Demotions Lead to Emotion When Stars Get Benched : Raiders: As did L.A.’s Allen, Eagle quarterback Cunningham airs unhappiness. Game today is key for both teams.

First came the surprise announcement from the coach: He was demoting his star veteran for today’s game between the Raiders and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Then came the furious response from the veteran, spewing feelings of anger and hurt.

In Los Angeles, that has been the story of Coach Art Shell and running back Marcus Allen.

But it has also been the Philadelphia story this week. Here, the names in the headlines are Rich Kotite and Randall Cunningham.

Today’s game between the Raiders (3-5) and the Eagles (5-3) has more subplots than a soap opera.

Allen, the leading rusher in Raider history, was angered earlier this week upon learning that Eric Dickerson and Nick Bell would share the rushing duties, with Allen relegated to third-down and short-yardage plays.

Cunningham, 29, the Philadelphia quarterback and often rated among the league’s best, had the same reaction as Allen upon learning that he, too, was having the ball removed from his hands. Kotite, the Eagles’ coach, announced Monday that he would bench Cunningham for one game and handed the starting job to another veteran, Jim McMahon.

Cunningham’s problems started last season, a season that lasted only 11 plays for him.

On that 11th play, the first of the second quarter of the season opener against the Green Bay Packers, Cunningham was hit by linebacker Bryce Paup.

The result was two torn ligaments in the left knee and 10 agonizing months of rehabilitation.

Knees are, of course, crucial to any quarterback, but especially to Cunningham, who has used his legs to become the top rushing quarterback in NFL history.

But the long hours of rehabilitation seemed to have guaranteed continued longevity for Cunningham. He opened this season as if the last one never happened.

Despite the absence of lineman Jerome Brown, the defensive leader who was killed in an off-season car accident, and key receiver Keith Jackson, a holdout who eventually left the Eagles as a free agent, Philadelphia opened the season 4-0. And Cunningham led the way, completing more than 70% of his passes in each of the first three games and performing well enough to be selected as NFC offensive player of the month for September.

But since then, the Eagles have lost three of four. And Cunningham seems to have lost his touch.

Even in the game it won during that stretch, Philadelphia scored only one touchdown in beating the Phoenix Cardinals, 7-3.

The low point occurred Sunday against the Cowboys in Dallas. Cunningham completed only three of eight passes during the first half for 13 yards, had one interception and produced only one first down.

With Philadelphia trailing at the half, 3-0, Kotite turned to McMahon, the 11-year veteran who led the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl title seven years ago.

McMahon had mixed results, directing the Eagles to a touchdown, but also throwing a crucial interception in a 20-10 loss.

After the game, Kotite said the quarterback switch was an unplanned, one-day-only move designed to stimulate his lifeless offense, but that Cunningham remained his starter.

That was Sunday.

After a restless night to think about it, Kotite changed his call.

McMahon will start this week, but Cunningham will get his job back next week, Kotite said.

“I don’t know how many people could have come back off the injury as quickly as Randall did,” Kotite said. “It was extremely serious. He did a magnificent job preparing himself, rehabbing himself. . . . He’s worked extremely hard. He may even be to a point where he’s been trying too hard.

“I think the most important thing is to just back him off a week. He’s still our quarterback. McMahon knows that. . . . I think (Cunningham) is going to be fine. He doesn’t like sitting down, but anyone who likes sitting down, you don’t want him around anyway.”

There’s no question Cunningham doesn’t like sitting.

“You got that right,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer after learning he would be. “I don’t want to sit on the bench, and it’s not because of the splinters.

“Richie (Kotite) told me, ‘If we’re going to go to the Super Bowl, you’re the only one to take us there.’ Well, I’m not in the starting lineup, so what does that tell you?”

But Kotite has stuck to his decision.

“I felt it was the right time to do it,” he said. “We still have a lot of games to play and I expect Randall to be a very big part of what we accomplish this year.”

The less mobile McMahon could make things easier for the Raiders, who have developed an aggressive pass rush in recent weeks, largely because of their new front four--Anthony Smith, Nolan Harrison, Howie Long and Greg Townsend.

The Raiders’ season has been almost the opposite of the Eagles’. The Raiders started 0-4 but have won three of their last four.

Now, after a bye, they will play a team torn by controversy. No problem. As a matter of fact, it makes them feel at home.

Raider Notes

The Raiders activated guard Max Montoya and waived offensive lineman Rich Stephens. Montoya has been sidelined seven weeks because of a knee injury.