When the Baltimore Ravens take on the New England Patriots this Saturday, there is one matchup that stands out from the others as a must-watch this weekend. That matchup is Will Hill covering the best tight end in the National Football League, Rob Gronkowski. There’s no sugar-coating it, Hill will have a very tough task against Gronkowski this weekend.

Hill is definitely the Ravens best coverage player in the secondary. According to Pro Football Focus, only once this season has Hill had a negative score in the pass coverage category. In four games this season Hill has had a positive score of +1.0 or more, including the game in which he shadowed tight end Jimmy Graham.

Early in the season, after the Ravens secondary lost Jimmy Smith, I wrote an article that Will Hill will save the Ravens season. He has been a huge boost, and for the Ravens to win this game in Foxborough, Hill will definitely need to have a fantastic game guarding Rob Gronkowski.

Jimmy Graham is a superstar, but he was injured this season, and a well rested Rob Gronkowski is a whole different beast. I do fully expect Will Hill to shadow Gronkowski most of this game like he did against Graham.

The Pats will test this matchup early to see if Hill can cover Gronkowski. If Hill struggles, they will most likely use either Terrell Suggs, Courtney Upshaw, or Elvis Dumervil to chip Gronkowski at the line of scrimmage, but that hurts the best aspect of the Ravens, which is their pass rush.

They could also double-team Gronkowski with a linebacker along with a safety, but then that obviously opens up the field for guys like Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman to do damage to the Ravens’ banged up secondary.

So with no desirable options on the table, it appears the Ravens will rely on Will Hill to guard Rob Gronkowski. There is no such thing as shutting down Gronkowski, but Hill can contain him, as he is a very physical, rangy safety.

If Hill can contain Gronkowski the Ravens have a very good chance to win this game. The secondary improved tremendously last week, and hopefully they can continue to play better going in to Foxborough.

I would like to end this article on a more serious note.

A member of Ravens nation passed away at the age of 65 from liver and esophagus cancer according to the Baltimore Sun. His name was Ronnie Akers, and by this point in his life, he had lost his sight so he could not watch the Wild Card game against the Steelers. His family kept him updated of the score until the game’s finish, then minutes after the game concluded he passed away.

This is definitely an inspiring story and is a reason I am studying sports journalism and why I have loved sports for my entire life. A fan was able to fight cancer to hear his Ravens win against their biggest rivals one last time. Rest in peace, Ronnie Akers. You embody what Ravens nation is all about.