For Giants: Back Door IN = First Round OUT

The New York Giants had a chance to enter the playoffs for the first time in three years via the front door but stumbled against the Washington Redskins, falling 35-20 in a disturbingly flat, uninspired effort. One day later, the Giants were handed a gift when the Baltimore Ravens upset the Minnesota Vikings 30-23 -- securing a wildcard berth for the Giants.

Makes no difference how you make the playoffs as long as you make them, right? Wrong. At least in the case of an inconsistent team with an inexperienced quarterback. Had the New England Patriots backed their way into the playoffs - which they haven't - they would still be a feared opponent once the post-season began. Not so for the fledging Giants. The Redskins game was a test for the Giants. They failed the test.

The Giants face another test this coming Saturday and need to deliver a passing performance if they hope to make anything other than a cameo appearance in the playoffs. A road win against the Oakland Raiders will earn the Giants the division title. A loss and their only shot at the division title is - once again - via the back door. A Redskins loss on Sunday in Philadelphia - unlikely but far from impossible - would hand the Giants the division title.

Wild card teams can still win the Super Bowl, right? Right ... but forget about the Giants adding their name to that short list if they need to win all their post-season games on the road -- which is exactly what they'll need to do if they fail to win the division. The Giants are 3-4 record on the road season -- really 2-4 if you exclude a bogus "road" win over New Orleans at Giants Stadium at the beginning of the season. And those two wins came against a rotten San Francisco team and an injury-depleted Philadelphia team.

The good news for the Giants is that Oakland is bad news. In fact, they're a complete mess -- losers of five straight, scoring a total of three touchdowns in their last four games. At 4-11, Oakland has nothing on the line ... except the opportunity to play the spoiler. And what could be sweeter for Kerry Collins, the QB the Giants pushed aside to make room for Eli Manning? Collins has received too much blame for Oakland's wretched season, but - in what will likely be his final game for the Raiders - he'll try to prove the Giants made a mistake in letting him go. Collins won't be able to prove that because - in the long-run - the Giants were correct to hand the reigns to Manning. However, that doesn't mean that Collins can't be the best QB on the field this Saturday. And if he is, Giants fans better prepare for a one-and-done post-season -- regardless of what favors the Philadelphia Eagles might do for them on Sunday.