NEW JERSEY (AP) — The New York Giants, and Bermuda's Antonio Pierce, are feeling a little unappreciated heading in to the NFC semi-final against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants (11-5) were thoroughly beaten by the Cowboys (13-3) in both regular-season games this season and coach Tom Coughlin's team has developed an inferiority complex that it intends to carry into Dallas on Sunday.

They are the working stiffs playing America's Team.

If you listen to Giants middle linebacker Pierce, it's the All-Joes against the All-Pros.

Twelve members of the Cowboys including quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Terrell Owens, were selected to the Pro Bowl and five more were All-Pro selections, either first or second team. The Giants did not have an All-Pro pick. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora was the only one to make the Pro Bowl.

"Yeah, we love it," Pierce said. "It is always a fun thing. The Dallas Cowboys are America's Team. They have been labelled that. They have a starting quarterback who is not only a good player on the field, but off the field as well. That's a compliment.

"The guy stays busy, but he is a hell of a quarterback and they have a hell of a team," Pierce said.

"They have a receiver who somehow can fix his body in weeks. You look at the challenges that they present, 13 Pro Bowlers, it is like an all-Pro team versus an All-Joe team."

Romo and Owens have been a thorn in the Giants' side this season, combining for four touchdown passes of 20 yards or more.

It's no wonder they drew Pierce's ire.

The discrepancy in the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honours has annoyed some Giants' players, Umenyiora said.

The Giants insist they are a better team than the one that lost to the Cowboys 45-35 on the opening weekend of the season and 31-20 on November 11.

Pierce intends on reminding his teammates that the point spread is 7½, so the bookies don't even think the Giants have a chance.

"Hopefully, we will get a little closer than that," Pierce said. "To be honest, they have more pressure on them than we do. We are just the 10-6 Giants against the number one seed Cowboys, who are going to win the Super Bowl."

When asked if losing and covering the spread was OK, Pierce got serious.

"I never said 'lose' in anything I have ever said," he said.