Allen’s Role With Raiders Still a Mystery : Football: They turn to him at Cincinnati and the veteran running back responds with the tying touchdown.

The cries of “Dump Jay Schroeder!” might have quieted on the sports-talk shows, but the “Bring back Marcus Allen!” movement is simply warming up.

Schroeder, the Raider quarterback, gained some respite, however temporary, from his critics with a 25-for-40, 380-yard passing performance during Sunday’s 24-21 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

But the controversy now figures to gravitate to Allen, the top rusher in Raider history.

After staging a holdout during his annual salary dispute with Raider owner Al Davis, Allen reported to training camp in the middle of the exhibition season.

Since the opening day of camp, rumors have persisted that the Raiders are trying to trade him.

He came into camp with a sore leg, suffered while working out on his own. Then, he suffered a bruised foot during his first exhibition appearance.

Allen was ready to play opening night in Denver, but found himself relegated to third string, behind Eric Dickerson and Nick Bell. Allen was to be used on third-down and goal-line plays, and even on special teams.

That lasted one game.

Sunday, against the Bengals, the Raiders were struggling with their running game. Dickerson had only 28 yards in 10 carries and has only 86 yards in two games, averaging 2.7 a carry.

With Schroeder taking advantage of a porous Cincinnati secondary, Bell had only five yards in two carries.

Then, on a fourth-quarter drive with the Raiders needing a touchdown to tie the score, they turned to Allen, as they have for a decade. He responded by rushing the final 16 yards into the end zone in three carries.

So, has he finally earned his way back to a substantial role?

Don’t bet on it.

“Marcus Allen will get the playing time that we deem necessary,” Shell said. “If we need him, he’s available to us.

“But to say that we are going to give him a whole load, no. We haven’t done that with him in a few years now. But if we keep him fresh, he can help us.”

So what’s the real reason for Allen’s demotion?

--Age? Shell’s comment about keeping Allen “fresh” indicates that the running back is thought of as an older player who must be kept well rested to remain effective.

Many think of Allen as being old because he has been playing in Los Angeles for so long. He was a Raider first-round draft choice in 1982 after a Heisman Trophy-winning career at USC. But he is only 32.

The perception is that the Raiders attempted to invigorate their running game in the off-season by bringing in Dickerson.

The reality is something else again.

Yes, Dickerson is younger than Allen-- five months and seven days younger

--The feud? Some point to Allen’s longstanding dispute with Davis, a feud whose nature and severity have never been revealed by either side.

Davis takes umbrage at those who claim he would sacrifice the well-being of his team because of personal vindictiveness.

--Dwindling skills? Anyone who saw Allen slashing his way through the Bengal line Sunday, or swinging out into the flat to catch a pass and pick up 40 yards, would debunk that theory.

Allen can run and receive and he has blocked more effectively than Dickerson or Bell.

The truth? Take your pick.

For now, nobody is saying.

And Allen still might not be playing any more.