Forget Peyton Manning vs. the Colts. The real Week 7 matchup we should all be pumped for is Gronk vs. Baby Gronk.
Battista: Quiet before the storm
Yep, that's right. Rob Gronkowski and the New England Patriots against Zach Sudfeld and the New York Jets. The Mega-Powers Explode!
(All right, I'll calm down now.)
You might recall Sudfeld as a preseason wonder in New England, a young tight end who Pats fans dreamed could be a suitable placeholder while Gronkowski recovered from back and arm surgeries.
Sudfeld's big summer never translated to games that counted. He was waived by the Pats on Oct. 3, then scooped up by the Jets before he could be stashed on New England's practice squad.
What do you think the Jets did once they had Sudfeld in their building?
"Well, he never really remembered anything -- just kidding," Jets coach Rex Ryan said, via the New York Daily News. "You obviously pick his brain and all that other stuff for sure. He's a sharp young man, so we do our due diligence and get what we can out of him."
Don't expect Gronk and Baby Gronk to go catch for catch in Sunday's box score. Sudfeld played one snap in his Jets debut last week. He might be lucky to double that total against the Pats.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" previewed every Week 7 game.
