Antrel Rolle calls out teammates

One day after saying that the winless New York Giants can go 12-0 for the rest of the season, Antrel Rolle said that some of his teammates don't share his confidence.

"Honestly speaking, I really don't believe that everyone believes that we can win within our locker room," Rolle said Tuesday during an appearance on WFAN radio in New York. "And it's hard. There's guys that haven't been there before, there's guys that haven't been affiliated with how the Giants make comebacks and how we can come back in the games, or how we can overcome adversity.

"So I really don't expect every guy to believe, to have the same belief that I have, or maybe the other people that have been around the organization have."

The Giants are 0-4 for the first time since 1987, and the first time in a non-strike season since 1979.

"We put some awful football out there," Rolle said. "We all understand that, but it's not too late for us to turn it around."

Rolle, one of the Giants' captains, asked head coach Tom Coughlin if he could address the team during their meeting Monday, one day after New York's 31-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fellow captain Justin Tuck came to the defense of Coughlin following the loss to the Chiefs, telling the New York Daily News, "If anyone turns on our coach, I would be the first one to punch him in the mouth."

"I'll back up exactly what Justin Tuck is saying," Rolle said Tuesday. "Because it's not our coach under any means. It's not our coach -- we have an outstanding coach. We have an excellent coach. We have a coach that has a fire within his heart, we have a coach that's motivated, we have a coach that believes we can win.

"Coach is coach, the players play the game. It's not our head coach. And I'll be the first to say that, I'll be the second to say it, I'll be the third to say it. Coach Coughlin has nothing, nothing, nothing at all to do [with] what we have been displaying out there on Sundays."

The Giants, who have played three of their first four games on the road, host the division rival Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) on Sunday. With the first-place Dallas Cowboys at just 2-2 and facing the undefeated Denver Broncos this week, the Giants can get right back in the NFC East race with a victory.

Rolle issued a rallying cry to the fans on Tuesday as well.

"Just bring the enthusiasm, bring the excitement," Rolle said. "We want to hear that loud noise, we want to hear that roar like we heard when we were making our Super Bowl run.

"We need that same intensity from our fans. We know we haven't given em much to get excited for, to 'Rah rah rah' for, but just bring it and we promise we're gonna be there and we're gonna bring our best."


(espn.com)