Lott Shows Both Himself and Doubters : Raiders: Veteran safety was even doubting himself until he gets key interception to set up winning field goal.

Already assured a spot in the Hall of Fame, Raider strong safety Ronnie Lott was beginning to doubt himself.

Lott wondered if the San Francisco 49ers had made the correct move when they let him go to the Raiders as a free agent. Maybe those big hits had taken their toll on him and he should have retired.

“I always have doubts,” Lott said. “I think that’s part of being great. You’re never satisfied.”

But Lott proved that he’s still productive at 32 as he intercepted a pass to set up Jeff Jaeger’s 37-yard game-winning field goal in the Raiders’ 23-20 overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday at the Kingdome.

“People gave up on Ronnie, but Mr. (Al) Davis gave him another chance to show that he still can play and he’s proving it right now,” Raider cornerback Lionel Washington said.

Lott stepped in front of Seattle wide receiver Brian Blades and intercepted Jeff Kemp’s pass at the Seahawk 19-yard line.

“That play is a play that high school teams run,” Lott said. “It’s something that I have seen for years. It’s one that every team runs. I saw it develop and I was able to use my experience to make the play.”

Lott’s first interception of the season helped the Raiders recover from a 17-0 halftime deficit.

“I have to to say this is the best all-time comeback win in regular season that I’ve ever been a part of,” Lott said. “It was one of the most emotional games I’ve ever played in.

“I needed to do something to feel like I’m a part of the team. And the only way you can feel like a part of the team is to play. You can’t do it with what you’ve done in the past.”

Blades said Lott made an extraordinary play on the interception, going to his knees to pick off the pass.

“The ball was inside and I was trying to break up the play,” Blades said. “But Lott made a great play.”

Kemp didn’t see Lott until it was too late.

“It was a short turn-in route and Ronnie broke on it and I didn’t keep it away from him,” Kemp said. “I didn’t see him until I threw the ball and then I was concerned. He made a great play on that one.”

Lott didn’t make a great play earlier in the game when he was was badly beaten by Blades on a 52-yard pass play to the Raider 34. The Seahawks took a 20-17 lead just two plays later when John Kasay kicked a 45-yard field goal with 2:04 remaining in regulation.

“They saw me sitting on the (right) half of the field Brian stopped and turned it up and took up off the field,” Lott said. “I just couldn’t recover on it. It was a well designed play on their part.”

Lott was determined to atone for his mistake.

“I had to come up with something,” Lott said. “I was disappointed. I had my fingers crossed, my hands crossed, everything crossed hoping that we could get another opportunity and our offense did an excellent job of driving the ball down the field and getting three points.

“I just wanted to make a play. I kept my poise and kept trying to come up with something.”

Lott made a big play on the Seahawks’ first possession in overtime when he held fullback John L. Williams to a two-yard gain on second-and-three at the Seattle 41. Williams looked like he was headed for a big gainer after broke through the line, but Lott stopped him with a vicious hit.

Lott made another key stop on the following play when he combined with safety Eddie Anderson to hold Derrick Fenner to no gain on third-and-one at the Raider 43, which forced Seattle to punt.

“It was a huge play,” Raider defensive end Howie Long said. “That’s why Ronnie Lott has been to so many Pro Bowls and that’s why Ronnie Lott will be in the Hall of Fame because he’s such a great player. He’s a money player.”

“Ronnie’s a big hitter. When I think of Ronnie Lott I don’t think of interceptions, I think of hits.”

Raider nose tackle Bob Golic agreed.

“He has phenomenal hitting ability,” Golic said. “He just makes the big plays. He was just (stopping) people on their last drive. We’d be pushing people up and all of a sudden the guy would try and cut back and we’d hear this real loud noise and we knew it was Ronnie hitting someone.”

Lott has helped to stabilize the Raider secondary.

“I think Ronnie has brought leadership,” Washington said. “Just his presence means a lot. With Ronnie Lott and Eddie Anderson roaming the middle of the field it makes my job and Terry (McDaniel’s) job a lot easier.”