Schroeder a Winner in Confidence Game : Raiders: Quarterback directs three flawless drives early to key victory over Seahawks.

As Raider quarterback Jay Schroeder strode off the Coliseum field after throwing three touchdown passes in a 24-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Schroeder the Raider received an ovation.

It was quite a contrast from the past two seasons, when some tried to boo Schroeder out of Los Angeles.

“That’s a good feeling,” Schroeder said when asked about the reception he received, adding that fans have a right to cheer or boo athletes. “If I go to a basketball game and Magic (Johnson) misses a free throw I’ll get on his case, but I’ll be the first guy to cheer him when he hits that three-pointer at the buzzer.”

Schroeder completed eight consecutive passes as the Raiders scored on their first three drives. But a pass he intentionally threw away to avoid being intercepted may say more about his maturity than the ones he completed. The Schroeder of old, who has thrown more interceptions than touchdown passes, might have tried to force the pass into double coverage.

After throwing away the pass, Schroeder threw a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ethan Horton.

Would Schroeder have tried to force the pass into coverage in the past instead of throwing it away?

“I probably would have because we were struggling a little bit last season,” he said.

But the Raiders and Schroeder aren’t struggling this season, winning five of their first six games.

After completing 14 of 17 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, Schroeder ended up 19 of 26 for 235 yards, including touchdowns of one, three and three yards.

“I thought Jay was outstanding,” Raider Coach Art Shell said. “Jay is playing the kind of football that is deserving of Pro Bowl recognition.”

If there was any doubt that the Raiders were still considering trading for Bobby Hebert of the New Orleans Saints, Schroeder may have finally put it to rest with his performance Sunday. “I don’t really worry about that,” Schroeder said when asked about the possibility of a trade for Hebert.

Mike White, hired to coach the Raider quarterbacks this season, has improved Schroeder’s mechanics.

“The system has given Jay a role where he doesn’t have to do it all by himself,” White said. “He’s concentrating on eliminating mistakes. I’m excited for him because I see a good enthusiastic attitude.”

Schroeder completed six of seven passes for 63 yards as the Raiders marched 81 yards in 13 plays on their first possession, which culminated in his one-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith.

He completed four consecutive passes for 61 yards as the Raiders went 80 yards on their next drive, which ended with Schroeder’s three-yard touchdown pass to Mervyn Fernandez, who made a great catch between two defenders.

Taking over at the Seattle 48 on their third drive, Schroeder completed five of six passes for 43 yards. He capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Horton, who caught five passes for 63 yards.

Receiver Tim Brown said Schroeder is more poised this season than he was last year, when he lost his job to Steve Beuerlein.

“Last year he wasn’t too confident of what was going to happen,” Brown said. “It was him and Beuerlein and Beuerlein and him and no one knew who the quarterback was. This year he knew he was the man because Beuerlein missed all of camp.

“He’s been going out and doing what he’s supposed to do. I don’t think he’s done anything great and I think if you talk to him he’ll say the same thing. His biggest asset this year is that he’s able to look at his receivers and if one isn’t open he’s able to go across the field. Last year, not that he couldn’t do that, but he wasn’t doing that. He’s a little bit more patient because he knows the offensive line is going to give him time.”

Do the Raiders have more confidence in Schroeder than they did last season?

“Going into the beginning of the year you didn’t know if he was going to hit that button and panic on you or not,” Brown said. “But he’s done a great job.”

Does Schroeder have more confidence?

“I’ve always had confidence in myself,” Schroeder said. “It’s just a matter of having confidence in what everybody else is doing. I think it’s just a snowball effect.”

What did the Seahawks think?

“Confidence, man,” Seattle free safety Eugene Robinson said. “I think they’ve said to him that he’s the man and he can play better because he doesn’t have somebody looking over his shoulder. He’s standing up there tall and throwing the ball.”