Antrel Rolle was seemingly in the middle of everything Monday night as the Giants finally broke through this season with a 23-7 victory over the Vikings.
He dropped Adrian Peterson for no gain in the second quarter. He should have had an interception of Josh Freeman early in the third quarter but dropped the ball. Later in that quarter he came up with his second interception of the season when he picked off a floating Freeman pass. Rolle then saved a touchdown by hustling to run down Cordarrelle Patterson on a 69-yard kickoff return.
Rolle, a team captain and outspoken leader, was not happy about a penalty called on him in the second quarter. The NFL puts on emphasis on protecting defenseless receivers, and Rolle was flagged with a 15-yard personal foul when he drilled receiver Jerome Simpson with a heavy shoulder-to-shoulder hit.
“I’m not even worried about that, I could care less what it was,’’ Rolle said. “I know it wasn’t a helmet-to-helmet hit, he ducked his head and I kind of hit him with my shoulder blade. I’ll deal with that when the time comes, I can’t let that take me out of my game. I play a game fast, whatever’s going to happen is going to happen.’’
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Brandon Jacobs enjoyed a throwback performance in his last outing, running for 106 yards and two touchdowns in an Oct. 10 loss to the Bears but came out of that game with a balky hamstring. He’s not sure he will be ready to play against the Eagles on Sunday. “I’m hoping and praying,’’ Jacobs said. “Hamstrings are tricky, we all know that.’’ … C David Bass returned after missing the past three games with a neck injury, but he did not last long. The opening drive for the Giants lasted 17 plays, and Baas had to leave the field at the end of the drive with a knee injury and did not return. Jim Cordle, who started the last three games, replaced Baas, who will have an MRI exam on Tuesday. … DE Jason Pierre-Paul started despite missing most of the week battling the flu. “I’m a little under the weather but I’m good,’’ Pierre-Paul said. “I think I played very well, I could have done better.’’