It’s okay to admit it, Pats’ fans — we were rooting for Tom and Gronk in their playoff game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
It has been jarring to see #12 playing in a Tampa Bay uniform this season — it’s like seeing your long-time ex- with someone else.
But with the Patriots’ dismal season relegating the Pats to the bottom third of the NFL (where they are destined to remain for a while), Tom and Gronk’s playoff run with the Bucs has given us something to cheer about.
True, both are only shadows of their former selves. Brady threw a lot of off-target passes and Gronk had trouble getting open. On the other hand, they connected for a key first-down deep in New Orleans territory late in the game that led to the Bucs’ clinching score.