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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- While one Patriots tight end was making a name for himself, another New England tight end was turning in an impressive performance on Sunday, too.

Aaron Hernandez may not have set an NFL record for receiving yards in a season for a tight end, as Rob Gronkowski did, but Hernandez’ seven catches for a team- and career-high 138 yards helped the Patriots humble the Buffalo Bills, 49-21, at Gillette Stadium.

And while the seven catches were nice, it was the way Hernandez ran with the ball after making the grabs that brought the sellout crowd of 68,756 to its feet.

Twice Hernandez turned relatively short catches into long gainers with his ability to weave and cut and dodge and break tackles. He turned one catch into a 44-yard scamper, and another into a 27-yard pickup.

“I’m just trying to make moves and make people miss. Sometimes it works,” said the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Hernandez. “I was a running back until high school. I loved carrying the ball and making moves. I still love to do that."

Hernandez, who just completed his second NFL season, was used as a running back at times as well as a receiver in college at Florida. The Pats have been trying to tap into his versatility. Sunday he also carried the ball twice on a pair of end-arounds. He gained a total of 26 yards on those rushes, including 19 on one burst.

As a receiver, meanwhile, he notched his third 100-yard game of the season and the fourth of his career. Gronkowski (90) and Hernandez (79) combined for 169 receptions, the most by a pair of tight ends in NFL history, easily surpassing the 127 passes snagged by the Dallas Cowboys’ tandem of Jason Whitten (94) and Marcellus Bennett (33) last season.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has known Tim Tebow since they were Florida teammates from 2007 to 2009. So Hernandez, who caught 111 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns in three years as Tebow’s Gator teammate, has a unique perspective of the man, the myth, the legend who the Patriots will be facing Sunday afternoon in Denver.

Hernandez wasn’t exactly expansive when it came to talking about the Broncos’ quarterback. But he did offer a few mostly guarded, politically correct answers to Tebow questions in the Patriots locker room Wednesday.

“He definitely was a leader. I’m sure he still is,” said Hernandez of Tebow, an unorthodox quarterback by NFL standards who has gone 7-1 as a Broncos starter this year, including six wins in a row, most featuring fourth-quarter comebacks.

“He brought a lot of energy to the game,” said Hernandez of their Gator days. “When you have a player with energy, I think everyone [feeds off that energy]. He’s a popular player. A lot of people like him. He gets a lot of media... He’s a very unique person.”

Hernandez was asked if he stays in touch with Tebow.

“We’re good friends. We’ve talked a few times. ‘How you doing? ‘I’m doing good.’ ‘How you doing?’ ‘Have a nice day,’ ” said the 6-foot-1, 245-pounder, who, like Tebow, is in his second year in the league.

Hernandez responded with the Patriots' party line when asked about Tebow’s heroics this season, which have vaulted Denver into the AFC West lead at 8-5.

“He’s a good player. He can do a lot of things. You have to prepare for him to run the ball and pass the ball. But it’s a team game. Their team is playing great,” said Hernandez.

So, Hernandez was asked, as someone who has played with Tebow and the Pats’ Tom Brady, how similar are they as leaders?

“They’re different people,” said Hernandez, who has caught 59 passes for 607 yards and five TDs from Brady this season. “You can’t compare them, but both are great leaders.”

Patriots tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are a matchup nightmare, especially in the end zone:

In the past, a Chiefs-Patriots matchup used to thrust the tight end position into the spotlight, heavily focusing on how New England would defend Tony Gonzalez. When Kansas City invades Gillette Stadium on "Monday Night Football" for the first meeting between the teams in three seasons, the script will be flipped a bit.

Patriots second-year tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have emerged as tough covers for the opposition, and Kansas City coach Todd Haley raved about the duo this week. In fact, Haley suggested that the Chiefs had their eyes on both during the 2010 NFL draft while searching for their own replacement after Gonzalez departed for Atlanta the year before.

"Both these guys are really playing well. Hernandez and Gronkowski are players that I both, personally, really thought a lot of coming out [of college] and we spent time with both the guys at the combine," Haley said. "We spent a lot of time watching tape and [they're] players that [we] really, really thought had a chance to be good and they haven't disappointed."

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez could have easily made a break for it -- lunch in hand -- when reporters asked him to stop for an interview during the media access period Thursday at Gillette Stadium. But it's clear how much Hernandez actually enjoys these brief powwows.

Hernandez tossed his plate in the trash and, with grilled chicken in hand, conducted another lighthearted Q&A that included questions about his choice of lunch products, costing quarterback Tom Brady an interception last week against the Jets, and why he thinks Tim Tebow will thrive as a starter in Denver.

Hernandez's grilled chicken was noteworthy considering that Boston's baseball team is in the headlines the past two days with reports that members of its pitching staff were munching on fried chicken in the clubhouse during the team's epic September collapse. Said Hernandez about his meal: "It’s good. General Tso chicken -- grilled -- so it’s pretty healthy... You guys want some?"

Asked if he could play on Sunday with chicken in hand, Hernandez joked, "No, I don't want to drop any more touchdowns catches."

