Shell Says He Will Stay With Lineup : Raiders: Coach says that Beuerlein isn’t the answer to the team’s recent slump.

Welcome to first place, AFC West, where the leader checks in with a slumping quarterback, two million-dollar runners who can’t muster 16 carries a game between them, a defense that can’t do it all after all, and a special teams unit so riddled by penalties you’d think every Sunday was Flag Day.

So what’s second place like?

The Raiders (6-3) don’t want to find out, but their hold on the division has become a weakened grip that could become an open palm unless they address some pressing problems:

--Jay Schroeder. After a rock-steady first seven games, the quarterback whose career has been checkered with mood swings has stumbled somewhat in consecutive losses to Kansas City and Green Bay. How deep is his valley? It could well determine what the Raiders are playing for in December.

Coach Art Shell, flexing some of his considerable presence, headed the media off Monday, setting the record straight on the Schroeder issue and other possible contingency plans.

For starters, Shell didn’t even bother to offer Schroeder the dreaded vote of confidence.

“Jay is our quarterback,” Shell said. “I don’t have to give Jay a vote of confidence. He’s the quarterback of this football team.”

Shell said the chorus of boos directed toward Schroeder in Sunday’s 29-16 loss to Green Bay at the Coliseum will have no bearing on his future.

“Let me tell you one thing,” Shell said. “Boos don’t mean nothing to me. The boos are not going to run this football team. It’s not going to be this way. I know where you’re headed, you’re headed to replacing Jay Schroeder, and I’m not going to do that. I’ll do it if it’s necessary for this organization to win. I’m not going to sit down and let other people dictate what we do in this organization. It’s not going to be that way. Not with me.”

Meanwhile, last year’s starter, Steve Beuerlein, roams the sidelines in street clothes. The Raiders haven’t activated Beuerlein this season after a summer contract dispute.

Shell said Beuerlein’s role as scout team quarterback would not change this week, that veteran Vince Evans would be the first quarterback in off the bench if Schroeder went down or was removed.

“I don’t care if the fans scream for Steve Beuerlein,” Shell said. “It doesn’t matter to me. I go by what I feel is good for this football team. Nobody is to dictate as to who plays here. I’m not going to allow it to happen.”

--The running game. Three weeks ago against San Diego, the backfield combination of Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen appeared a match made in football heaven. Alternating at tailback, Jackson gained 53 yards and scored twice in the victory over the Chargers, Allen had 45 yards rushing and added 50 more yards receiving.

In two games since, however, the running game has manufactured only 149 total yards. Allen, the team’s all-time leading rusher, has carried only 20 times in three games since Jackson’s arrival. In the last two weeks, Jackson has carried 20 times for 65 yards.

As a team, the Raiders had only 18 rushing attempts against the Packers.

This isn’t what Shell had in mind.

“I’d love to run it 40 times,” he said. “We just didn’t have it enough. When we did have it, we just didn’t hold onto it.”

Shell said the failure to run on first and second down has forced his team from its desired ball-control game plan.

“If you’re only gaining one or two yards on first and second down, then what are you going to do?” Shell asked. “Run the ball again?”

Still, Shell said he doesn’t plan any lineup changes on offense and said Allen’s decreased role has not been by design.

“It’s just the way it worked out,” Shell said. “I don’t know what the stats are until after the game.”

The Raiders’ special teams continued to be plagued by penalties and mistakes. The defense, so solid all season, had eight sacks Sunday but couldn’t get the ball back to its offense. And, for the second consecutive week, the Raiders might be questioned for their play calling.

The Raiders still lead the AFC West by one game, but the competition is closing fast. “I’m not going to look back,” Shell said. “We’ve got enough problems of our own to be worrying about San Diego, Denver and Kansas City.”

THE ROAD AHEAD: The remaining schedules for the contenders in the AFC West. RAIDERS (6-3)

Date Team Record Nov. 19 At Miami 8-1 Nov. 25 Kansas City 5-4 Dec. 2 At Denver 3-6 Dec. 10 At Detroit 3-6 Dec. 16 Cincinnati 5-4 Dec. 22 At Minnesota 3-6 Dec. 30 San Diego 5-5 Composite record 32-32

KANSAS CITY (5-4)

Date Team Record Nov. 19 San Diego (Nov. 18) 5-5 Nov. 25 At Raiders 6-3 Dec. 2 At New England 1-9 Dec. 10 Denver (Dec. 9) 3-6 Dec. 16 Houston 4-5 Dec. 22 At San Diego (Dec. 23) 5-5 Dec. 30 At Chicago (Dec. 29) 8-1 Composite record 32-34

SAN DIEGO (5-5)

Date Team Record Nov. 19 At Kansas City (Nov. 18) 5-4 Nov. 25 Seattle 4-5 Dec. 2 New York Jets 4-6 Dec. 10 Open Date Dec. 16 At Denver 3-6 Dec. 22 Kansas City (Dec. 23) 5-4 Dec. 30 At Raiders 6-3 Composite record 27-28