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The preseason is over. Final cuts have been made. The New York Giants can focus solely on defending their Super Bowl championship, a road that begins Wednesday when the Giants open the season by hosting the Dallas Cowboys (8:30 p.m. ET).
The unprecedented Wednesday kickoff to the season for the NFL is set to accommodate President Barack Obama, who will be speaking at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night. The presidential race between Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney is, however, not what is foremost on the minds of the Giants.
That would be the NFC East rival Cowboys.
The Giants defeated the Cowboys twice in the final four weeks of the regular season last year to qualify for the playoffs, enabling their Super Bowl run. The losses sent Dallas home without a playoff berth.
There has already been acrimony between the teams this year. Cowboys ower Jerry Jones told fans to come out and watch the Cowboys "beat the New York Giants' asses" this season.
Giants' linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka responded by saying "the Giants have been whupping his ass for a long time," then adding "It's gotta be tough on the outside looking in on all of these championships lately,"
The Cowboys last won the Super Bowl in 1995, and have won just one playoff game since 1996, losing six. During that span the Giants have appeared in three Super Bowls, winning two. So, Jones' angst is easy to understand.
We begin finding out what happens this season on Wednesday night.
-- Stay here at SB Nation New York for much more coverage leading up to the game. Visit SB Nation's Big Blue View for news, analysis and discussion relating to the Giants.
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