Raiders Offer Memories, Not Glory : Oakland Cheers Its Former Team in 23-21 Defeat

For a brief moment, the once-and-perhaps future Oakland Raiders rode again, almost as in days of yore. Steve Beuerlein rallied them in the fourth quarter the way George Blanda used to, and the local population threw a silver-and-black party for the ages.

What Los Angeles, which will be their home for the rest of the season, got out of it, is something else.

The Houston Oilers chewed them up and spit them out in the first half when it was first string-on-first string, outgaining them, 203-9.

But it was the Oilers’ second string that snatched the Raiders’ first exhibition victory from their jaws, driving 47 yards in the closing seconds for the winning touchdown. Allen Pinkett went the last yard untouched and the Oilers won, 23-21, Saturday night before a sellout crowd of 50,642 in Oakland Coliseum.

The Raiders are 0-3. The crowd that cheered them, the Raiderettes, the replays and the fireworks obviously lifted them, but aside from looking more excited, they showed as many holes as they had playing before 31,000 in the Coliseum.

Moreover, they are still a team in transition.

Linebacker Matt Millen, a starter since the team was playing here, was benched for Jackie Shipp. Millen told friends he has been informed by the coaching staff that he will be traded.

Mike Haynes, fighting to hold his job, had his problems. Todd Christensen took a victory lap around the stadium during warmups and was cheered loudly, but was held out. James Lofton played sparingly. All are in trouble and some could even go in this week’s cut to 60.

Beuerlein entered the game midway through the fourth quarter and drove the Raiders 74 yards, 53 of it on a completion to the other exhibition sensation, Mike Alexander. Beuerlein then threw a seven-yard swing pass to fullback Steve Strachan, who ran over a Houston safety and put the Raiders ahead, 21-16, giving local football fans their best moment of the second half of the decade.

The Oilers then took over at the Raider 47 with 1:49 left and drove behind backup quarterback Cody Carlson.

From the Raider two, Carlson threw into the end zone and was intercepted by Raider linebacker Thomas Benson, giving the locals their second-best moment. But the play was called back because of a holding penalty.

On the next play, with seven seconds left from the Raider one, Carlson started left, drew the Raider defense and pitched to Pinkett, who scored easily.

The locals are hoping for better things next decade.

The night started in the morning. The parking lot next to Oakland Coliseum was opened at 9 a.m. and filled by vans and barbecuers by 10. Some hard partying ensued.

“The crowd might be a little short,” said Raider executive assistant Al LoCasale shortly before the 7 p.m. game time, smiling. “Some of these people will never make it in here.”

The crowd went batty all through warmups. The team was introduced only as “the Raiders.”

Sentimentalists, the Raiders sent their only three players who had played here--Millen, Christensen and Howie Long--out to call the coin toss. Of the three, only Long is certain to make the final cut.

They lost the toss. The game began.

They went ahead, 7-0, when free agent cornerback Dan Land intercepted a pass by Warren Moon that receiver Leonard Harris had tipped. Land returned it 10 yards to the Houston 12.

Two plays later, Willie Gault shook Oiler cornerback Steve Brown off in the end zone, got open and caught Jay Schroeder’s pass. Jeff Jaeger kicked the point.

So much for Raider highlights in the first half.

Schroeder went three for 10 and was sacked twice. The Raider rushing game got seven yards in six carries. There were no more first downs. At halftime, the Oilers had outgained them, 203-9.

The Oilers settled for three field goals by Tony Zendejas, from 24, 26 and finally from 53 yards, the last with four seconds left, for a 9-7 lead.

Raider Notes

Tight end report: The first time both players were healthy, the Raiders started young Mike Dyal with the first unit. Todd Christensen wasn’t brought on until late, suggesting that he is in trouble, and could even go in Monday’s cut. . . . Cornerback wars (continued): Mike Haynes started, but he often came out in favor of Lionel Washington in passing situations. Haynes was also beaten three times on a single drive, on crossing patterns by Houston’s Haywood Jeffires, for 28, 18 and 17 yards. The Raider coaches had said that Haynes is having trouble covering those patterns, so the veteran could be in trouble.