Raiders Put On Game Faces, Sack Chargers, 40-14

Was that exhibition season a facade?

The Raiders, whose play this summer was embarrassing, opened the 1989 National Football League season Sunday in charge.

Steve Beuerlein came off the bench to pass for 206 yards and two touchdowns as the Raiders spoiled Jim McMahon’s quarterback debut with the San Diego Chargers gaining a stunning 40-14 victory at the Coliseum.

The Raiders were 0-4 in exhibition games, the first winless summer in history. It was no surprise, considering they were outscored, 128-86, and gave up an average of 439 yards in total offense while gaining only 277.5 yards per game.

“We didn’t do a lot in the preseason, but our players believed in each other,” Raiders Coach Mike Shanahan said. “We’re 1-0, we’ve got a lot of games left to play and we’ve got to get back to work.”

The Raiders gained 418 yards against the Chargers and gave up 305 yards and had the ball for 38 minutes 1 second to 21:59 for San Diego.

“We started to get it in gear in our last game,” Raiders defensive end Howie Long said, referring to his team’s 41-38 loss to the Chicago Bears Sept. 2. “Now it’s for real, and the real Raiders are here.”

Beuerlein threw a four-yard scoring pass to Mervyn Fernandez with 8:35 left before halftime to break a 7-7 tie and put the Raiders ahead for good, and threw a 39-yarder to Willie Gault early in the third quarter, making it 28-7.

McMahon, traded to the Chargers by the Chicago Bears on Aug. 18, entered the game with a 35-3 record as a starter in regular-season games since 1984. But he completed only seven of 18 passes for 91 yards without an interception and was replaced by David Archer midway through the third quarter.

McMahon said he didn’t come out because of an injury.

“I could have come back in at any time,” he said. “Today I was terrible, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I wasn’t setting my feet, I was drifting in the pocket and causing my linemen problems.”

McMahon was sacked only once, but kept on the run by the Raiders’ defense.

“McMahon scrambled more than I thought he could,” Raiders linebacker Greg Townsend said. “But we were ready and put the heat on him.”

The one-sided loss also spoiled the debut of Dan Henning as the Charger coach. Henning replaced Al Saunders, who was fired after last season.

“They outplayed us and they beat us,” Henning said. “I wasn’t happy about a lot today. We had some veterans play like rookies and some rookies play like veterans.”

The Raiders moved 76 yards on four plays after receiving the opening kickoff, scoring on a 26-yard pass from Schroeder to Vance Mueller. The big play of the drive was a 53-yard pass from Schroeder to Gault on third-and-8.

Schroeder suffered a separated left collarbone during the first series and was replaced by Beuerlein the next time the Raiders got the ball.

“Jay could have gone back in, but Steve went in and responded like I knew he would,” Shanahan said. “I have a lot of confidence in our quarterback situation.”

Beuerlein played the rest of the game and completed 15 of 22 passes without being intercepted.

“I was nervous at first, but I just told myself to settle down, and I did,” Beuerlein said. “I’m the backup quarterback and when Jay returns I will still be the backup quarterback.”

Schroeder said he was injured on the game’s first play and that his injury was “a day-to-day thing.”

The Chargers tied the game on their first possession, scoring on a 50-yard touchdown run by rookie Marion Butts, a seventh-round draft choice from Florida State, Butts led all rushers with 64 yards on nine carries.

Beuerlein’s touchdown pass to Fernandez capped a 78-yard, 15-play drive. The Raiders went 49 yards on nine plays the next time they had the ball to take a 21-7 lead. Marcus Allen scored the touchdown on a one-yard dive.

Beuerlein’s scoring pass to Gault came on the first play after Tim Brown returned a San Diego punt 29 yards. Gault had four receptions for 131 yards.

A one-yard touchdown run by Butts with 10:06 left in the third quarter made it 28-14. Chris Gannon recovered a fumbled punt by Brown at the Raiders’ 43-yard line to set up the score.

A 22-yard field goal by Jeff Jaeger with 10:27 remaining made it 31-14, and the Raiders got a safety on the ensuing kickoff when Victor Floyd was tackled in the end zone by Stefon Adams.

A one-yard touchdown run by Mueller with 5:13 to play completed the scoring.

Allen, a holdout who didn’t report until Sept. 1 and missed the entire exhibition season, led the Raiders in rushing with 51 yards on 13 carries.

“Marcus gave us that needed running dimension that made their defense play us honest,” Beuerlein said.