs within the NFC playoff image. Tampa presently has the perfect Tremendous Bowl odds, in keeping with Caesars Sportsbook, and the Bucs actually appear like a first-rate candidate to repeat. Gronkowski stated what makes his group particular is that they’ve ballers who know how you can play collectively.
“We simply need to play complimentary soccer,” stated Gronkowski. “Once we play collectively as a group, I feel it makes our group particular. In fact we bought loads of ballers, little doubt about that on the defensive aspect of the ball, on the offensive aspect of the ball, however after we play collectively as a group and after we play for one another, that is positively what makes our group particular.”
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