Super Bowl Odds 2012: Giants Will Be Motivated to Knock off Patriots as Underdog

The New York Giants' magical ride has come to an end, but the ending will be a happy one. The G-Men and Eli will prove they have Brady and the Pats' number and win it all. The Giants have heard it before, this postseason and in 2007, and their underdog status only drives them.

They have seen the seemingly invincible offenses fall. They conquered the one-loss Green Bay Packers, the Niners dropped the New Orleans Saints, and now Tom Brady's Patriots await the G-Men in the Super Bowl.

The Giants are a more-modest 3.5-point underdog this year, as compared to the nearly two touchdown margin they were doomed by in 2007. Still, the Giants will file this under the same disrespect tab in which they placed their previous three postseason wins.

The Giants and Patriots have both bucked the odds this season. Before this year, no team ranked 25th or lower had ever reached the Super Bowl.

The Giants ranked 27th and the Pats were dead last. The Giants understood that the team that underachieved in the regular season was not who they really were. They have set out to show the world what they are made of.

Eli Manning said this to Yahoo Sports concerning his team's fortitude:

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“I’m just proud of the guys, what we’ve overcome this year, what we’ve been through,” Manning said, “just never having any doubts, keep believing in our team that we could get hot and start playing our best football.”

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Justin Tuck added this, according to Pro Football Talk: "People don't give us a shot, and we like that."

Manning has been the one constant all year, and if anything he's elevated his play in the playoffs. He has averaged more than 300 yards per game in the postseason, with 8 TDs and only one INT.

The Mannning-Brady matchup is no longer a one-sided comparison. Because of that, the Giants can be confident as they go to battle with the Patriots.

If the game does turn into a shootout, they have the signal-caller who can more than keep up with Brady.

The team that averaged only 89 yards per game on the ground during the season is averaging 117 during the postseason. The much-maligned defense that gave 376 yards per game has tightened up to allow only 321 yards in the postseason.

The Giants are playing at a level on both sides of the ball that enables them to win any style of game. This is why Bill Belichick admitted the Super Bowl will be the Pats' toughest game.

The Giants know they are a changed bunch. The doubters are shrinking, but they still exist.

The Vegas odds are proof of that, and the Giants want to make one final point in Indianapolis on Super Bowl Sunday.

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