By Ralph Vacchiano / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

NY GIANTS 52, SAINTS 27

Antrel Rolle called for the Giants to let out their “dogs.” Then David Wilson finally broke out of the doghouse.

Wilson, the Giants’ 2012 first-round pick, had his long-awaited breakout game on Sunday, setting the tone with an early 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that was only the start of his big day. He set a team record with 327 all-purpose yards, including 100 rushing yards and two scores on the ground, to lead the Giants to a 52-27 win over New Orleans.

It was the moment Wilson was waiting for since he fumbled on his second NFL carry on opening night against Dallas. And for the Giants, his “coming out party” as fullback Henry Hynoski called it, couldn’t have come at a better time. Had they lost on Sunday they wouldn’t have just lost control of their playoff destiny, they would’ve slipped all the way to third in the tight NFC East.

PHOTOS: GIANTS BLOW PAST BREES, SAINTS, 52-27

“For him to come out today and have the kind of game that we needed him to have,” said Tom Coughlin. “We needed a spark. We certainly got one. The timing was right.”

“He’s probably the best athlete on the team,” Justin Tuck added. “Whenever you put a threat like that back there, it’s only a matter of time.”

Wilson wasn’t the only sparkplug. The Giants’ defense — fired up by Rolle’s call to play “nasty” and to “get a little bit more dog in us” last week – gave up a lot of yards (487), but kept the Saints off balance by forcing four turnovers. That included two interceptions from safety Stevie Brown, whose pick in the fourth quarter at the Giants’ 8 with the Saints threatening to make it a one-touchdown game, may have saved the day.