Raiders, 49ers Limping Into Tonight’s Game : Both Clubs Have Been Weakened by Injuries; L.A. to Unveil New Offensive Line

If you’re wondering where the Raiders are, physically and emotionally, you can get your first reading tonight at 6 when they open their exhibition season against the San Francisco 49ers at the Coliseum.

That’s the Los Angeles Coliseum, which is only one of the contenders, and probably a fading one, for this franchise’s hand.

Attendance, as a result, is expected to be light.

The Raiders, with their traditionally cavalier approach to exhibitions, have been getting whipped regularly in this, their traditional opener against the 49ers. They have lost the last five, the last three by 32-0, 42-16 and 24-10.

But neither team is in mint condition this time.

The 49ers, exhibiting early signs of the championship blues, have six starters missing on defense, including three-fourths of their secondary, both ends and star linebacker Charles Haley.

The Raiders have begun limping even before the hitting starts in semi-earnest.

They’re down to a starting backfield of Vance Mueller and Kerry Porter, as Marcus Allen continues to hold out with the sides reportedly completely out of touch. Porter, a free agent, is the No. 3 or 4 fullback on a team that will carry only two. Starter Steve Smith is out for two weeks because of a knee injury; backup Steve Strachan has one of the many hamstring pulls in camp.

The starting defensive backfield will include only one regular starter, Mike Haynes. Slowed by various pulls are Vann McElroy, who finally passed his physical examination Friday; Terry McDaniel; Lionel Washington, and Eddie Anderson.

Mike Richardson, the Plan B signee from Mike Ditka’s Chicago Bears doghouse, will start at McDaniel’s left corner spot. Russell Carter, the strong safety, will go to free safety in the absence of McElroy and Anderson, with Zeph Lee, the former USC tailback who was switched a year ago, taking the late Stacey Toran’s strong safety spot.

The other Raider group on the spot is the offensive line, which is undergoing another of its complete transformations.

No one on it is starting in the same position he closed at last season. Left tackle Don Mosebar moves to center, right tackle Rory Graves to left tackle and right guard Bruce Wilkerson to right tackle. The new guards are Newt Harrell, the 305-pounder on the left side, and veteran Larry Lee on the right side. Lee is considered a stand-in for rookie Steve Wisniewski, who has been impressive.

The only other newcomer in the starting lineup will be Thomas Benson, the Plan B inside linebacker from Atlanta, who replaces the injured Jerry Robinson. The Raiders went to Plan B for a half-dozen linebackers but Benson, Emmanuel King, who still is listed behind Linden King, and Otis Wilson seem to be the front-runners to stay with the club. Ex-Dolphin Jackie Shipp, the 14th player taken in the 1984 draft, appears to be in trouble.

Jay Schroeder, the unchallenged No. 1 quarterback, will work the first half, with his new backfield and line. Steve Beuerlein will work the second.

The weather isn’t expected to be a factor. A week ago, 49er owner Eddie DiBartolo bailed out of Tokyo on the morning of the Ram game to escape a predicted typhoon, but it should be calmer tonight.

Raider Notes

Said Coach Mike Shanahan on returning safety Vann McElroy, who has missed most of training camp because of an injury diagnosed as a hip flexor: “It’s good news to get Vann back. He won’t play (tonight), but he’ll start practice next week.”