Raiders Sting in Harmony : Pro football: Their offense, defense and special teams finally mesh in a 31-7 victory over the Seahawks. Schroeder goes 16 for 19.

For once, the Raiders didn’t need another miracle finish to hang in the gallery alongside FitzPatrick’s Fingers or Howie’s Helmet.

So what if Ronnie Lott does not decide an outcome? Why can’t Jeff Jaeger and his foot relax for a change?

“I’m getting too old and drink too much coffee to go through any more close games,” nose tackle Bob Golic said.

The Raiders decided Sunday to beat traffic with a performance that might be remembered as their harmonic convergence, a 31-7 victory over the Seattle Seahawks before 49,317 at the Coliseum.

In their most dominating effort of the Art Shell era, the Raiders (7-4) announced their arrival to the starting blocks in what now has become a five-game sprint to the AFC West title.

The Raiders are 4-0 in last-second finishes but are running short on fingernails.

“Those games build character,” said Anthony Smith, a rising star on the defensive front. “We have a lot of character. I don’t think we need any more.”

Blowouts are better.

The Raiders had the complete package against Seattle--offense, defense, special teams. The Raiders scored 24 points in the second quarter, more than in any game this season. The defense sacked Dave Krieg six times and, for good measure, relief man Kelly Stouffer once.

Raider quarterback Jay Schroeder threw 19 passes, and 18 of them should have been caught. For the often-maligned Schroeder, it was a game of near perfection. Schroeder completed 16 for 273 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

Two of his incompletions hit his intended receiver in both hands. The other was a desperate attempt to avoid a heavy rush.

“It was fun to be a quarterback on a day like today,” Schroeder said.

The toughest pass Schroeder attempted was a four-yard scoring toss to Andrew Glover to put the Raiders ahead, 17-0, in the second quarter.

On first and goal at the Seattle one, Schroeder faked the run and looked to pass. When he peered left, he spotted tight end Glover, uncovered, in the left corner of the end zone.

“Just get it close!” Schroeder said he screamed to himself. “Those are the hardest passes to complete, when the guy is standing there with no one around him.”

The Raider offense had 342 yards. It is no coincidence that this output coincides with the return of Marcus Allen to the lineup.

Allen played sparingly but brilliantly. He had six carries for 33 yards on a Raider scoring drive in the second quarter, plus a 10-yard reception.

To announce his return, Allen dazzled the crowd on one six-yard run with a 360-degree spin in mid stride.

“He made some plays that really shouldn’t have been made,” Schroeder said.”

Allen finished with 54 yards in nine carries.

This, though, was Seahawk feed compared to the day in the life of Ethan Horton, the tight end whom Raider opponents refuse to double cover.

Horton, a converted running back, caught seven passes for 123 yards.

He flashed some old tailback moves late in the second quarter when he caught a five-yard screen pass from Schroeder and turned it into a 51-yard scoring run, diving the last three yards into the end zone.

Horton said it was a team effort, and he is right. Center Don Mosebar threw the first key block. Receiver Tim Brown leveled two defenders on the play.

Willie Gault, who had caught only 15 passes entering the game, caught a four-yard scoring pass in the second quarter. Opponents have taken the deep pattern from Gault, but he will take anything that comes his way.

“If I never catch another pass and we win the Super Bowl, I wouldn’t care,” Gault said.

Sam Graddy, a former gold-medal sprinter, turned in the catch of the day when he lunged and cradled a 51-yard pass from Schroeder in the second quarter, setting up the one-yard scoring pass to Glover.

Raider receivers have a saying--”If we’re even, we’re leaving,” Graddy said--and there was little the Seahawks could do.

“They just kicked our butts in all areas,” Seattle Coach Chuck Knox said. “No excuses. No nothings.”

No nothings is right. The Raiders held Seattle to 23 rushing yards. The Seahawks rushed only seven times. Combinations of the Raiders’ defensive front four swarmed Krieg.

“The Raiders have defense,” said defensive end Smith, who finished with 2 1/2 sacks. “It’s like water makes bread. That’s something that’s always going to be true.”

Opponents have a problem here, and the solution is to double-team Howie Long and hope for the best. But that doesn’t wash anymore.

“When teams double me,” Long said, “we now have the people around me capable of taking advantage of the single blocking. That’s the key.”

Long still managed a sack. Scott Davis had 2 1/2 sacks. Greg Townsend had one.

When the Raiders opened a 24-7 lead at the half, the line had the freedom to forget the run and pressure Krieg from all sides.

“It was like the day before Christmas,” Smith said. “You just can’t wait to get there.”

Raider Notes

Jeff Jaeger made a 51-yard field goal in the first quarter that would have been good from 60. Jaeger has made 23 of 27 attempts this season. . . . Three of Andrew Glover’s five catches have been for scores.

Max Montoya, plagued with a groin injury all season, started and played the whole game. . . . Tight end Ethan Horton, with seven catches, has tied Mervyn Fernandez for the team lead with 38. Fernandez had one reception for 19 yards and has caught at least one pass in 56 consecutive games, a team record. . . . Backup quarterback Vince Evans, who hadn’t played since the season opener, finished for Jay Schroeder.