CLEVELAND — NFL defensive coordinators got their first look at their worst nightmare Sunday afternoon.
Finally paired with Tom Brady, the Patriots’ combination of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and ex-Giant Martellus Bennett was every bit as terrifying and unstoppable as it looked on paper in a 33-13 New England rout of the Browns.
While Gronkowski — looking healthier than he has all season — was hauling in five passes for 109 yards, Bennett was on the receiving end of all three of Brady’s touchdown passes in the quarterback’s first game back from his Deflategate suspension.
With Cleveland’s hapless defense trying to keep up with Gronkowski, the Browns frequently seemed to forget all about Bennett. On two of his three scoring receptions, Bennett strolled into the end zone uncovered and untouched.
“[Bennett] and Gronk at tight end has been a tough matchup for other teams,” Brady said after completing 28 of 40 passes for 406 yards in 3½ quarters of work. “We just have to keep doing it, keep putting pressure on the defense.”
The Patriots had lacked a consistent threat at the second tight end spot since Aaron Hernandez infamously exited the scene in 2013 until Bears coach John Fox inexplicably decided to give Bennett to New England last spring for a low-round draft pick.
Now thanks to Fox, teams will have to pick their poison when it comes to covering the Patriots’ tight ends.
If Gronkowski can stay healthy (always a big “if” for the big target) and the loopy Bennett with his “Black Unicorn” antics can stay out of Bill Belichick’s doghouse, it looks like Fox could qualify for a Super Bowl share from the Patriots for the lopsided deal.
“It’s pretty dynamic with both of us out there today, and Gronk played very well,” Bennett said. “I expect him to continue to play like that. That’s what Gronk is. That’s what Gronk does. That’s why he’s ‘The Gronkinator.’ ”
Bennett credited the work he did with Brady in the offseason and preseason while Brady prepped for his suspension for making Bennett’s success Sunday look so easy.
“Communication is huge,” Bennett said. “Just knowing what he expects, what he wants, and trying to do that correctly — that’s what it’s really about. There is a lot of stuff that Tom communicated earlier in the summer during practice and one of them came up on the second touchdown.”
Gronkowski appeared almost as giddy about getting to pair with Bennett and Brady for the first time as he was seeing Brady back from his four-game NFL suspension.
“He’s a great player, great dude and a great teammate to have out there,” Gronkowski said. “You learn a lot from a guy who has about nine years in the league. We’ve been waiting for this moment since we got together to both get out on the field both healthy. It’s great working with each other.”
For the Patriots’ opponents? Not so much.