(My Sportsbook) - The New York Giants were in a great position to qualify for the playoffs after their third straight win two weeks ago. However, the Giants blew a golden opportunity to move three games over .500 by suffering an inexcusable loss to the expansion Houston Texans last week.

"Like I said all week long, I said it to them one hundred times, the team that plays the best is going to win," said Giants head coach Jim Fassel, who tasted defeat for the first time in four games since taking over the play-calling duties. "We made enough mistakes to cost us the game...field goal that should have made it...a ball over the punter's head to give them two other points. I'm not happy about that at all."

The Giants were only the third team this season to fall to an expansion team. Tiki Barber ran for a season-high 146 yards and a TD and QB Kerry Collins threw for 214 yards and a score, but Texans kicker Kris Brown booted a 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to give Houston the victory.

This week, the Giants, who trail the Philadelphia Eagles by two full games in the NFC East, welcome the Tennessee Titans to the Meadowlands. Still, last week's loss to an inferior foe seems to be sticking with the Giants.

"It's not losing the game sometimes that ticks you off, it's the way you do it," said Michael Strahan said of his team's loss to the Texans. "There is no way we should have been in the situation we were in. All is takes is to do your job -- basic little things, and we're not in that situation. So it's frustrating, plain and simple.

"As a team, we have to execute on defense, tackle on defense, make something happen on offense. On special teams, we have to kick field goals, we have to snap the ball. Everybody screwed up."

Despite the loss, the Giants still rank third in the league in points against, giving up just 16.8 points per game. They rank fourth in the league in total yards per game, surrendering 288.8 yards per contest.

Their only weakness is their inability to stop the run. They currently surrender 121.5 rushing yards per game. So the Giants need to get out to an early lead, forcing the Titans, who are very banged up on offense, to throw the football.

Strahan and the rest of the Giants' defense will have a hard time getting sacks this week. Last week they recorded five sacks against Texans quarterback David Carr, but they are facing a Tennessee team that has only surrendered 15 sacks all season.

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

The Giants' offense played well last week, but it was unable to score touchdowns when it counted. Barber's 146 yards rushing was a career high and WR Amani Toomer caught eight passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. But mistakes, including a missed 33-yard field goal off the foot of Matt Bryant, prevented the Giants from winning the game.

"We couldn't kick a field goal, that was the problem," Barber said. "That's frustrating. Every game is tough. We all make mistakes. We all do things we shouldn't have done. When we get into position to kick a field goal to win a game, we need to do that. It's frustrating, it really is. I can't say we played perfect on offense or defense. But we needed a kick, and we haven't been doing it.

"This was a frustrating game. I don't have a lot of answers for what went on."

The Giants' inability to put points on the board has been their problem all season. They are averaging just 15.7 points per game, which ranks 29th in the NFL. That number is disturbing, considering they move the ball well, averaging 350.6 yards per game. But the players still believe that they can turn it around. And if they can score points, they have the ability to win some games, beginning this week against the Titans.

"We're going to keep fighting," Collins said. "We're 6-5, and by no means are we out of it. I'm going to take it upon myself to make sure that this group keeps their head up and we stay the course. Obviously, we hit a bump in the road, but we have to be able to come back.

"We have five games left. We're not out of it. We're still right there and we can still get to the playoffs. But, obviously, we need to play better."

COMING UP: The Giants will visit the Washington Redskins in Week 14.