Who Shows Up May Determine Fate of Raiders : Pro football: Will it be the Giants who blew their first two games or the Giants who blew away the Bears?

Want to see Ronnie Lott, Raider tough guy, wince?

Try using the word embarrassing to describe his team. As an NFL defensive back for 12 years, Lott has had more than his share of physical pain. He has lost part of a finger in a football injury, has banged bodies with the best in the NFL and has delivered crushing tackles that have left their marks on both parties.

That he can endure. It’s the emotional pain that takes its toll. And there has been plenty for the Raiders, 0-4 coming into the Coliseum today to face the New York Giants.

So when Lott was asked the other day at the Raiders’ training headquarters in El Segundo if his team’s performance has been embarrassing, he did indeed wince.

“Everybody uses that word,” he said. “I’m not embarrassed. I’ve got a nasty taste in my mouth. But why be embarrassed? We’re out there doing the best we can.”

That’s got to be a scary thought for owner Al Davis. The best the Raiders can do has been the worst they have done at the start of a season since 1964, when they lost their first five games.

“We need a win bad,” Raider Coach Art Shell said.

He will get no argument there.

But Shell has gotten plenty of arguments from critics as his team has done a steady nose-dive since opening day.

Bench quarterback Jay Schroeder, they said. He did.

Play running back Marcus Allen more, they said. He did.

Start receiver Tim Brown, they said. He did.

Get rid of offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie, they said. He did.

But nothing has helped. The replacement of Robiskie with Tom Walsh is considered a cosmetic move to placate the restless natives for another week, because the Raider offense is not expected to change.

Now come the Giants. They are well rested after a bye last week. On the other hand, the Raiders have had a short week to prepare because they played Monday night.

But which Giant squad will show up: the team that lost its first two games or the one that blew past the Chicago Bears on Monday night in its last outing, 27-14?

“I don’t know if I really have a handle on this team,” New York Coach Ray Handley said. “We moved the ball really well against Chicago, but I don’t know if that was us or that was them not playing up to their capabilities.”

Handley has been trying to get a handle on the team since he took over. He had a tough act to follow. Bill Parcells climaxed his coaching career two years ago by winning his second Super Bowl in five seasons.

Parcells was gone in ’91.

And so was the glory.

Handley, a Parcells assistant, was promoted after Parcells’ retirement. But the Giants stumbled to an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs.

“Everything went right for us in 1990, and everything that could go wrong really went wrong for us in ‘91,” Handley said. “Now we’re trying to find out which team we have here.”

For one thing, Handley has Phil Simms at quarterback. Simms lost his job to Jeff Hostetler at the end of 1990, Hostetler quarterbacking the club to the Super Bowl title.

That was reason enough for Handley to give him the starting job in 1991. But when a back injury sidelined Hostetler at the end of the season, Simms was given the job back.

In training camp this season, Handley again went with Hostetler. But again, a back injury intervened, sending Simms back to the job he has held much of the time since the Giants made him their top draft choice in 1979.

Hostetler has recovered from his back problem but has not recovered his job.

“Phil’s played very well,” Handley said. “The game he played Monday night was vintage Phil Simms. With his leadership, he imposed his will as he did in his greatest days.”

Simms has completed 59.3% of his passes for 716 yards and five touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Also back is linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who suffered through his worst season a year ago. Slowed by injures, he had his lowest sack total with seven and failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career after 10 consecutive appearances.

Taylor has started all three games this season, getting a sack and 16 tackles.

According to Shell, Taylor can still terrorize an offense.

“When he decides to hunt,” the Raider coach said of Taylor, “he can go hunting.”

When that news is relayed to Raider quarterback Todd Marinovich, it may be his turn to wince.

Raider Notes

Giant defensive lineman Leonard Marshall did not make the trip because of a knee injury. . . . Fans are encouraged to bring their old telephone directories to today’s game for recycling. Those not attending the game can get involved in the recycling program at select GTE Phone Marts in the next few weeks. Anybody dropping off directories at those sites will receive the commemorative Al Davis poster being handed out Sunday and can register to win Super Bowl tickets.