NEW YORK (AP) — Comments on the New York Giants by the AP Pro32 panel (ranking in parentheses):

NEW YORK GIANTS (3)

Chris Berman (ESPN, 1): After all, they are defending champs.

Clifton Brown (Sporting News, 1): Great clutch quarterback, superb pass rush, and motivated to prove they are better than last year's 9-7 regular season.

John Lynch (Fox Sports, 1): To be champ you've got to beat champ. They embody formula for success in today's NFL: franchise QB — Hello Eli — guys to knock down QB in Tuck, Osi, Jason Pierre-Paul, and they keep coming. Are you kidding me?

Bob Glauber (Newsday, 1): No questions this year about whether Eli is elite. After winning second Super Bowl MVP, Manning appears ready for another big year.

Clark Judge (CBSSports.com, 1): Last time I checked they're still defending champions.

Dan Pompei (Chicago Tribune, 2): It will be difficult for them to maintain hot streak they were on in postseason, but you have to give defending champions their due.

Pat Kirwan (SiriusXM NFL Radio/CBSSports.com, 2): World champs got hot at right time to go the distance, but need improvement to repeat. Eli Manning is now elite QB.

Cris Collinsworth (NBC Sports, 3): No surprise that "Old School" coaches met in Super Bowl. Discipline wins.

Rich Gannon (CBS Sports/SiriusXM NFL Radio, 5): I know they are defending champs, but they were just 9-7 in regular season.

Ira Kaufman (Tampa Tribune, 5): Defending champs always mount sturdy pass rush.

Alex Marvez (Foxsports.com, 6): It's easy to forget G-Men almost didn't make playoffs last season until late push. Let's see if being defending NFL champions provides early-season motivation.

Rick Gosselin (Dallas Morning News, 6): September, October, November and December don't seem to matter to Giants. January and February do.

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