Calling a Quarterback Option : Schroeder Says This Time He Is Ready to Lead Raiders

If it’s midweek and they’re trotting out both quarterbacks at interview hour in silver and blackdom, what time is it, boys and girls?

It’s time to . . .

Change partners!

Thus Jay Schroeder reassumed his starting job Wednesday and Steve Beuerlein lost his, as Coach Mike Shanahan replaced his new quarterback with his newer one again.

You might say it was time. Shanahan, the boy genius who took Florida’s Wayne Peace to a college-record 70% completion mark in his rookie season as an offensive coordinator, has taken his Raider quarterbacks to 42%--lowest in the National Football League in this decade.

A short history:

--Beuerlein started the first 3 games, went 1-2, and left as the AFC’s fourth-rated quarterback.

--Schroeder started 3 weeks from the day he got off the plane at LAX and goes 2-3 before being relieved, having completed 41.2% of his passes and 7 of his last 27.

--Beuerlein returned for a 3-game winning streak . . . followed by a 2-game losing streak. He was 17 for his last 62 when Shanahan decided to saddle up another horsy.

Re-enter Schroeder.

“Well, this is what I’m here for,” said Schroeder, greeting the day with a huge smile.

Schroeder is big, fast, has a cannon for an arm and some hard-won NFL experience. Until everything fell in on him in Washington, he had a history of digging himself out of holes, shaking off woeful starts to make big plays that won big games--just like his first Raider start at Denver, where they rallied from 0-24.

Well, he’s back, and so are the Broncos.

Shanahan’s system escaped him on the first run-through. It wasn’t simple, it wasn’t like the Redskins’ and 3 weeks didn’t turn out to be enough time to pick it up.

Are 8 enough?

Might sitting out have helped?

“I don’t think it hurt at all,” Schroeder said.

“The last few weeks, Mike’s been giving me all the plays on the sidelines. As soon as I send them in, I go through the formations, through the reads, look at the defense, read it out. The key is getting as many mental (repetitions) as you can.

“The game is a mental game. You’ve got to be able to go through the mental parts and let your abilities take over. Hopefully, we’re at the point now where I can just relax and do the things I’m capable of doing.”

This is the sound of a veteran quarterback talking.

Beuerlein was new, refreshing and candid. Schroeder has been the toast of our nation’s capital, had his own restaurant, radio and TV show and was then almost ridden out of town on a rail, all within 3 years.

Young players say what’s on their minds, heaven love ‘em. Veterans learn a kind of protective denial that allows them to keep believing in themselves while the rest of the community debates their competence. Vets answer questions politely but give away the minimum.

Was unfamiliarity with a new system Schroeder’s only problem?

After all, he’d struggled for his last half-season in Washington, been demoted, and had trouble handling it--which was the only reason he was available at any price. A Jay Schroeder playing well, you couldn’t get for Jim Lachey triplets.

Did he arrive with his confidence already at a low ebb?

“I don’t think so,” Schroeder said. “You come out here, you get a fresh start, you have to just go out and play.

“You can’t ever worry about having a bad day or a couple of bad plays in a row, because then you’re going to be shot. If one play doesn’t work out, you’re always going to get another chance to drop back and throw another one. So we’ll see what happens.

“You can’t let one play affect you, or half a season, or a whole season. There’s been guys who they said had an off-year. Boomer Esiason’s a prime example. Last year, everybody wanted him out. All of a sudden, he’s the top-rated quarterback in the league. You can overcome that.”

But can you overcome it the same season?

We’ll find out, and if it doesn’t happen quickly, they’ll be working on next season.

Beuerlein took the news in his usual manner, which is to say he gets another A in deportment.

“I wasn’t too surprised by the decision,” he said. “I wasn’t too productive the last couple weeks. The thing is not to get down on myself.”

Actually, he didn’t look perfectly enchanted at the moment, but he’s a resilient young man, and it was early yet.

“I just got a little bit too caught up in the pressure,” Beuerlein said. “I think I was pushing things a little bit too much the last couple weeks, pressing a little bit.

“I couldn’t foresee that. I thought I was past that, but the fact is, I’m still a pretty young guy. I hadn’t been in that situation very many times.

“I wouldn’t say it was my accuracy. I would say it was getting too excited and forcing things, rushing things. I wasn’t letting things develop, throwing the ball before receivers come out of their breaks, things of that nature. I was throwing to the right people for the most part (Shanahan concurs), but I really felt like I was a little too shaky out there on Monday. I really didn’t have my feet under me.”

He can put his feet up for a while. The torch passes once more.

Raider Notes

Tests on Steve Beuerlein’s right shoulder showed it to be only bruised, but he didn’t practice. . . . The Raiders re-signed Vince Evans, who had just been called by the Bears, too, but he was happy to stay with the team he’d been to camp with. . . . Left guard John Gesek’s knee injury is a superficial tear of a ligament, and he’ll miss the rest of the regular season. The Raiders signed a recently waived ex-Bronco, Mike Freeman.

Inexperienced? Exclusive of Don Mosebar, the Raider offensive linemen had a combined total of 2 starts before this season. Bruce Wilkerson had both. Bill Lewis, Rory Graves, Andy Parker and new left guard Chris Riehm had none. . . . Vann McElroy, who has had calf, ankle and rib injuries this season, was knocked out of the Seattle game by a shot to the throat. He wasn’t expected to practice Wednesday, but he did.