An Old Guy With Young Arm Shall Lead Them

There’s a theory currently popular among NFL experts, a theory popularized by the recent return of Jim Plunkett as a leader of manly men and thrower of Raider-type touchdown bombs.

The theory is that the NFL is so complex, the defenses so sophisticated, that it takes a quarterback coming out of college about, oh , 14 or 15 years to mature and develop into a star.

Plunkett, it would seem, has arrived. Sunday he danced and darted and audibled and heaved long, and led the Raiders to a 27-14 win over the Cleveland Browns.

He threw three touchdown passes, had another one dropped, and played sound, poised, clutch football.

Did his teammates appreciate it? Does Al Davis wear hair oil?

If I ever die, permanently, I hope my eulogizer is as eloquent and sincere as the Raiders when they talk about the Plunker, their leader, their main man.

“He’s on the same par as George Patton,” said Raider defensive back Lester Hayes, grandly. “His destiny is to be victorious. The entire team, we get like a feeling of positivity as far as being victorious. We can’t lose with Jim Patton Plunkett in the game. He’s a stupendous leader and the entire league fears him.

“As long as he’s functional, we have a chance to go 5-0 (the rest of the way).”

So Plunkett kind of inspired the team Sunday?

“ Kind of? Kind of? There’s no such thing as kind-of-maybe,” Hayes snorted. “It’s his destiny to lead the silver and black. He’s always going to procure positive yardage for us.”

Like when Plunkett faked a short pass to Marcus Allen in the corner of the end zone, putting two Cleveland linebackers into the popcorn machine, and hit Todd Christensen over the middle for positive yardage, making the score 17-0.

Christensen appreciates this kind of leadership. It sends Todd into a fit of eloquence, maybe even rivaling that of Lester Hayes.

“I really like him,” Christensen said. “It’s hard not to like a guy with his incredible combination of nonchalance and determination.”

Todd also likes Plunkett because Plunkett “tolerates input.” Christensen, the original “I’m open, I’m open” guy, frequently has some.

Example?

“I was split out wide one time and I told him, ‘This guy (defensive back) is playing way off.’ We had a run called, but he audibled to a quick throw to me, and it went for 12 or 13 yards. . . . He takes more chances. On the pass to Dokie (a touchdown bomb to Dokie Williams), he was supposed to go to me.”

That’s one thing about Jim Plunkett. You never know what he’s going to do. He shows up at training camp this year and the coaches do everything but give him a job handing out the jocks. They tell him he’ll get a shot at winning the starting job, but they might as well tell him they’ll back his candidacy for the U.S. Presidency.

They keep him around, it seems, out of kindness, and because he’s a historical relic. The man is 38 years old, with a lot of battle scars and a couple Super Bowl rings.

When the season opens, Plunkett is strictly sideline furniture. Then, like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Plunkett is pressed into service, and the other reindeer--er, Raiders--rejoice.

Plunkett becomes an overnight folk hero, for the second or third time in his career. He gives the Raiders the element they were desperately seeking--leadership.

As Browns coach Marty Schottenheimer said after Sunday’s game, “The thing about him is his team knows how far he can take them.”

Each home game, Plunkett rides to work with Matt Millen, the Raider linebacker. Sunday morning, Millen asked Plunkett how he felt heading for his first starting assignment of the season.

“I’m starting to get nervous,” Plunkett said.

Millen says Plunkett is more open and honest now in discussing the team.

“I think he knows he’s getting to the end of his career and he doesn’t care about hurting guys feelings,” Millen said Sunday. “I’ll say something to him about the game, and before, he might’ve said, ‘Well, that’s the way it goes.’ Now he says, ‘Yeah, if this guy had done this and that guy had done that.’

“I think he knows me better, but it’s also because he’s near the end of his career. (Dramatic pause.) He’ll probably only play five more years.”

Millen loves those rides to work.

“I like to talk to him about the old days when he was getting beat up in New England. Say he came to this team in 1971 (Plunkett’s rookie season with the Patriots). We’re talking about a Hall of Fame quarterback. That’s me talking, but he’s got to feel inside that he’s been slighted somewhat.

“He’s 39 (38 actually). Think of all the greatness that passed him by.”

Yeah, but think of all the greatness that’s ahead. Plunkett won’t be 39 until just before the next Super Bowl.

He’s just a kid. He has served his apprenticeship, which included a couple of Super Bowl victories, and now he’s ready to put his poise and maturity and store of knowledge to work.

He’s young and healthy and eager. The kid has a great future.