Giants rookie Pierre-Paul may have expanded role

The Giants had 10 sacks against the Bears last Sunday night, yet not once was the name of first-round rookie pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul called on the public address system. But with Mathias Kiwanuka out with a neck injury and Osi Umenyiora not practicing on Wednesday because of a knee injury, Pierre-Paul is inching closer to being called upon to play a major role.

It could happen as soon as Sunday in Houston. Pierre-Paul generally has been lining up at left end in pass-rushing situations through the first four games, but with Umenyiora sitting out practice, the rookie took a lot of reps at the right end spot.

"He was in the walk-through with us," Pierre-Paul said of Umenyiora, "but they had me playing quite much on the right-hand side. So, I think I'm going to be on the right side. I played it in college. It's nothing I can't adjust to."

At South Florida, the 6-5, 270-pound Pierre-Paul overcame his lack of experience with freakish physical skills that pushed him into the first round of the draft. He played everywhere on the defensive line, saying, "Wherever the strength was, that's where I was at."

Pierre-Paul hasn't had a major impact on the Giants' stat sheet with only two total tackles and a quarterback hit through four games. But he stopped talented Tennessee running back Chris Johnson on third-and-2 on one of those tackles, and Pierre-Paul would have recorded his first NFL interception against the Bears if not for a roughing penalty on linebacker Jonathan Goff that wiped it out.

The interception underlined Pierre-Paul's athletic ability as he dropped into the spot vacated by Goff on his blitz and picked off backup Chicago quarterback Todd Collins on the first play of the fourth quarter and returned the ball 16 yards to the Bears' 19-yard line.

"That was my first interception in the league, but I had interceptions all three years in college," Pierre-Paul said. "It wasn't nothing [different], but being in the National Football League and the crowd cheers loud, it felt good. It got called back, but it was all right for that moment. I had a couple yards. Thought I was a running back, you know."

He might be young, but Pierre-Paul doesn't lack for confidence. He said he's not the type to simply fall on a loose ball or go down with an interception. "Even a fumble recovery, I try to pick it up and run with it and get what I can get," he said with a laugh.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Pierre-Paul is progressing nicely and shown a good understanding of his assignments on defense. The rookie noticed his No. 90 is popular with some top defensive ends, including the Bears' Julius Peppers last week and Houston's Mario Williams this week. He wouldn't mind being in that company.

As Pierre-Paul said, "Watch out for those No. 90s, right?"