Raiders Wonder Why They’re So Inoffensive

The Raider offense, which has gone from Marcus Allen to Marcus Wilson in a hurry, needs a marked improvement to keep from going under.

The Raiders are 2-2 and one game off the lead in the AFC West but have scored only 66 points in four games.

The offense rolled out another 17 points in Sunday’s four-point loss to Atlanta. The Raiders have scored 17 in both losses and 16 points in two victories, which amounts to consistency. So does 8-8.

The Raider defense finally got this run-and-shoot thing straight- ened out, holding the Falcons’ Red Gun to two touchdowns, and what happened? The Raider offense gave up a touchdown on the first series.

“I’m concerned,” Coach Art Shell said Monday. “I’m always concerned. Even if we were scoring 30 points a game, I’d be concerned. You want to see some continuity. You want to see a machine-type of thing. We’re just not doing that right now.”

More a concern than Jay Schroeder’s confidence, or an injury-riddled backfield, or an under-used receiving corps--the lonesome threesome--are signs of cracks along the offensive line, a strength in last year’s 12-4 run:

Schroeder, sacked only 29 times in 1990, has been dropped 12 times in four games, which puts him on a 48-sack pace.

Shell wants to run, run, run. A few weeks ago, he installed a seven-lineman formation called “Tilt,” hoping to blow defenses off the line. A great idea except it hasn’t really worked. The Raiders abandoned their unbalanced set after two plays Sunday. Raider backs averaged 2.8 yards a carry against Atlanta.

Right guard Max Montoya, a perennial all-pro, can’t stay unhurt. The groin pull he suffered against Chicago Aug. 17 keeps getting worse. Sunday’s aggravation may keep him out of the lineup for a couple of weeks, Shell said.

Montoya was scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday to determine whether the injury is more serious this time.

The Raiders don’t have many options. The team released versatile backup Todd Peat in training camp after an injury settlement because of a torn triceps. Peat is a phone call away, but his triceps isn’t healed.

Now, what about this tailback Marcus Wilson? Sunday’s almost-hero made for a nice story line--Unknown Strong Safety Recalled from Practice Squad to Salvage Raider Running Game--but this is a far cry from training camp, when the Raiders were overloaded with backs. Remember the stable of Allen, Craig, and the Bells, Greg and Nick?

“You all said in the off-season, ‘Why are you getting all these running backs?’ ” Shell said. “I kept telling you it would work out. It’s working out the wrong way.”

Allen remains on injured reserve, Craig is beaten and bruised. Greg Bell, released in August, is still working his sprained ankle back into shape at the Raiders’ complex but he isn’t in the team’s immediate plans.

Rookie Nick Bell is eligible to leave the injured-reserve list this week. The Raiders probably will send a limo for him.