Shell Hasn’t Decided Yet on Starting Quarterback

If it’s Monday and the Raider quarterback has just been hooked for the second week in a row, it must be time to announce next week’s starter.

The silver and black envelope, please. And it’s . . .

Empty?

“I’ll announce the starting lineup Wednesday,” Coach Art Shell said. “There’s still a lot of thinking going on right now. Thinking about the overall football team, the quarterback situation, everybody’s situation.

“Hopefully, between now and Wednesday I’ll have a decision for you.”

Nevertheless, Shell is expected to switch to Steve Beuerlein on Wednesday.

The Raiders are only thought to be returning to their traditional timetable: If there’s a change, announce it Wednesday, presumably to sow confusion in your enemy’s ranks. If you’re standing pat, say so Monday and let the incumbent off the hook.

Mike Shanahan used to let the word out on Mondays if a switch was forthcoming, but the Raiders apparently have gone back to their old skulduggery.

Schroeder, completing 37% of his passes since Shell took over, was yanked a week ago with the Raiders leading the Kansas City Chiefs. Shell said afterward that the staff would discuss the matter of No. 1. The next day, Shell said matter-of-factly that Schroeder was No. 1, that he’d decided it overnight.

Schroeder then went seven for 22 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Beuerlein replaced him, threw an interception that resulted in a Philadelphia field goal and a 10-0 Eagle lead, then led a rally that would have tied it, but for Jeff Jaeger’s missed 42-yard field-goal.

“Steve has done some good things and he’s done some bad things,” Shell said, balancing it out between his signal-callers as neatly as possible.

“There are some things, as I’m sure he’d be the first to tell you, that he hasn’t done as well as he wanted to and we would like.

“He got us into the end zone once yesterday, which was great. He made a bad decision and threw an interception. He’s a young guy and a young quarterback. He’s still learning, like we all are.”

Of course, Schroeder and Beuerlein have similar attributes and run the same plays. The Washington Redskins, who will play here Sunday, will prepare for both men in any eventuality, but tradition has its requisites.

This is mysterious, it’s secretive, it’s the Raiders.

Losses are losses, but the Raider defenders, who were used to better than being the the butt of jokes--remember the 10 linebacker moves?--left Veterans Stadium almost exultant at their performance: 195 yards in Eagle offense; scoring drives of 24 and five yards after interceptions; 64 yards passing for Randall Cunningham.

“D’s coming together,” Howie Long said after his first start of the season.

“I’m just starting to get that feeling. You can feel it in the huddle.

“I think a lot of it has to do with Art and I think a lot has to do with getting our guys back healthy.

“Everybody counted us out. Every day I’d pick up the paper and read something new about the defense. And now we’re starting to come together. We can win with this defense.

“We can play with anybody. There’s no doubt in my mind. Who out there is that much head and shoulders above the rest right now?”

The keys are the return of Long, Jerry Robinson and Scott Davis; the consequent improvement against the rush--before Shell and healed injuries, they didn’t allow an opponent fewer than 152 rushing yards; since, they’re holding opponents to 96.7--and the excellent play of the secondary.

They haven’t, however, gone against a good, balanced offense in those three games, but that test is forthcoming.

The Redskins ranked No. 1 in total offense before scoring 32 points Sunday on Tampa Bay.

Shell, asked if this would be the best team he has faced, said: “I think so.

“They’re so tough on the offensive side. They run the ball so well. They’ve got a pretty good quarterback in (Mark) Rypien. They’ve got Mr. (Art) Monk and those two other receivers, (Ricky) Sanders and (Gary) Clark. Their offensive line, what more can you say about them?”

Raider Notes

Art Shell, on the charge by the Eagles’ Reggie White that Bruce Wilkerson held him all day: “There’s not an offensive lineman who ever played who holds. A guy’s jersey gets caught in your fingers sometimes.” . . . Terry McDaniel’s back spasms were being checked by a doctor Monday. Shell said former Bruin Dennis Price, out since camp with a knee injury, may be activated. If McDaniel can’t go, Mike Haynes will start in his place.

Shell on Jeff Jaeger, who missed 42-yard and 28-yard field goals Sunday: “My relationship with the kicker is just like any other player on the football team. I feel bad for them when there’s been a failure. A lineman misses a block and I feel for him, especially, because I’ve been there. I really felt bad for Jeff. He said last night, ‘Hey, I owe you one.’ He’s going to be fine. He’s a damned good kicker.”