The New York Giants host the Oakland Raiders in ESPN.com's Game of the Week (CBS, 4:15 p.m. ET) .

ESPN analysts Ron Jaworski and Sean Salisbury break down the game plans of each team.

JAWORSKI VS. SALISBURY

Jaworski on the Giants Despite losing to Minnesota on Monday night, I believe the New York Giants were the better football team, but they didn't play that way. In fact, the Giants haven't played up to their ability all year. They are more talented than their 5-5 record would indicate. They can't afford to lose more than one game the rest of the way to be a playoff team. Jim Fassel has confidence his team can win the rest of its games. He proved to be prophetic after making a guarantee a year ago, but the Giants were playing better then. Defensively, although Michael Strahan has had a big year, the linebackers aren't being playmakers, the tackles aren't applying pressure up the middle, and the secondary is struggling. On offense, Kerry Collins felt pressure all game from a mediocre Vikings' defensive front that handled the Giants' offensive line. Collins was frenetic and didn't protect the football. Plus, the receivers dropped passes. The Giants can't make the same mistakes against the Oakland Raiders, a much better team than Minnesota. Five keys for the Giants: 1. Bring on Barber. The Giants will move the ball against the Raider defense, which has been uneven this season. The Giants have to stay committed to the run game, which means giving the ball to Tiki Barber. He needs the ball in his hands and can make people miss. Barber must become the foundation of their offense. 2. Protect Collins. It was a horrible offensive line performance on Monday night. Collins is a step-and-throw quarterback who must have a cushion between him and the push rush. If he gets people in his face, he will break down and make mistakes. 3. Men in the middle. On defense against Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon, the Giants must get pressure up the middle and make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket. The Raiders are a quick-dropping team, meaning the ball is out of Gannon's hands in three or five steps. Middle pressure will disrupt Gannon's timing. 4. Garnes and the gang. The Giants' linebackers and strong safety Sam Garnes must play well. The Raiders break down linebackers and the strong safety in the short passing area. The majority of their passes are the option type, running in the short to intermediate area. The Raiders put pressure on the linebackers to be athletic, make plays and read routes. So Garnes and the linebackers must be solid to stifle the Raiders' short passing game. 5. Block Biekert. If the Giants can get a body on middle linebacker Greg Biekert, the Raiders' leading tackler, that will force the safeties, Anthony Dorsett and Marquez Pope, to make tackles. The safeties are not at their best in the running game. If they are forced to make tackles, like they were against Seattle, they will not consistently come up and make plays. So the Giants' line must get to Biekert.

Salisbury on the Raiders The Oakland Raiders are so well-coached and well-balanced, more so than perhaps any team in football. It all starts with head coach Jon Gruden, who has them focused and prepared each week to win. With so many veterans, the Raiders believe they can beat anybody and that they should win the Super Bowl. Right now, they're not where they believe they should be, even though they are 7-2 and leading the AFC West. The Raiders expect more from themselves than the results they are getting. For instance, the Raiders are getting run on while not establishing more of a running game on offense. The Raiders, though, are the class of the AFC going to New York to play the Giants, the class of the NFC a year ago. Five keys for the Raiders: 1. Watch the defensive blitz. Giants defensive coordinator John Fox is one of the league's best at giving different looks, and he will be ready with a variety of changes, blitzes and personnel movement to keep a great Raiders offense off balance. 2. Get everyone involved. Gannon is as good as any quarterback at making sure everyone gets their plays. He must use all of his weapons: running backs, tight end and two or three wide receivers. The Raiders' offense operates at peak efficiency when Gannon is spreading the ball around. 3. Make the Giants one-dimensional. The one dimension should be the pass. Kerry Collins has actually thrown the ball better in the Giants' five losses than in their five wins. Give Collins his yards, but don't let Tiki Barber or anyone else go crazy and take over the game. Barber is still the Giants' biggest offensive threat, running and catching the ball out of the backfield. 4. Tie up Strahan. A huge factor in the Vikings' Monday night win over the Giants was that right tackle Chris Liwienski and the Vikings' offensive line held Strahan to two tackles and no sacks. The Raiders cannot let Strahan dominate the football game. If he does, then the Raiders will have to change their protection to give Gannon time. 5. Travel well. The Raiders are a West Coast team, and you never know what Mother Nature has in store at the Meadowlands. The Raiders' equipment manager will have to pack two different travel bags with an assortment of cleats and turtlenecks, etc. It could be cold and icy, or there could be snow or swirling winds. Inconsistent weather has a tendency to get opposing teams unfocused. But if the Raiders stick with their short passing attack, they should deal with the conditions fine.