Raiders Need to Get Moving : Pro football: Shell will look for ways to revive running game during today’s exhibition against the Redskins.

How many yards does Eric Dickerson have left in his well-traveled legs?

How many carries does Marcus Allen have left in his brilliant, but stormy, Raider career?

How many opportunities will Nick Bell get in the shadows of his more illustrious teammates?

Questions, questions, questions.

And with only two weeks remaining until the start of the regular season, it’s time for some answers.

For the Raiders, the spotlight has been on the battle for the role of starting quarterback between Jay Schroeder and Todd Marinovich. But in the Raiders’ camp, the main concern has been about the running game, sluggish and ineffective in the club’s first two exhibitions.

The Raiders hope that all changes today when the team takes on the defending Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins at the Coliseum in their first of two home exhibitions.

“The running game is behind and it’s got to catch up,” Raider Coach Art Shell said. “It’s a key part of what we do.”

What they have done so far is largely get stopped at the line of scrimmage, their ballcarriers and offensive line equally ineffective. In two exhibitions, the Raiders have rushed for a total of 55 yards in 30 carries, an average of 1.83 yards.

Yes, it’s only the exhibition season. And yes, the Raiders’ backfield has been a puzzle at least partially because several key pieces are missing. But that doesn’t ease Shell’s anxiety.

As part of his ongoing dispute with the team, Allen staged a holdout. And when he did finally report, he had a sore foot that further limited his activity. Allen’s appearance this afternoon will be his first of the summer.

Fullback Steve Smith will also be playing in his first game, after sitting out the first two because of a pinched nerve in his back.

Dickerson’s activity has been limited by choice. The Raiders have brought him along slowly, letting him adjust to his new environment. As a result, he got only six carries for 22 yards in the Raiders’ first exhibition against the San Francisco 49ers. Last week, against the Rams, Dickerson had only one net yard in five carries. But he never got much of a shot. He played during the second half, when the Rams had the ball much of the time.

“I’m where I want to be,” Dickerson said in assessing his progress. “You always get a little bit concerned (when the running game bogs down, but I’m hoping it will get better.”

It is obvious that the Raiders didn’t get Dickerson, 32 next month, to save him for the future. It is inevitable that Allen, versatile as any back in the game, will get his share of playing time. And it is undeniable that the Raiders are impressed by Bell, a second-round draft choice who rushed for 307 yards in 78 carries and scored three touchdowns last season.

But Shell won’t say who will do what, and for how long.

“I am not going to get into who is Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4,” Shell said. “I’m not going to do that. I’m not ready to make decisions.”

Shell plans again to split the quarterbacking between Schroeder and Marinovich, with Schroeder starting. Shell will go largely with his starters during the first half and perhaps into the beginning of the third quarter.

Somebody will break into the win column for the first time today, barring a tie. The Redskins are 0-3 in exhibitions, having lost those games by a total of four points.

“I think you have to be concerned,” Washington Coach Joe Gibbs said. “We have lost leads with players that we are counting on to provide depth this season. There are some people who are simply not getting the job done.”

It has been a tough summer for the Redskins, who will be playing their fourth consecutive road game. They took on the Miami Dolphins in Orlando, Fla., the New York Jets in New Jersey and the 49ers in London last Sunday.

“That is tough,” Shell said of Washington’s overseas game. “It’s nice going over there, but coming back is tough.”

Quarterback Mark Rypien, who was a holdout during the Redskins’ first two games, has thrown seven passes, completing two. But he is expected to get his first full workout this afternoon.

Rypien is one player who doesn’t have to worry about his role. There will be a lot of personnel decisions made in the next two weeks, but, come opening day, Rypien knows he will be out there.

No question about it.

Raider Notes

Three Redskins--receiver Desmond Howard, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, cornerback Darrell Green and offensive tackle Jim Lachey--remain holdouts. Howard is asking for a three-year, $4.5-million deal. . . . The Raiders also have three holdouts: defensive linemen Greg Townsend and Scott Davis and linebacker Winston Moss. . . . Defensive end Chester McGlockton, the Raider’s top pick in the draft, will sit out his second game because of a sprained foot, an injury suffered during the Raiders’ opening exhibition.