My initial take on this is that Rob tried to pull-off a strategy for a unique exit. He was on record stating he was missing home, so did he pull this stunt to try to orchestrate his own elimination? If he thought everyone was voting for Eric, and if Eric played his shot in the dark (i.e no votes other than for Eric), that would leave Robās vote for himself as the only alternate vote. If Rob then gives the idol to Eric, then Rob would go home by his own master plan. Of course, it all fell apart when he found out he couldnāt vote for himself.