Written by AccuScore
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Gronk or No Gronk? Does it Even Matter?
AccuScore's full forecast and expert picks for the Patriots vs the Eagles on Sunday are live:SuperBowl 52 Picks
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Even though it looks pretty certain that Rob Gronkowski will be ready for the big game on Sunday, Accuscore simulated out the scenario where the Patriots are without their star tight end. Gronkowski has been one of the top tight ends in the NFL since his debut to the league in 2010. However, he has been injured multiple times during his career and missed games in every season since 2012. So, if Gronk misses the Super Bowl, this is far from uncharted territory.
In terms of Sunday's stage, Rob Gronkowski has played twice. In Super Bowl XLVI, when the Patriots lost the NY Giants, he was non-factor and later revealed the injury in his ankle. In Super Bowl XLIX win over Seattle, he played on an elite level with 6 catches and one TD. A year ago, though, he was watching from the sidelines as Tom Brady led an incredible comeback win against the Falcons.
In Accuscore simulations Rob Gronkowski is predicted to get 5 caches for 68 yards and have highest probability to catch a TD among any New England players. When simulating the Super Bowl without Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen as a starting TE, there is not a massive difference because the Patriots have history of winning without Gronk. On average, the Patriots will score only a point less than without Gronkowski.
The outcome of the simulations shows that the Patriots have figured the ways to win with and without Gronkowski. One good example was the AFC Conference championship a week ago. Gronkowski was injured during the game and New England was down 10 points in 4th quarter, but Tom Brady led yet another comeback and won by 4 points to advance to Super Bowl. Of course, Gronk helps, but AccuScore's computer says the Patriots can win without him.
Other Previews:
AccuScore's Super Bowl 52 Preview and Analyst Pick
AccuScore's Super Bowl 52 Prop Bets - Odds & Picks
