Rolle has uneven day

Well, you can say this for Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle: It’s never dull when he’s around the ball. Both the exhilarating and exasperating sides of Rolle were on display in the Cardinals’ 31-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday.

First, the good:

Rolle scooped up a Jacksonville field goal attempt blocked by defensive end Calais Campbell and weaved through the Jaguars for an 83-yard return. Amazingly, it was the sixth touchdown of Rolle’s career, four coming on interceptions and the fifth on a fumble recovery.

“A lot of the really good players in the league have that knack and I can’t really explain what it is, but Antrel has it,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

Rolle said he knew he had a chance to score even though he was playing on a sore left knee that swelled up after a first-quarter hit.

“Their field goal blocking, they have a majority of big guys on the field so once the all got in my hands I knew pretty much I could take it the distance.”

Now, the bad:

It was an adventure watching Rolle return punts. Early in the second quarter he failed to catch an Adam Podlesh kick that bounced just a few yards from him. He compounded the mistake by not waving off his teammates, and the ball hit rookie Greg Toler. Jacksonville recovered at the Arizona 26-yard line.

“I was mute on that play,” Rolle said. “I was supposed to give him (Toler) a call to back off and I didn’t do it. So I take full responsibility for that.”

Then, late in the second quarter, he muffed a Podlesh punt and was fortunate to recover the ball at Arizona’s 17-yard line.

“I don’t think I played the best game. I made a couple of bad decisions,” Rolle said.

Whisenhunt had seen enough by halftime. Steve Breaston returned punts in the second half.

“I’m going to have to talk to him about the punt returns,” Whisenhunt said.



(eastvalleytribune.com)