Necessary Roughness with Kisha is a sports blog that focuses on football, both college and professional. However, no topic is off limits.

Posts Tagged ‘New York Giants’

 
Feb
7
2012

4

Thoughts on the painful Super Bowl XLVI loss

 

21-17, we fell a few points short.

It’s a close one but I think that this loss hurt a little more than the first time around. No matter what you tried to tell yourself before the game, losing the way the Patriots did is still difficult to take in.

There were so many chances for them to win. Heck, we managed to have a miserable first half but still be up by one point going into halftime. Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (who had a pretty non-existent season) made one of the longest catches of the game with 21 yards. It seemed like things finally starting to fall into place, even with a first half that started with a rookie mistake, Patriots fans were hopeful that this is where the real Patriots would come out.

The Patriots looked to have found their rhythm. Tom Brady constructed an impressive 96 yard drive that ended in a four yard touchdown catch by running back Danny Woodhead. 

In the first drive of the second half, Aaron Hernandez made a 12 yard catch into the end zone and made it rain on the big stage. Things were looking up.

Following the touchdown, everything seemed to go downhill. From an inability to recover fumbles to team’s most reliable receivers struggling to make catches.  The entire team just seemed off. The defense, surprisingly, wasn’t the biggest disappointment of the game though.

It turned out the be the receivers who struggled the most.

Deion Branch, the one-time Super Bowl MVP, was no stranger to the pressures of this game. But he dropped a crucial pass.

Wes Welker, Tom Brady’s favorite receiver who had 122 catches this season, dropped a catch that he’s “…Made a thousand times.” This catch, more than the others could have sealed the victory for the Patriots.

It would be easy to place blame on number 83 but honestly, I think it’s both on him and on Brady’s pass (the pass looked to be behind Welker and a tad high).

I don’t think the blaming game will help the hardcore Patriots fan in me.

My good friend Joe Gill asked me about why I thought this loss hurt more than the first defeat,

Because I think the reasons they had to play well, to finish this season as champions were so much deeper than in 2007. Back then, it was about the perfect season. This time …

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Jan
31
2012

0

Patriots Media Day at Super Bowl 46

 

The Media Day...

It’s the day during Super Bowl week in which the players are thrown into the media masses and get asked anything and everything for an about an hour.

I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy it all from the comfort of my couch. Here are some of the highlights.

ROB GRONKOWSKI IS BOOTLESS

The tight end was seen without a boot as he sat on podium fielding questions from everyone about his status. I lost count on how many times Gronk said “day by day”, “day to day” and any other variation of that phrase. In true Patriot Way, Gronk didn’t reveal much other than he wasn’t wearing a compression wrap either. Who knows if he will be 100% by Sunday but to see him without a boot on Tuesday is comforting.

WES WELKER WANTS TO GET PAID AND THINKS THAT BB IS A TERRIBLE DRESSER

Wes Welker was all sorts of playful today. NFL Network’s Deion Sanders brought up salary talk as Welker’s contract is up after the 2011-2012 season. Sanders asked, “When the big game is over, are they gonna pay the man?!”

Welker smiled and said, “They better.” 

If Gronkowski is less than 100% for the big game, Welker’s worth to the offense drastically increases. I’d say he’s worth it. Here’s to seeing Welker in a Patriots uniform for many years to come.

Welker was also asked to talk about BB and Tom Brady, while he said nothing but great things about Brady and his dedication to the sport, he really has a problem with the way BB dresses.

Welker said, “One day he had on a Team Bassmasters sweatshirt…there’s something wrong with that.”

I wonder if looked anything like this sweatshirt, if so, that’s AWESOME.

CHAD OCHOCINCO JUST WANTS TO WIN/PLAY/CATCH A BALL

“He did it for a reason.” When Chad Ochocinco was asked if he ever wondered why “God would put him in that situation.” Ochocinco is not the guy we all expected him to be and was the first to admit that the whole experience was rather humbling.