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If tight end Aaron Hernandez returns to action Sunday against the New York Jets, Tom Brady's job suddenly gets easier writes ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss:

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was approached Friday and asked about the player who could be the X factor Sunday against the New York Jets -- tight end Aaron Hernandez.

The question was whether he could think of any Patriots tight end over the past 11 seasons who reminded him of Hernandez. Brady came up blank.

"He's not anything like [Rob Gronkowski], not anything like Christian Fauria was. Nothing like [Daniel] Graham or [Benjamin] Watson," said Brady, who could have added Jermaine Wiggins, Rod Rutledge, Cam Cleeland, David Thomas and Kyle Brady into the mix for good measure. "He's pretty unique."

The answer confirmed the obvious, that the Patriots have not had a skill-position player with Hernandez's skill set since Brady took over the starting job in 2001. Maybe the closest they've come is when Larry Centers, who technically was listed as a fullback but was utilized as an on-the-move option in the passing game, was on the club in 2003.

"Larry was great, explosive in the pass game, a phenomenal player with great hands, smart," Brady said.

At that point, though, Centers was at the end of his 14-year career and far from the dynamic player who once caught 101 passes with the Arizona Cardinals in the mid-1990s. He also was different in the sense that the Patriots wouldn't put him next to the offensive tackle like they do at times with Hernandez, an area in which Brady views Hernandez as capable.

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is still working his way back from a left knee injury that has sidelined him for the past two games, but he indulged reporters Thursday with a quick stop by his locker to update his health.

"I feel pretty good," he said. "I’m just trying to get healthy, take it day-by-day."

Asked how frustrating it has been to be unable to get on the field, Hernandez noted, "It's always frustrating when you love the game. I'm just taking it day-by-day -- I can’t wait to get back."

Hernandez did offer a big vote of confidence for his fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski. When asked if he was surprised the team kept only one pure tight end in recent weeks, Hernandez noted, "Not really, [Gronkowski is] a beast. He can do so many things, you really only need one."

Hernandez didn't practice Wednesday, which seems to indicate that he might not be back in time for Sunday's clash with the rival Jets. That didn't stop Darrelle Revis from noting Wednesday that tight end play has hurt New York in previous matchups with New England and the star cornerback said the team is preparing as if Hernandez will play.

What's more, asked if he could cover Hernandez, Revis said: "Um, I can cover him, I know that. Is it going to be me [on Hernandez]? I don't know," according to the Star-Ledger.

Apprised of Revis' comments, Hernandez smiled and purposely stalled while crafting an answer.

"Um, well, I think it would be a good matchup," he offered.

Pressed on if he liked his chances in that matchup, Hernandez smiled and said, "You could change that into a story now," and let out a playful growl that he had displayed earlier in the interview before departing.

How will the Patriots alter their offense without tight end Aaron Hernandez? Members of coach Bill Belichick's staff wouldn't tip their hands Tuesday and said it was too early to tell how the team will compensate.

"We’re in the process of game-planning right now," said offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien. "We’re going to head out to practice [Wednesday], start putting in the game plan and go from there."

Patriots personnel director Nick Caserio suggested that, whether Hernandez was healthy or not, the Patriots game plan would be built around attacking the weakness of that next opponent.

"I think it’s really specific to the opponent that we’re playing," said Caserio. "We look at the players that we have on our team and we figure out the best way to attack that particular [opponent], whether it’s multiple tight ends, multiple receivers, multiple running backs, whatever the case may be. We’ll prepare like we do every week. The game plan isn’t even in yet. We haven’t even started practicing, so we don’t even exactly know where we’re going to be come Sunday, so we’ll take it one day at a time. Once we have all the information at our expense, we’ll do what we feel is best for the team."

Playing without Hernandez last year in Buffalo when the rookie missed the final two games of the regular season due to a hip injury, the Patriots still leaned heavy on a two-tight end, two-wide receiver formation, simply ramping up the role of third string tight end Alge Crumpler.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez opened his sophomore campaign by catching seven passes for 103 yards and a touchdown during New England's 38-24 triumph over Miami Monday night at Sun Life Stadium. Hernandez said he was just happy to be part of the fun as Tom Brady targeted 10 receivers while passing for a team-record 517 yards.

“We've got a great quarterback who puts the ball on the right spot at all times and it’s easy to make the catch," said Hernandez. "Tight ends are a big part of the offense and he knows how to get us the ball.”

Hernandez and fellow second-year tight end Rob Gronkowski combined for 13 catches for 189 yards and two of Brady's four touchdowns. Hernandez shrugged off the continued production from the two young players.

"I guess that’s why they drafted us," he said. "Rob takes a lot of off me. He’s so dynamic that a lot of people have to worry about him, and forget about me. Sometimes they forget about him and have to worry about me, so it’s a great combination.”

Hernandez, who played his college ball at Florida, provided one of the night's more memorable moments with his touchdown celebration that mocked tossing money in the air. This after catching a 1-yard touchdown pass (set up by a more spectacular 30-yard grab that left him lunging for the goal line).

