Jermichael Finley challenges Gronkowski

ESPNBoston.com

Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, a four-year veteran who tied his career-high with 55 catches in 2011, said the following about Gronkowski and fellow tight end standout Jimmy Graham of the Saints.

“They did well last year. But in this league, you've got to do it consistently. If you've shown that you can do it one time, you have to come back and do it,” Finley told ESPN Radio in Wisconsin. “They're going to have to show me something. I'm not trying to beat them or see what I can do better than them, but they're going to have to show me a little more."

I feel like there's a misconception that Rob Gronkowski just started being successful last year. He still had 10 touchdowns the year before. Certainly he started to get a lot more national attention when he just put up otherworldly numbers in 2011.

Finley himself has never matched Gronkowski's 2011 year, in fact he's never even caught as many touchdowns in a single year as Gronk did in his first in the league. He actually hasn't even caught as many touchdowns in his entire career as Gronkowski did last year.

Gronk hasn't missed a game yet in his young NFL career. In those two years he's averaged 935.5 yards, 13.5 touchdowns and 66 receptions. Finley has been in the NFL twice as long, missing most of the 2010 Super Bowl season due to injury, and he averages 454.5 yards, 3.75 touchdowns and 34.25 receptions per season.

Finley is a great player, but the numbers just don't compare.

So Graham and Gronkowski have to show him something more?