Jim Corbett

USA TODAY Sports

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Rob Gronkowski internalized all of the disrespect.

And after the widespread criticism directed toward New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, and the notion his team was toast — in September — he ignited.

The Patriots, without a Super Bowl victory since 2005, were supposedly no longer among the upper echelon of contenders after a 41-14 throttling by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept.29.

Enter Gronkowski, a hulking 6-6, 266-pound tight end in his fifth season out of Arizona with a cult following. The two-time Pro Bowler was charged and responded to the criticism with a vengeance.

In arguably the most impressive streak of his career, Gronkowski has 36 receptions, five touchdowns and 516 yards in the past five games — including three 100-yard efforts.

What has gotten into Gronk?

"It was just seeing everyone bashing on us all the time, especially the quarterback," Gronkowski told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "I knew what we had in us, what we were doing in practice. We just had to bring it on Sundays.

"We stuck together, and we went out and showed everyone that we're back."

And maybe better.

Since the loss to the Chiefs, the Patriots have won five in a row and sit atop the AFC North at 7-2 with a comfortable two-game lead.

Many have credited Gronkowski's presence for the Patriots' recent rise, and they are hopeful he can maintain his health.

After having seven surgeries within the past two years, Gronkowski might have more titanium inside his 25-year-old body than some PGA pros carry inside their golf bags.

"Yeah, I have some stuff everywhere," Gronkowski said, smiling. "Just know that you can always come back from injury, you can always come back stronger if you just rehab hard and long enough."

He never doubted he'd make it all the way back from reconstructive knee surgery last December, and he has played in every game this season.

Former Arizona coach Mike Stoops, now Oklahoma's defensive coordinator, is proud watching Gronkowski become the dominator Stoops vowed Patriots coach Bill Belichick was getting in the 2010 draft.

Stoops witnessed how hard Gronk worked to recover from 2009 back surgery.

"I always had a feeling he could be a dominant player — what people are starting to see is how important it is to Rob to be an elite player," Stoops told USA TODAY Sports. "I told Bill, 'If I were starting a team, I'd want him as my tight end. Rob may be a fun-loving guy who likes to have a good time with all that Gronk stuff. But he's a very serious competitor.

"What separates him is his willingness to block and do anything to help his team win. There's no fear in that guy."

That fearlessness is not lost on one of the all-time tight end greats in Tony Gonzalez, the former Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons star who is an analyst for CBS.

So how do you slow someone bulldozing his way through NFL defenses, all the while picking up speed?

"It's like a big sixth-grader playing with second-graders — he is unstoppable right now," Gonzalez told USA TODAY Sports. "You know he's going to get the ball. But there's nothing the defense can do about it."

That has allowed teammates to thrive.

During the winning streak, Brady has completed 67.5% of his passes for 1,601 yards with 18 touchdowns and one interception.

And the widespread criticism naturally has shifted into talk of AFC dominance.

"What Gronk has been able to do has been great for our team," Brady said. "He's been a great catalyst for our offense, a big factor in every game we play. Whether he catches the ball or not, he's a big factor. That speaks to his value to our team."

Sunday night inside Lucas Oil Stadium, a 27th-ranked Indianapolis Colts passing defense that has surrendered 49 receptions and seven touchdowns to tight ends faces its stiffest challenge.

"He's a mismatch," Gonzalez said. "Especially with the rules the way they are now, you can't grab this guy who is 6-6, 265 pounds. And if you double-team him, Brady is going to kill you with everybody else.

"That's the luxury of having a Hall-of-Fame quarterback with such a dominant tight end. It's a beautiful thing. I'm jealous. In a good way."