ASHBURN, Va. - Steve Spurrier's Fun 'N' Gun offense is becoming an apt moniker as the Washington Redskins continue to shoot themselves in the foot.

After stringing together the season's first back-to-back wins by running the ball, the Redskins surprisingly returned to an air attack that deflated in a 26-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

So as Washington (4-5) gets set to meet the New York Giants (5-4) in a pivotal NFC East matchup at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., at 1 p.m. today, which Redskins offense will show up?

Will the team go back to pounding away on the ground, especially since running back Stephen Davis is expected to play after missing the previous two games with a sprained right knee?

Or will the Redskins try once again to resurrect a passing attack that is averaging just 178.8 yards in its past four contests?

Offensive guard Tre' Johnson, taking pains to say that he doesn't question the play-calling, acknowledged that he prefers to run the ball.

"I think we're pretty equipped to run the ball," Johnson said. "We've got a good [offensive] line and a good back."

Wide receiver Chris Doering, on the other hand, said the passing attack can be an asset under Spurrier.

"The worst thing a coach can do is not do the thing he does best," Doering said. "He came to this league [with a reputation] for throwing the ball up and down the field and scoring a lot of points. If he's trying to be somebody he's not, that defeats the purpose of bringing him in."

Spurrier, who blamed himself for not calling more running plays against the Jaguars, said he isn't hesitant about relying on his backfield.

"If we're running successfully, heck, we can run more than we pass if that's what's necessary to win the game," he said.

However, he won't likely abandon the pass. After all, 13 of the team's 19 touchdowns have come through the air.

But only three of those passing touchdowns were recorded in the five losses, and quarterback Shane Matthews' accuracy and touch have declined precipitously since he was named the team's starter for the rest of season before the Oct. 27 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Matthews, who has completed 61.1 percent of his passes in his ninth NFL season, has connected on just 48.2 percent over his past three starts.

"We have to throw better," said Matthews, who dismissed the notion that he might be looking over his shoulder at rookie Patrick Ramsey. "I'm as frustrated as anybody. I've never thrown so many incompletions in my life. I don't know what the problem is."

That uncertainty could worsen against the Giants, who boast the league's fifth-ranked passing defense. A pass rush led by defensive end Michael Strahan and two young, talented cornerbacks in Will Allen and William Peterson have helped New York give up just 182.8 passing yards a game.

Strahan said he thinks the Redskins will return to the smash-mouth style of ball that has defined this rivalry. "They've been running the ball well, so I'm pretty sure they're going to try to run the ball," he said. "Throwing will probably be secondary."

Spurrier, who said the weather plays a role in determining what plays are called, may be forced to run, as the North Jersey forecast today calls for rain that could turn into snow flurries.

"That doesn't complicate [the play-calling] at all," said Spurrier, who last coached a game in the snow when his Duke team lost, to Rutgers, 7-0, in 1987. "It may help us. Who knows?"

Redskins today

Matchup:Redskins (4-5) vs. New York Giants (5-4)

Site:Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.

Time:1 p.m.

TV/Radio:Chs. 45, 5/WNAV (1430 AM), WJFK (106.7 FM)

Line:Giants by 3 1/2

THREE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Rush hour

As stout as the Giants' defense is against the pass, the unit is ranked 24th against the run. Whether it's Stephen Davis or Kenny Watson lining up behind Shane Matthews, Washington should get positive results.

2. Toomer vs. Smoot

Jacksonville tested Fred Smoot early and often last week by lining up Jimmy Smith against the second-year cornerback. New York will likely take the same route, sending Amani Toomer against Smoot.

3. Time for "The Rock"

Right tackle Jon Jansen - nicknamed "The Rock" for starting all 59 games since he was drafted in 1999 - faces perhaps his toughest challenge in defensive end Michael Strahan, who set the NFL record for sacks in a season with 22.5 last year.

- Edward Lee