Giants Schedule 2012: Defending Champs Must Get Fast Start

The 2012 New York Giants will be the hunted. Every team on their schedule will have the date they play the defending champions circled.

That said—the Giants will have to match that intensity, and they can't afford to start slowly. Right out of the gates the Giants will be in an NFC East showdown with rival Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys will test the Giants' dedication to continued NFL superiority. The team will not be able to endure a stretch like the one they fought through in November of 2011—especially not at the beginning of the season.

Tony Romo and the Cowboys will play with desperation in 2012. If this team doesn't make the playoffs, there will be huge changes.

The Cowboys and Eagles will be better, and the Giants can't wait until the final two weeks of the season to raise their game.

Towards the end of the season, the Eagles were playing as well as any team in the NFL. They won their last four games, and I expect that momentum will carry over to this season.

With another year of maturity for the Skins and the potential addition of Robert Griffin III at QB, it isn't crazy to expect an improvement from Washington either.

In 2011, the Giants dropped the opener to the Redskins and the second matchup to Washington in December. Luckily for them, the Skins weren't in the division title picture.

The Giants won't have the luxury of losing the season opener this year. A loss to the Cowboys in Week 1 could be more damaging down the road as the Cowboys figure to be in the division title race from beginning to end. 

Week 2 is a game the Giants have to win simply because they are better than Tampa Bay—and they will be at home. 

The Giants have the luxury of playing their first two games at MetLife Stadium,before hitting the road to take on Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in Week 3.

All three of these games are winnable games and anything short of a 2-1 record will put the Giants in a bad way.

A 1-2 or 0-3 start will put them in a hole in regard to overall record, as well as potential division and conference tie-breakers.

I know Tom Coughlin has made a habit of bringing his teams out of nowhere into the Super Bowl, but the NFC East will be too strong for that this season.

If the Giants want to repeat, they will have to play like champions from the beginning.

Follow Brian Mazique

and Franchiseplay - A Haven For Sports Expression

Follow @franchiseplay