Add Injury to Insult as Raiders Lose Allen

As if Sunday’s 30-point loss to the Houston Oilers wasn’t bad enough for openers, the Raiders were dealt another blow Monday when they learned tailback Marcus Allen will miss three to six weeks because of a right knee injury suffered in the game.

Allen damaged the posterior cruciate ligament in the second half of the 47-17 loss while making a cut on the artificial surface at Houston’s Astrodome.

For the moment, surgery is not an option for Allen, 31. Team doctors believe the knee can heal with rest.

Allen blamed the injury on the synthetic turf, claiming his knee would never have buckled on natural grass. He was not struck by another player. He said he heard a pop when he planted his right foot to make a cut in the third quarter.

Allen took the opportunity to rail against the NFL’s use of artificial turf, claiming it should be banned. He said the league cares more about curtailing post-touchdown celebrations by players than confronting issues such as the dangers of artificial surface.

“The league seems to to worry more about that insignificant stuff instead of important issues,” Allen said. “They’ve been sweeping it under the carpet for a long time, no pun intended. This is frustrating.”

Allen noted that another great back, former Seattle Seahawk Curt Warner, once made a similar cut on artificial turf and had to undergo total reconstructive knee surgery.

“And he was never the same,” Allen said of Warner, who retired last year at age 31. “I don’t think there’s a player in the league that likes the stuff. But they (the NFL) don’t give a damn about us.”

Allen said the surface is particularly dangerous to runners like him, who rely more on sharp cuts and moves than speed.

“It’s a damn shame that you can run out on the turf, and nobody touches you, and you hurt yourself,” Allen said. “It’s a . . . shame. That stuff should not be used by anybody. No human being should have to walk on that stuff.”

Every team has its artificial turf horror stories. Last season, the Raiders lost defensive end Howie Long for four weeks when he broke his foot in the Seattle’s Kingdome. Long said he caught his foot on a seam in the carpet, causing the break.

Once loaded with talented runners, the Raiders suddenly find themselves dangerously thin at the position. Rookie Nick Bell and veteran Vance Mueller are on injured reserve and are not eligible to return until after the fourth week. Greg Bell was released before the roster cutdown to 60 with an ankle sprain.

Though a free agent, Bell is still working out at the Raiders’ training complex but, based on his Monday morning running workout, is still weeks away from competing.

The starting job suddenly belongs to Roger Craig, not a bad ace in the hole. Craig was relegated to mop-up duty in Sunday’s wipeout but knows well what it’s like to carry a running game on his shoulders.

“I’m ready,” Craig said. “I feel like a rookie again. I can’t wait for next week.”

Craig has been bothered by a bruised left knee but said the protective pad designed by trainer George Anderson has helped.

For now, Napoleon McCallum will serve as Craig’s backup.

Raider Coach Art Shell wouldn’t rule out the acquisition of another back. There are some big names on the trading block, including New England’s John Stephens, Denver’s Bobby Humphrey and Houston’s Lorenzo White.

The Raiders expressed some interest in Stephens last month when he was a holdout but cooled after the unhappy tailback came to contract terms last week.

More likely, the Raiders will attempt to find a quick fix until Allen and/or the Bells--Nick or Greg--are ready to return.

“We won’t do anything drastic unless it will help us,” Shell said. “We have some possibilities about what we will do.”