Is Rob Gronkowski playing today against the Bears? 

Rob Gronkowski is known for his production on the field as much as the spirit and swagger he brings to the team. That's why when Rob Gronkowski was listed on the injury report earlier this week, Buccaneers fans, teammates, and fantasy owners felt their stomachs do a flip.

Will the Buccaneers see their starting tight end cracking jokes on the sidelines today?

NFL Injury Report: Rob Gronkowski will not play against the Bears

According to CBS Sports, Rob Gronkowski is still patiently waiting for his ribs to heal. As a result, he's out for the game against the Chicago Bears. He is expected to return next week against the New Orleans Saints.

Gronkowski's loss will hurt the Buccaneers on Sunday. Without Gronkowski, Tom Brady will be forced to look elsewhere if he needs a clutch play. Of course, there is a good shot that the Buccaneers will not require clutch plays against the Bears.

However, if it comes down to it, Brady will also have to look elsewhere than Antonio Brown, as he is also out for the game. Brady's best option would be Mike Evans. While many teams would love to have an option to throw at Mike Evans, the Buccaneers are built on options.

If one receiver is having a bad day or cannot win their matchup or double-team, the Buccaneers can look somewhere else to another star. But with Gronkowski and Brown out of the game, Tom Brady's offense could be mortal. Without Brown and Gronkowski to soak up the attention, the Bears defense can focus on Mike Evans.

The injuries on offense don't stop with Brown and Gronkowski. Gronkowski's backup, O.J. Howard, is listed as questionable to play. Meaning, Brady should essentially not plan on throwing to the tight end. If the Bears know that he's only going to throw to his wide receivers, it makes it that much easier to lock them down.

Of course, the Buccaneers still have running back Leonard Fournette, who is performing at a solid level. But with only running backs and wide receivers to lean on, the Buccaneers' offense looks a bit vulnerable. Without Gronkowski, the Buccaneers will need to run the ball to set up receivers in one-on-one matchups.

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Otherwise, Brady will have trouble finding open receivers and the team will be behind the chains all day long. Leonard Fournette is coming off a game with 22 carries, 81 yards and two touchdowns. If he can repeat his stat line against the Bears, the Buccaneers won't miss Gronkowski. If he is sluggish, the Buccaneers' offense could be in trouble.

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