The Curt Schilling "bloody sock" game is a vital, if controversial, part of Boston sports lore. But over in Foxborough, the stage is set for the broken ankle game, allowing Martellus Bennett the chance to crawl his way into New England sports vernacular.
Ian Rapoport explained on NFL GameDay Morning:
"Martellus Bennett, who has really emerged as one of their key weapons at tight end in Rob Gronkowski's absence, the Patriots love his toughness. And the reason is he's been on the injury report with an ankle injury, it's not a sprained ankle. It's actually a cracked bone in his ankle, he's got some bone chips in there," Rapoport said. "I'm told to expect offseason surgery for Martellus Bennett."
Bennett is both a powerful blocking offensive lineman and balletic pass-catching tight end who led New England in receiving touchdowns this year (7). The position is one of the hardest to play in football, and Bennett has been flying under the radar for years as one of the best. New England's move to secure him as a backup and bash brother to Rob Gronkowski is one of the reasons the team is still flying high despite all the roadblocks placed in its path this year.
It cannot be easy for Bennett to complete all of his responsibilities -- cutting, planting, pushing off -- while nursing a signifcant ankle injury. While no player is completely healthy this time of year, it's important to give Bennett credit where credit is due. Especially when Bennett could be thinking about his near future as a free agent.