I don’t think this is how Chad Ochocinco envisioned things to be when he made it to the Super Bowl but then again, this was his only chance to be in Indy for the weekend.

Somehow I think that if Chad catches a TD in the Super Bowl, it’ll make …

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Jan
23
2012

0

The Super Bowl and Ross Ventrone’s “Mayne Event”

 

Oh my Patriots. That really happened huh?

We’re going to the freakin’ Super Bowl! 

I know my prediction was way off, heck there was no way for me to predict that Tom Brady would provide so much suckage.

Although I will give him credit for that diving touchdown. I’ve seen Brady pull off some sneaks here and there but to man up and dive into the endzone like that? Whoa. It was unexpected, perfectly timed and well-executed. Did you miss it? Check it out!

To almost everyone’s surprise, it was the Patriots defense that won us the game. The same defense that raised questions every single week – regardless of their opponents. Yesterday’s game proved that when needed, the Patriots defense can win a game WITHOUT Tom Brady putting 30 points on the board.

Fact of the matter is, we’re going to the Super Bowl to face the Giants. Again. I know the Giants are a darn good team and Eli Manning is playing the best football in his career and once I’ve come down from my excitement, I know reality is going to hit and the threat of that Giants offense will be evident. Between the explosiveness of wide receiver Victor Cruz and the solid running attack, there’s a lot for the Patriots to prepare for.

The Patriots though aren’t going into this game empty handed.

Vince Wilfork has established a solid rush defense (heck, he was able to stop Ravens’ top running back Ray Rice) and not to mention, Sterling Moore has given the deep field coverage a nice spark (man, that end zone play was incredible, clutch in every meaning of the word).

Will this be an easy game for the Patriots? Hell no.

Will it be a wicked good game? You know it.

This is game about redemption and second chances. This season wasn’t easy or perfect and to be honest, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

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On a lighter note, I came across this on the ESPNBoston.com blog.

We all know that Ross Ventrone has been cut, signed and cut more than any other player in the NFL…at least he’s got a sense of humor about the whole thing.

My favorite part is Matt Light’s HILARIOUS comment. Man, I love this team.

 
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Sep
1
2011

0

Regular season concerns and Mr. Roboto

 
I’ve spend the past two nights snapping photos at Style Week Providence…which has taught me that:

1. I need to get better fashion sense
2. I wish I had the moolah to have more fashion sense

Style Week Providence, which I’m currently covering for my other job, is a rather interesting and awesome event. It is definitely unlike any event in Rhode Island. The whole set up is great…the only thing I would suggest is that they use a runway that changes colors a la Alien Ant Farm’s “Smooth Criminal” style.

(I forgot how incredibly entertaining and well-done this song was)

Before I get banished for skipping a Patriots game to go to a fashion show, let’s not forget that this is a preseason game against the Giants (who have had only two days to rest). The only thing I do wish is that I could’ve seen Albert Haynesworth in a Patriots uniform (finally!)

All of my analysis for the what the Patriots need to work on are pretty much aligned with what we already saw in the first few preseason games.

- The offensive line is way too hot and cold

– Tom Brady is off. Maybe it’s because he cut his hair or something, but something just isn’t clicking just yet

- Who is going to be the top receiver? Is it Welker? Gronkowski? Branch? Maybe Ochocinco…eventually? WHO?

- Between Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer…I may have more confidence with the rookie. He’s shown so many glimpses of early Tom Brady that it’s scary. From the moment that Mallett stepped onto the field in the first preseason game, I was already more comfortable with him than I’ve ever been with Hoyer.

- Ross Ventrone with his glorious golden locks is back and I’m more than excited. He and Buddy Farnham are my 2011 Danny Woodheads.

-Why do people keep doubting Matthew Slater?

- We have a decent amount of decent running backs

So tell me, what are you concerns going in to the regular season for the New England Patriots?

Since I have been out all night, my thoughts the game happening now will come in tomorrow’s post.

To help you enter an magical slumber, I’ve included my 80’s video pick of the day….

“Mr. Roboto” by none other than Styx.

Enjoy.

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