By TOM CANAVAN (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- A good start is what is on the line this time when the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL season opener.
The stakes were much greater the last time the NFC East foes faced off to close the last regular season. New York won to claim the division title en route to the Super Bowl title. Dallas was left out of the postseason.
On Wednesday night at MetLife Stadium, the winner will take the early upper hand in the divisional race.
For Eli Manning and the Super Bowl champion Giants, this will be a chance to silence the critics and detractors who have sounded off repeatedly after they beat the New England Patriots in February to claim their second title in five seasons.
The Giants heard it all. They were lucky to get into the playoffs with a 9-7 record. They really didn't beat the Packers or 49ers, they were just handed the games. There is a lot more, but that is the gist.
That is now over.
The goal for Tom Coughlin's players is to show they have constructed that bridge the 65-year-old coach urged them to build to link their late-season 6-0 run to the title to the 2012 campaign.
''The leadership we have on this football team, that's going to be the spine of the bridge, if you will,'' defensive captain Justin Tuck said. ''I think we're in a good place as far as where we want to be coming into the game.''
The Giants are confident, and they don't care what outsiders are saying about them.
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