Raiders Turn Less Into More
Only by employing the strange axiom of Raider football can a team win more with fewer points.
Sunday, 12 points proved enough to beat the San Francisco 49ers. In the two previous weeks, 16 points were plenty in victories over Denver and Indianapolis.
But the team’s two scoring sprees of the season--games in which the Raiders scored 17 points--resulted in defeats.
Are the Raiders streaking toward the league’s first 2-0 shutout?
If so, the reason is simple: Great defense and not much offense.
Since giving up 47 points to the Houston Oilers in the opener, the Raiders have slammed the door on opponents--and themselves.
In fact, had the Raider offense not surrendered a touchdown against Atlanta, the difference in a 21-17 loss, the team would be 4-1 despite having scored 78 points in five games. That’s an average of 15.6 points.
The Raider offense has been outscored overall, 87-78, yet the team is 3-2 after five weeks and remains in the thick of the AFC West chase, trailing first-place Denver by a game.
Since the Houston loss, the Raider defense has given up only three touchdowns in fourgames.
“What’s happening is that we’re getting back to playing conventional football,” Coach Art Shell said Monday.
Shell, of course, was referring to life without having to face a run-and-shoot offense, the Raiders’ bane. The Raiders are winless in two games against spread formation offenses, having given up eight touchdowns against the Oilers and Falcons.
In three other games, all victories, the Raiders have given up one touchdown, a three-yard scoring pass from Denver quarterback John Elway to Steve Sewell in the fourth quarter on Sept.8.
Although Shell is worried about his team’s lack of production, he is not going to take any chances and hurt his defense.
“We’ve got a defense that’s playing hard, playing tough,” he said. “You don’t want to do anything stupid. Just don’t screw the game up.”
The offense almost did so in Sunday’s fourth quarter, when Steve Smith’s fumble led to a 49er rally that fell short.
“At some point in time, we’re going to break out of this doggone thing and we’re going to score some points,” Shell said.
“But until that time, let’s make sure we don’t make the big mistake that’s going to hurt the team overall.”
The Denver Broncos, 5-11 in 1990, have rebounded with a 4-1 start--led by running back Gaston Green, who wasn’t deemed worthy in his non-playing days with the Rams.
The Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs are tied for second in the AFC West at 3-2, with Seattle2-3.
“I knew going in that Denver would not stay down,” Shell said. “No team with John Elway will stay down. He’s too good to let that happen.”
This week, starting with a home game against the winless Chargers, the Raiders begin a stretch in which four of their next five games are in their division.
Shell said no opponent can be taken for granted in the AFC West. The Chiefs barely escaped San Diego on Sunday, 14-13.
“They played Kansas City very tough,” Shell said of the Chargers. “I think every week is going to be like that. I don’t think there are going to be any easy wins in the division.”
