EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants have to win at least five of their last six games to make the playoffs.

That's as close to a guarantee as Jim Fassel came Tuesday.

The Giants coach is so concerned about the defending NFC champions heading into the home stretch of the season that he also backtracked on what sounded like another playoff guarantee moments after a 28-16 loss to Minnesota on Monday night.

"We're going to go out and win every game left, and we're going to have to," Fassel said after the Giants squandered a fourth-quarter lead to the Vikings.

The comments had the bravado of last Nov. 22, when Fassel guaranteed New York would make the playoffs, a boast that seemingly propelled the team to the conference title.

Not this time.

"When I guarantee something, I'll tell you I guarantee it," Fassel said Tuesday, noting his postgame comments were emotional rather than based on a personal conviction. "I didn't mean it as a guarantee. If it was said that way, it's my fault. I didn't mean it that way."

The way the Giants have played, there is no way Fassel could guarantee anything at this point. New York has been inconsistent, especially over the last month. It struggled to beat Dallas and Arizona and played poorly in losses to Washington and Minnesota.

Against the Vikings on Monday, the Giants converted one of four chances in the red zone and were called for 15 penalties for 150 yards. They also fumbled four times and had two passes intercepted.

"Are we capable of playing well and getting on a roll? Sure!" Fassel said. "But we can't keep talking about it. It has to happen now. It's got to happen."

Whether the Giants can get in gear starting this Sunday against Oakland (7-2) is questionable because the problems aren't isolated to any one area.

While Tiki Barber appears to be running better, Ron Dayne seems to be slowing down. The receivers dropped two passes in the red zone that could have kept drives alive. The offensive line, which missed three blocks on one play Monday night, isn't performing as well as a year ago, when the ground game averaged 125 yards. Quarterback Kerry Collins has also made way too many mistakes.

The defense has played well at times. But all three of Randy Moss' touchdown catches came on major mistakes by the defensive backs, the most blatant being a blitz by cornerback Jason Sehorn on a play where he should have been guarding Moss.

"Hey, I'm not coaching as well. Kerry is not playing as well. (Offensive coordinator) Sean Payton is not as bright as he was a year ago," Fassel said. "You name it. That's where it is."

After Oakland, the Giants will have a bye before finishing with games against Dallas, Arizona, Seattle, Philadelphia and Green Bay.

"We have made it extremely difficult on ourselves, not impossible, but extremely difficult," Fassel said. "There is no reason, if the light goes on with us, that we can't play a better brand of football."