New York Giants: The NFL’s forgotten favourites

In the 2012/13 NFL season, there are many things that are going to be hard to do. It’ll be hard not to worry about the ability of the replacement referees.

Hard to escape the hype surrounding rookie quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin the Third, and hard not to openly laugh at the New York Jets offence.

While not quite as difficult as any of the above, it’s still pretty damn difficult to see the New York Giants becoming back to back Super Bowl champions.

It’s not that the Giants have had anything drastic happen to them in the off-season.

They’ve managed to avoid any Bounty style sagas, haven’t decided to put in an offer for Terrell Owens and their own personal Manning remains healthy.

It’s just that, well, they are the Giants.

Only a handful of teams (nine) have managed to go back to back on the game’s biggest day, and none of those have come off a regular season as patchy as the Oakland colosseum.

With a 9-7 win loss record, and a Super Bowl that was one fit Gronkowski off being lost, the Giants managed to ride their luck like a drunken frat boy on his first night at the tables in Vegas in 2011.

Clearly if the G-men are going to be hanging around into the chilly months they’d be wanting to make a few changes.

A little bit more consistency would be good for starters, as it’s unlikely that the Giants are going to be given the free ride to top of their division like they were last season.

Their NFC East housemates the Eagles have the ability, and occasionally the attitude to take top spot, and the Redskins have got an injection of cool through their long awaited signing of RG3.

Also, asking the Cowboys to underperform and their quarterback Tony Romo to choke in the clutch games yet again is…well yeah that’s pretty much assured, but you still have to worry about those Eagles.

On top of this, coach Coughlin may want to think about taking some of the strain off Manning’s shoulder by actually running the ball occasionally this year.

Being Super Bowl champions with a running game ranked the worst in the league is more embarrassing the Chad Ochocinco’s soccer career, and considering their first round draft choice of running back David Wilson it looks like a good a time for a change as any.

Perhaps most importantly of all though the Giants need to do what Frankie says, and relax.

Instead of revelling in the relative anonymity of being ranked as low as twelfth favourites to hoist the Lombardi trophy, the Giants are blowing up deluxe about the lack of respect they are getting from punters, bookmakers and video game companies alike.

Top this off with the media’s obsession with big apple brother the Jets, and the Giants might have reason to be a little defensive.

However, if history has shown us anything it’s that the Giants are at their best when they’re playing their ‘Aw shucks’ Brady ball.

Sneaking under the radar using Tim Tebow as a great big hype block could be the best thing for them, and their relatively attention free pre-season should be a great secret weapon.

So all things considered, the Giants should be considered a chance, if not a favourite for the title.

Provided they continue to stay away from Terrell Owens that is.

Follow Chris on Twitter: @Vic_Arious