Antrel Rolle: ‘Offense will pick it up’ and Giants can run table

Assessing the performance of the Giants’ defense in their 16-10 loss to the 49ers, Antrel Rolle said, “We did enough to get a win, but I don’t think we did enough to help our team win.’’

History certainly backs up Rolle’s contention that the defense did enough to win. Under coach Tom Coughlin, the Giants are 61-7 in games in which they hold the opponent to fewer than 20 points, but what has happened 90 percent of the time in the past 11 years didn’t ring true Sunday.

Despite the offensive meltdown that led to the latest loss, Rolle sounded moderately upbeat Tuesday when asked if he believes the Giants can run the table and win their remaining six games.

“Absolutely, I think it’s a possibility,” Rolle on his weekly WFAN spot. “There’s no doubt in my mind. But in order for it to be a possibility, we have to go out there and play as a team. All three phases have to be on the same page at the same time.”

All three phases more often have played poorly in the same game than those three phases rallying and playing well simultaneously. The Giants are coming off a game in which they received an outstanding performance from their special teams and a solid outing from their defense, but Eli Manning threw five interceptions and the offense managed just 10 points.

“I know our offense will pick it up,’’ Rolle said. “They’re a great offense. They just had a bad day.”

There have been more bad days than good ones for the Giants, as they lug a record of 3-7 into Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys. The Giants are searching for a way out of what is now a five-game losing streak, and facing their NFC East rival “just means that much more,” Rolle said.

The loss to the 49ers came after the Giants failed four times to gain an inch on four cracks from the San Francisco 4-yard line, with the first three plays fade passes — the first-down call was a run that Manning changed at the line of scrimmage — that were not completed.

Asked if he was thrilled with those play-calls, Rolle said, “From a defensive standpoint, I can’t say I was thrilled about it, no,’’ but it did not come across as a knock on the offense.

“We all know there have been plenty of times where the offense saved our butts,” he said.

After the Cowboys, the schedule softens, with games against four non-playoff contenders — Jaguars, Titans and Rams on the road and the Redskins at home — before closing out the season at home against the Eagles.

Run the table?

“This team is more than capable,’’ Rolle said, “but right now we’re just not doing the things that are asked of us to do.’’


(nypost.com)