Home team in CAPS:

It has been five long, difficult seasons for Big Blue entering this campaign, but for the loyal locals, it clearly has been worth the wait. Saquon Barkley has been nothing less than a revelation, and Daniel Jones has been making virtually all of the right moves, which has made the loyal locals joyous, indeed. 

Their postseason win — over the grossly overrated Vikings — has been digested. It has been demonstrated to all and sundry that Kirk Cousins is eminently beatable. Now, for bigger game. The Giants have long endured considerable levels of frustration trying to consistently beat the Eagles in South Philly. That remains a reality which must be respected. The Eagles are a rough, tough, physical outfit, made all the more formidable by the bye week they earned for dominating the NFC. 

We’re realistic in terms of granting the Eagles their fair advantages. The numbers tend not to lie, especially on offense. But also note … the Eagles’ ground game lines up fifth in the league, generating more than 147.6 yards per game. And we’re not done! 

Try not to shudder when you absorb that Philly’s “O” ranked fourth in the league in yards per play (at almost six yards a crack). Mercy. But make no mistake — the Giants flew under the league radar through the bulk of the entire season. Proof? They are 14-4 against consensus league spreads including postseason. 

Meanwhile, the Eagles only covered their game-by-game spreads but once when laying anything more than a touchdown (against four losses). Tough luck for the local fans — but there’s no reason to flash any wrinkles you want to hold back until you really need them. 

More on the Giants’ Gold Dust Twins: Jones is doing virtually everything you could reasonably expect. Tossing downfield for just over two hundred yards per game, Jones passed for 15 TDs, up against but five picks, while adding seven rushing touchdowns in his spare time. 

As for Barkley: He gained 1,312 ground yards on 295 tries, posting 10 TDs in the process. Home fans would be well-advised to not get exceedingly cocky, given the level of competition their heroes will be facing … but happy days appear to be here, again. 

Then again, if you can’t get happy about prevailing circumstances, what’s the point? Giants are going good, but will they be good enough? 

These two sides met earlier this season on Nov. 13, in a game in which the Chiefs triumphed, 27-17. It was a game which from several angles seemed to be more closely contested than many expected. In a contest that featured fourteen possessions in the first half alone (and twenty, overall), Kansas City handily outgained the Jags by averaging close to eight yards per offensive play, while turning in an exceptionally clean, crisp outing, incurring zero penalties. 

The Chiefs came through with the straight-up win by double digits, despite significant injury issues. The earlier meeting was one of the eight Chiefs outings of the season in which Patrick Mahomes managed to register a minimum of three touchdown passes. The Chiefs maintained their reputation as an offensive machine. They were productive enough to average more than 29 ppg, understandably generating enough firepower for 41 touchdown passes, with Travis Kelce making 12 TD receptions, a career high. 

The Jaguars have faced an array of injury issues, including Trevor Lawrence’s sore toe, as well as a number of various aches and pains to the offensive line. The menacing Chiefs pass rush has been keyed by Chris Jones, who has wreaked havoc while working the interior of the defensive line. 

There’s no denying the intense level of performance of the Jags’ “D” during their whirlwind seasonal finish … but it cannot be denied that the AFC South was among the weakest divisions in the NFL. 

Wise, experienced heads must also consider that the Chiefs have been marked up markedly in the marketplace, resulting in a considerable negative win-loss percentage of game covers as favorites. 

Kansas City remains an all-around powerhouse, which will take considerable beating straight up. But we wouldn’t be surprised in the least if yet another Chiefs victory without covering the spread is the ultimate result of this contest.