Asked about the celebration, Hernandez smiled and noted, “I made it rain a little bit."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Very rarely are there positional meetings in New England with less bodies in attendance than quarterback and specialists. But as the Patriots prep for Week 1 of the 2011 season, tight end gatherings are as thin as it gets.

"It's a little quiet right now with just me and [Rob Gronkowski] in there," admitted tight end Aaron Hernandez. "I’m sure someone else will come in. I don’t mind it, though. [Gronkowski is] a great tight end. I don’t mind it being us."

The Patriots elected to carry more quarterbacks (3) and specialists (3) while trimming down to the league-mandated 53-man limit Saturday, and that's thrust the play -- and health -- of two second-year players into the spotlight. While both Hernandez (45 receptions, 563 yards, 6 TDs) and Gronkowski (42 receptions, 546 yards, 10 TD) had phenomenal rookie campaigns, that's still mighty thin for a position the Patriots lean so heavily on.

What's more, the Patriots do not currently boast any additional depth on their eight-man practice squad after both undrafted rookie Will Yeatman (Dolphins) and fifth-round draft pick Lee Smith (Bills) were swooped up off waivers by AFC East rivals.

So position meetings currently feature plenty of 1-on-1 time between the two young tight ends and position coach Brian Ferentz. Regardless of that lack of depth, Gronkowski and Hernandez say little will change for them.

"It’s basically the same thing as always; Whether it's two or five [tight ends], I still gotta go out there and do what I do," said Gronkowski. "I have to do what the coaches ask me to do. Just go out there and perform how I can perform. Go out there and do the job they ask me to do. I don’t feel like anything changes at all. Eight tight ends in there or two, it doesn’t matter."

Health remains the key issue. Hernandez missed the final two weeks of the 2010 regular season with a hip injury, a situation now that would force the Patriots to scramble for additional depth.

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- While ESPNBoston.com intern Mike Rodak puts together some of his observations from the Patriots' second training camp practice Thursday, I will focus on two rookies who stood out to me from the session: tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

The Patriots worked an 11-on-11 drill in which it looked like the ball was spotted around the 2-yard line. With quarterback Tom Brady under center, both rookie tight ends were on the field.

On one play, Gronkowski ran to the left side and with his size (6-foot-6, 265 pounds) easily shaded a defender for a touchdown catch. Not long after that, Hernandez came down with a difficult touchdown grab on the right side, leaping into the air and wrestling the ball away from a defender as both were in position to make the play.

Those two plays, which were sandwiched around a Gary Guyton interception of a Brady pass, offered a snapshot of what could be.

The Patriots' red zone offense in 2009 was not as efficient as desired, and the potential roles of Gronkowski and Hernandez in that area has already been well-dissected.

After their segment working with Brady, both rookie tight ends found themselves working with rookie Zac Robinson in an 11-on-11 drill with more of the team's lesser experienced players.

On the first day of training camp, they are getting a lot of work.

The Patriots’ first public training camp practice is Thursday, July 29, and with 82 players on the roster, there is plenty to analyze. ESPNBoston.com has picked what it feels are the top eight aspects to monitor. As part of the “Countdown to Camp”, they will be counted down with one each day leading up to the first practice.

No. 8: Tight end turnover and red-zone impact

Why it’s a top issue: The Patriots had 65 trips inside the red-zone last season, which was the third-highest total in the NFL. They scored 34 touchdowns on those trips, for a 52.3 percent conversion rate (13^th in the NFL). That is too many missed opportunities. When the space gets tight on the field, it is where bigger tight ends can distinguish themselves.

Why it might change: There is a complete overhaul at the tight end position, with players and coaches. The Patriots project to keep three tight ends on the roster, veteran Alge Crumpler (6-2, 275) and rookies Rob Gronkowski (6-6, 265) and Aaron Hernandez (6-1, 245), opening the possibility of having all three on the field in the red zone. Last year, the Patriots had two tight ends – Benjamin Watson (now in Cleveland) and Chris Baker (now in Seattle). The unit is now coached by Brian Ferentz, the son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Historical perspective: Not since the 2002 season have the Patriots had a complete overhaul at the position. That was the third year of Bill Belichick’s tenure and the team drafted Daniel Graham in the first round and signed free agents Christian Fauria and Cam Cleeland. That trio replaced Rod Rutledge and Jermaine Wiggins on the roster.

Xs and Os thought: When the Patriots scouted tight ends in the 2010 draft, they split them into two categories – the “Y” and the “F”. The “Y” position is one of the most challenging for a rookie to make an immediate impact because he is equally involved in both the run-blocking and pass-catching games, and that’s why it wouldn’t be surprising if second-round pick Gronkowski (“Y”) doesn’t have as immediate of an impact as fourth-round pick Hernandez (“F”).

Looking to the future: Crumpler is signed for the next two years and represents a bridge to the future as Gronkowski and Hernandez evolve as professionals. In part because Hernandez played in an offense at Florida with similar concepts to the Patriots, he figures to have the most immediate impact as a pass-catcher.

Fun fact: Prior to this year, the Patriots had not selected a tight end in the draft since 2006 (David Thomas, third round).