Defense Fuels Raiders Past Bears, 20-3

After floundering during a 16-14 exhibition victory over the Dallas Cowboys last weekend, the Raiders took a step forward, beating the Chicago Bears, 20-3, Friday night before 58,285 at Soldier Field.

“We took a lot of heat from everybody last week,” quarterback Jay Schroeder said. “But we did a great job bouncing back tonight.”

But Coach Art Shell is still concerned about the Raider offense, which has produced only two touchdowns that weren’t set up by the defense in four games.

“I feel better than I did last week,” Shell said. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”

The Raider offense scored only one touchdown against the Bears, with the defense setting up another touchdown with a fumble recovery. Jeff Jaeger, who has made nine of 10 field goal attempts this exhibition season, was successful from 46 and 31 yards after drives stalled.

Jaeger’s first field goal would have been unnecessary if wide receiver Willie Gault hadn’t dropped a touchdown pass on the Raiders’ first play of the game.

After racing past cornerback Vestee Johnson, Gault had to turn to catch Schroeder’s pass, but the ball sailed through his outstretched hands.

“I misplayed the ball,” Gault said. “I thought I had it in the right position, but by the time I looked up it was going away. I’ve been in this league eight years, and I’ve never dropped a pass.”

Was Shell disappointed with Gault?

“I’m not disappointed, those things are going to happen,” Shell said. “Like I told him after he dropped it, I said, ‘Hey, you’re going to get another chance.’ ”

With the score 3-3, Gault gave the Raiders a 10-3 lead when he caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Schroeder with 1:33 remaining in the second quarter.

Gault sprinted past defensive back Donnell Woolford, reversed his field on a crossing pattern and caught Schroeder’s pass in the corner of the end zone.

Although that was the only touchdown the offense produced, it was all the Raiders needed. Their defense gave up only a 41-yard field goal by Kevin Butler.

“We didn’t play well tonight,” Chicago Coach Mike Ditka said. “There’s no reason for it.”

The Raiders harassed quarterback Mike Tomczak, sacking him four times for 43 yards in the first half. Defensive end Greg Townsend, playing his first game after ending a month-long holdout last Monday, had a sack and linebacker Aaron Wallace, the Raiders’ No. 2 draft pick, had three sacks for 34 yards.

“He had as many sacks tonight as I’ve had in a season,” Raider nose guard Bob Golic said of Wallace. “He’s right on course for breaking my career record.”

Defensive end Lyle Alzado, making a comeback after a five-year retirement, played for the first time this summer. Alzado, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee three weeks ago, intercepted a pass by Bear quarterback Jim Harbaugh in the fourth quarter, but the play was nullified because Alzado had jumped offsides.

“I had my eyes closed,” Alzado said. “Let’s be honest. I didn’t intercept it, he just threw it to me.”

With the Raiders cutting to 60 players next week, does Alzado think he will survive?

“It’s up to them.” Alzado said. “I’m not worrying about it. Everybody saw that I can still play with the best of them.”

Can Alzado, 41, still perform well enough to play in the NFL?

“I’m still capable, and whoever wants to deny it can look at the films tonight,” Alzado said. “Besides that, how many 41-year-old men have a body like this?”

With that, Alzado struck a bodybuilder-like pose.

With the Raiders leading, 10-3, after Gault’s touchdown catch, quarterback Vince Evans replaced Schroeder in the second half and directed the Raiders to a field goal and a touchdown that was set up by linebacker Darin Jordan’s fumble recovery at the Bear 37.

Evans, trying to earn the Raider backup job, put together a six-play drive after Jordan’s fumble recovery, scrambling away from the Bear defense and hitting wide receiver Sam Graddy with a 14-yard pass to give the Raiders a first down at the nine. After Evans threw a four-yard pass to wide receiver Jamie Holland, fullback Steve Smith got the touchdown on a five-yard run.

Raider Notes

Former USC defensive back Mark Carrier, the Bears’ No. 1 draft pick, played well in his first start at free safety. Carrier made a big hit on running back Kerry Porter to knock a pass loose. . . . Bear defensive tackle William Perry suffered a sprained right ankle. . . . The Raiders will finish their exhibition season next Saturday when they play the San Diego Chargers at the Coliseum at 1 p.m.