Opposite Sideline Is Slightly Skewed for Lott, Craig

After helping the San Francisco 49ers become the team of the 1980s by winning four Super Bowls, safety Ronnie Lott and running back Roger Craig were cast aside, victims of a youth movement.

Lott and Craig, who signed with the Raiders as Plan B free agents, faced their former team for the first time in a 24-17 exhibition loss to the 49ers Saturday at the Coliseum.

“It was an eerie feeling just stepping on the field knowing that my (former) teammates were across the field from me,” Craig said. “I went to war with these guys for eight years, and now I was playing against them.

“It was a strange feeling for me. When I was on the sideline watching the (49er) offense, I saw some plays that I would normally run and I knew what was coming.

“I didn’t really worry about playing against the 49ers. I just tried to approach this game as professionally as I could and not try to get caught up in the hype.”

Lott said it wasn’t difficult to play against the 49ers.

“I was truly a Raider when I signed the contract,” Lott said. “There was no turning back after that day. Right now the thing for me is just to try to continue to get better in the preseason. I’m sure there are some mistakes that I made in the game, and I’ve got to really concentrate on that and try to get better.”

Joe Montana, 49er quarterback, headed straight for Lott as soon as the game ended.

Montana had a brief word with Lott, who also spoke with 49er wide receiver Jerry Rice and linebacker Charles Haley.

“They said they’d see me after the game,” Lott said.

Lott, who played only the first quarter, didn’t see much of Montana during the game because the 49ers emphasized their ground game early. Montana threw only six passes--and none at Lott--before departing at the end of the first quarter.

One of the hardest hitters in the NFL, Lott got in a good shot on running back Dexter Carter on the second play of the game.

“I saw him there and I probably could have put a move on him,” Carter said. “But if there’s a situation where I can’t go around a player, I’m going to definitely go up against him.

“Ronnie Lott is the greatest safety to play the game. Just because he left the 49ers, that doesn’t mean he’s not still great. He’s going to be great until he leaves the game. There’s wasn’t anything personal about it. I just ran the ball and he tackled me.”

There were whispers that Craig had lost a step after he rushed for 439 yards in 141 carries in 1990, his worst season since joining the 49ers in 1983.

But he didn’t waste much time showing that he is still productive, gaining 28 yards in his first three carries. However, his fumble led to the winning touchdown.

“I didn’t want to try to press the issue to the 49ers that they made a mistake by letting me go,” Craig said. “I was just trying to do what was best for myself and for the Raiders.

“I don’t have anything to prove to anybody. I don’t have to prove anything to the 49ers. If I start worrying about that, it will take away from my way of playing football. I’m playing for Roger Craig and his family and for the Raiders.”

Entering the game at the start of the third quarter, Craig gained 12 yards on a run up the middle on the first play of the second half. After picking up six yards up the middle on the next play, Craig cut toward the middle and spun around a tackler for a 10-yard gain. He faked linebacker Mitch Donahue on his next carry. As Donahue lunged at Craig, he spun away and Donahue was left holding a piece of a towel Craig wears.

Playing behind the Raiders second-string offensive line, Craig rushed for a team-high 34 yards in six carries.

“I’m just trying to get better every day,” Craig said. “I’ve still got a lot to learn in the system. That one fumble I had, Greg Cox pulled it out of my hand. That’s just minor stuff.

“The main thing is I felt fresh. I feel like I’m 25 years old, and it’s a good feeling. This is the best I’ve felt in training camp in my nine years. The reason is that Art Shell told me not to overtrain in the off-season. He told me to leave something for the season because it’s a long season. So I cut back on my training.”

Lott and Craig, besieged by the media after the game, will go through it again when the Raiders will play the 49ers in a regular-season game Sept. 29 at the Coliseum.

“It will be a lot more intense because you’re playing for something,” Craig said. “I tried not to get caught up in the hype this week. I was doing my job as far as answering all the questions. I’m happy this game is over because now I can rest again.

“But I’m pretty sure the hype is going to start up again when we play each other in September.”