THE NFL PLAYOFFS : Benson Emerges From the Shadows : Raiders: While Long, Golic and Townsend get most of the attention, the inside linebacker deals with the opposition’s best running back.

Linebacker Thomas Benson of the Raiders has fallen into a pattern.

When he leaves practice, Benson carries home a stack of videotapes and spends the evening in front of his TV. But Benson’s videos don’t include “Pretty Woman,” “The Hunt for Red October” or “Dick Tracy.”

Benson watches Buffalo Bill quarterback Jim Kelly and running back Thurman Thomas.

When the Raiders play the Bills in Sunday’s AFC championship game at Buffalo, Benson’s assignment will be covering Thomas, who led the AFC in rushing with 1,297 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 49 passes for 532 yards and two touchdowns. Thomas set a team playoff record with 32 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 44-34 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

“Thomas is a lot like (Detroit Lion tailback) Barry Sanders,” Benson said. “They’re both strong and have good feet and good hands. We have to shut him down and shut their whole offense down.”

That’s obviously easier said than done. The Bills led the NFL in scoring with 428 points. Benson made four tackles and assisted on another when the Raiders limited Thomas to 67 yards in 15 carries in a 38-24 loss to the Bills last October.

Overlooked because he doesn’t pass-rush, as do defensive ends Howie Long and Greg Townsend, and isn’t as talkative as nose tackle Bob Golic, Benson has played a key role for the Raider defense this season.

“I’m not really too concerned about the publicity thing,” Benson said. “A lot of people who don’t know me think I’m real quiet. But I’m here to do the best job I can and that’s on the field. I just want to go out and play to the best of my ability. I love the game and I love playing it.”

Coach Art Shell understands Benson’s value to the team.

“When you’ve got people like Townsend and Long up front, it’s difficult to get any kind of notoriety,” Shell said. “But the coaches and players appreciate Benson.”

Long agreed.

“Thomas is an extremely versatile linebacker because of his combination of speed and size (6-2, 240),” Long said. “He runs and makes tackles as well as anyone. That’s the big asset he gives us.”

Benson’s role is to fill the gaps on the defense and force running backs to change course. He also covers backs coming out of the backfield to catch passes.

Signed as Plan B free agent from the New England Patriots in 1989, Benson has started every game since he joined the Raiders.

“For whatever reason, he was available and we took a shot and he’s been producing for us ever since he’s been here,” Shell said.

The Atlanta Falcons’ second-round draft pick in 1984 from Oklahoma, Benson played for three teams before coming to the Raiders.

After spending two seasons in Atlanta, which gave up on him after trying to convert him from inside to outside linebacker, Benson was traded to the San Diego Chargers before the start of the 1986 season.

He started for two seasons with the Chargers, who traded him to New England in the wake of a contract dispute before the start of the 1988 season. When the Patriots failed to protect Benson, he signed with the Raiders.

“I liked the Raiders’ mystique,” Benson. “I’ve always liked them, from the time I started watching football.”

Benson didn’t take long to adjust, leading the Raiders with 111 tackles last season. He also had two sacks and two interceptions.

“Sometimes players come to a new team and a sort of a maturity happens in them,” Raider defensive coordinator Dave Adolph said. “You never really know what it was. Since he’s come to the Raiders, he’s worked hard at making himself a good player. Why he wasn’t before, I really don’t know.”

The Raiders, who seem to use Plan B as an extension of the draft, have come up with Riki Ellison, Jerry Robinson and Golic through Plan B.

“Al (Davis) has an innate ability to see something that other people don’t see,” Long said. “We have a lot of different parts here. We have a door from Philadelphia and a headlight from Cleveland and a trunk from wherever.”

Benson made 82 tackles this season, third most on the team and tied for first among linebackers with Ellison.

Benson had nine tackles in last week’s 20-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. When the Bengals drove to the Raider seven early in the fourth quarter, Benson threw running back James Brooks for a one-yard loss on second down with a thunderous hit.

“I had a pretty good read on the play,” Benson said. “I just shot through and put the lick on him.”

Benson has been one of the Raiders’ most consistent defenders this season, playing equally well against the pass or the run.

“An inside linebacker has to do it all,” Benson said. “You have to take on those big linemen and prevent them from blowing those holes open for the running backs. If they can get the inside running game going it hurts you a lot.

“But you also have to play man and zone coverage, whereas an outside linebacker doesn’t have to drop into coverage as much because he’s blitzing most of the time.”

Raider Notes

Tailback Bo Jackson, who has an injured hip, didn’t practice Friday and Coach Art Shell said it’s doubtful that Jackson will play Sunday. Defensive end Howie Long, who hasn’t practiced all week because of an injury, worked out Friday. The Raiders left for Buffalo after practice. They will work out lightly at Rich Stadium today.