Raider Defeat Has Shell in Rage : Pro football: Coach fumes after Colts win exhibition, 18-7.

It has been a tough week for Art Shell.

The Raider coach was forced to spend two days in a hospital undergoing tests for diabetes and three hours on the sidelines watching his Raiders play the Indianapolis Colts.

The diabetes Shell could at least accept with a positive attitude, knowing he can control it by changing his lifestyle.

But the Raiders’ performance Friday night, while certainly not as important in the long run, was something Shell seemed unable to accept, knowing that no matter how many changes he made, the only positive he could find was that the team finally scored an offensive touchdown for the first time in three weeks.

It wasn’t enough.

The Colts beat the Raiders, 18-7, before a Hoosier Dome crowd of 43,642.

It was the Raiders’ third consecutive exhibition defeat after an opening victory over the Green Bay Packers.

When Friday’s shabby performance was over, Shell, who usually maintains a stone face in public, was fuming. And he didn’t care who knew it.

Exhibition season or not, he had run out of patience after his team had been outscored, 58-14, over the last three games.

“It was not a very good game from the beginning to the finish,” Shell said. “Players have to want to make plays. One guy wanted to make a play, Greg Robinson. He wanted to get into the end zone.”

Robinson, an eighth-round draft choice this year, made it by breaking three tackles to score on a 74-yard run in the third period. That broke a string of 10 consecutive quarters in which the Raiders had failed to score an offensive touchdown.

“We will get done what needs to be done,” said Shell in talking about the upcoming week of practice, “if it takes all day and all night. We will get it done. It starts with me. I’ve got to make sure we are prepared to play.”

Shell delivered the same angry message to his team, but raised the decibel level much higher.

Shell went into the game planning to play his regulars only one quarter. With the first cutdown coming on Tuesday, he wanted to take a look at the reserves.

So starting quarterback Jeff Hostetler got only two pass attempts, completing one. And starting running back Nick Bell got only four carries, gaining 17 yards.

Quarterback Todd Marinovich, who hadn’t been used in either of the last two games, came in at the end of the first quarter and played into the third.

He completed three of seven passes for 22 yards, but threw a costly interception that resulted in the second of three first-half field goals by Dean Biasucci, who hit from 22, 23 and 29 yards to give the Colts a 9-0 lead.

Robinson’s explosive run finally put the Raiders on the scoreboard. Taking a handoff from Marinovich on his 26, Robinson broke a tackle by Indianapolis linebacker Quentin Coryatt, only to find himself boxed in at his own 30 near the left sideline. Defensive back Jason Belser wrapped his arms around Robinson from behind.

But only for an instant.

Somehow, Robinson squirted free and, suddenly, there was a wide open field ahead.

Robinson roared down the sidelines, averted a last-gasp dive by defensive back Chris Goode inside the Indianapolis 15 and raced into the end zone.

So much for Raider highlights.

The Colts (2-1) seemed ripe for the taking. Several key players were out and starting quarterback Jack Trudeau had to leave the game in the second period after bruising his left hand when he ran into the Raiders’ Anthony Smith.

An examination revealed no break, but Trudeau gave way, nevertheless, to Don Majkowski, the former Green Bay Packer who was signed as a free agent after a potential deal with the Raiders failed to materialize.

Majkowski completed 12 of 22 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

The Colts later added a safety when the Raiders’ Randy Jordan fumbled in the end zone, but managed to recover it.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do and it starts today,” Shell said. “When you see silly things happening on a football field, it gets your dander up. It drives you crazy.”