Super Bowl 50: Giants among challengers to Patriots' throne?

As the 2014 NFL season fades to black and the New England Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX victory over the Seattle Seahawks becomes just a memory, we now begin the long NFL offseason. For the New York Giants, a critical offseason is beginning with the Giants receiving much more respect than a team with back-to-back losing seasons and three straight playoff-less years might expect -- or generally deserve.

Wait. What? Respect after 7-9 and 6-10? Well, yes.

On the heels of New England's victory over Seattle on Sunday Alex Marvez of FOX Sports has put together a list of the 10 teams with the best chance of dethroning the Patriots in Super Bowl 50. Right there at No. 10 on Marvez' list are your New York Giants:

The Giants won Super Bowl titles during the 2007 and 2011 seasons. New York could surprise everyone again after another four-year cycle with the NFL's most dynamic rookie receiver (Odell Beckham Jr.) and the return of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

The bad news here? The Dallas Cowboys are No. 3 on the list.

Here is one more. Rotoworld's Evan Silva has posted his list of team needs and roster rankings heading into the offseason. The Giants are a pedestrian No. 16 here. What is really interesting, though, is that Silva has the 10-win Philadelphia Eagles behind the Giants at No. 17. The Cowboys are No. 11.

All of this, of course, means little to nothing. It is interesting, however, to see the respect the Giants are getting as we head into the offseason. Do they deserve it? You tell us.