EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –- Jason Pierre-Paul agrees with Antrel Rolle that the Giants need to bring back the “dog” mentality that they had during last year’s Super Bowl run.

“I’m behind Rolle 100 percent,” Pierre-Paul said. “We’ve been playing like we haven’t. I think we’re a little soft, but I think we’ll get there. We haven’t played our best game this year, and I know that for a fact, that we haven’t played it.”

Rolle didn't use the word "soft" which Tom Coughlin did earlier in the season to describe his team's interior defense.

But after losing three of the last four games, Rolle said he and his teammates need a slight attitude adjustment. Time to put the bite back in the Giants’ play.

“All dogs bite,” Rolle said. “All dogs bite. Just need to go out there and play ball. That’s it. Save the hugs and kisses for after the game.”

Rolle believes that the Giants might have been too complimentary of opponents in recent weeks before playing against them. Last week, the Giants practically went out of their way to praise rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Rolle says there’s nothing wrong with giving credit to an opponent. But he wants the Giants to have a fiercer mentality going into their games.

“Give credit when credit is due,” Rolle said. “You’re asked a question about your opponent, you handle it in a professional manner, which we always do as the Giants organization. But I don’t think we need to go beyond that point.”

“This game is just as much mental as it is physical,” he continued. “You got to give yourself an edge. You can’t go in there, you know, praising this team, praising [that] team. You know you already somewhat defeated yourself at that point.”

Rolle made it clear that he did not think the Giants showering RG3 with praise led to their 17-16 loss at Washington on Monday night.

But he still told his teammates that he would like to see the bark back in the Giants’ play.

“I wasn’t looking for anyone to back me up,” Rolle said of his comments. “This is football. We are not building computers. We are not businessmen. We are out there to play a very physical sport, to play ball and having that dog mentality and having a nasty attitude. ... I think it suits us right.”

“I speak for myself more than anything,” he added. “I think I can have more dog in my system, I can go out there and attack more than I have been. For those guys who feel the same, they can look in the mirror and judge themselves.”