Raider Camp : Plunkett Wants to Make It Absolutely Definite

From the Raider book of grammar, conjugating the verbs:

There is no quarterback controversy, was no quarterback controversy, has never been a quarterback controversy.

Jim Plunkett’s job is safe today, was safe yesterday, has never been in question.

Except there is always the 6-foot 6-inch shadow cast by Marc Wilson. Wilson may have taken a knock of his own here and there, but he remains young, talented and highly paid. As much as Coach Tom Flores abhors the idea of an LAQC (Los Angeles Quarterback Controversy), whenever he declares Plunkett his No. 1, some kind of qualifier seems to sneak into the sentence, rendering it just a hair short of absolute.

Plunkett is working on absoluteness right now.

Said Larry Kennan, the quarterback coach: “Plunk, every time he’s come to camp, he’s kind of come in feeling he has to compete. Marc’s always been right there, too.

“He’s felt like he had to perform well. I don’t think he’s ever taken anything for granted. That’s the sign of a professional quarterback. He comes to practice every day, to every meeting--even though it gets repetitious and boring at times--and he’s the first one to ask questions.”

And so in the summer of ’85 Plunkett, now 37, is once more rising to the challenge, whether one exists or not.

In two exhibitions, he has completed 12 of 20 passes for one touchdown, with no sacks or interceptions. Of the 21 penalties the Raiders have sustained, only three occurred while Plunkett and the first string have been in. One of those--holding on Shelby Jordan last weekend--cost Plunkett a 56-yard scoring strike to Jessie Hester.

Has he dialed it up early because he felt on the spot?

No.

Not really.

Well, maybe a little.

“My history has never really been to have a real good exhibition season, for whatever reason,” Plunkett said Tuesday. “Plus the Raiders’ history, they’ve always started off slow. (Ken) Stabler would get beat up and (Dan) Pastorini after him. It was the same with me.

“But I think this year, offensively, we’ve done well. We moved the ball. We haven’t had a sack in the three quarters I’ve played.

“I’m trying to overcome the stigma of being a slow starter. Whether it’s true or not, it seems to be my handle.

“I think it’s clear-cut. Just like ‘83, where I would have had to lose the job. But it’s just like with the Rams. They say--or they were--it’s open competition, but it isn’t. They’re not going to bring a guy (Dieter Brock) in from Canada and pay him all that money and not play him. But every day in the paper they say that it’s open competition. It’s pointless. Who are they kidding?

“It wasn’t for the exhibitions, but more geared toward the season. I started throwing earlier in the year. I run a lot as it is but I ran even more. I tried to work on my quickness a little bit.

“Exhibition and opening day are two different worlds. The level of play is just so much more intense. If you’re not ready, you’re going to get squashed. Rookies don’t understand. They might be doing great, but you get in that first game and, my God, you don’t know what’s going on. People are flying all over the place.

“But I think we’ve done well so far. After the last game Henry Lawrence told me, ‘I lost my man once. I turned around to see if you’d been sacked and the ball was gone. I liked that.’

“Every training camp, we’re always experimenting with something, like the quick passing game. But I know as soon as the season starts, it’ll be the seven-step drop and hold the ball (to let the receivers get deep). Al (Davis) likes to widen and stretch those zones.

“In our system, the quarterback tends to look bad. We tend to hold the ball longer and we might complete one pass of three. But that one pass might get you the first down or a touchdown. You look at the (49ers’) Bill Walsh system, all the quarterbacks look good. Guys who are never going to play in this league go 12 for 15.

“There’s good and bad, no question about it. The spotlight is on the QB. Sometimes it gets a bit much. The pressure, the criticism, hell, it’s hard to take. Nobody’s impervious to criticism. Some things are said that hurt.

“There’s the fan reaction. It can get to you. Ever since we’ve been here, we’ve won and done nothing but win. And yet it’s not good enough. I know how it is, but the pressure is constant. There’s a lot of stuff that gets to you, but for the most part, I’ve enjoyed my career, despite all the problems I’ve had.”

He has more career to go. Put your qualifier where you may, he’s No. 1.

Raider Notes There were no big names among the 15 Raider cuts but linebacker Bob Nelson was put on the injured-reserved list. The Raiders are expected to use their one free move to bring back Curt Marsh. If so, the only way to get Nelson back will be to put him through waivers. . . . Also on injured reserve are Marsh, Stanley Adams, Albert Myres, Ricky Williams, Russ Jensen, Randy Van Divier, and Rod Barksdale. All will draw their season’s pay. . . . Cuts included veteran linebackers Mark Merrill and Darryl Bird, whom Tom Flores called “one of our favorites.” Others cut: quarterbacks Robbie Frasco and Mike Mendoza; running backs Ronnie James and Bobby Thompson; linebacker Ken Rose; defensive back Dwayne Green, who returned a fumble for a touchdown in the exhibition game against the 49ers; linemen Pat Hurley, Rick Ackerman, George Niualiku, Leonard Wingate and Quency Williams; kickers Steve Willis and Jeff Carter. . . . Jim Plunkett on Jessie Hester: “I think he’s going to be a real, real good receiver. At this point, he doesn’t have great hands. But he’s a sharp kid and he picks things up real well. And he’s got acceleration that’s unbelievable.”