Sacks Don’t Come as Easily When Time on Field Is Cut : Raiders: Townsend has reached quarterback 104 times during his career, but opportunities have been limited this season.

One hundred and four times, Greg Townsend has come bursting out of his three-point stance, battled his way past an opposing lineman into the backfield and gotten his large hands on the quarterback.

One hundred and four times, he has experienced the thrill of pulling, pushing, yanking or wrestling the quarterback to the turf.

One hundred and four sacks, most in Raider history and fifth most in the NFL since it became an official statistic in 1982.

Those sacks often came in bunches for Townsend. He knew when he trotted onto the field that there was a pretty good chance he would add another.

Not anymore.

The sacks aren’t so easy to come by these days. Nor, in his 11th season, are the opportunities to trot onto the field.

Townsend, who has four sacks this season, turned 32 Wednesday, certainly still young enough to play defensive end in the NFL.

But there are some newer, younger faces who have taken away much of his playing time.

There is Anthony Smith, one of the league’s rising stars among defensive linemen, who is tied for the NFL season lead with 11 sacks, and, remarkably, has 34 1/2 sacks in 38 games.

The Raiders also have two bright young defensive tackles in Nolan Harrison and Chester McGlockton.

Venerable Howie Long, who can play both inside or outside, has been able to remain productive and hold off the young lions hungering for more playing time.

But not Townsend. He is still a starter, but is usually replaced in the base defense about halfway through the first quarter, the rest of his playing time limited to pass-rushing situations.

It has been tough for Townsend. Really tough.

“I sit on the sidelines and reminisce,” he said. “I think, ‘Boy, if I was in there, maybe I could make this happen.’ I try not to play tricks with my mind, but you can’t help it.”

Townsend maintains, however, that he has learned to live with his reduced role.

“I’ve made the adjustment,” he said. “I’ve just got to do what I can do when I’m out there.”

Townsend’s troubles began a year ago in training camp, the main problem being that he wasn’t there.

Determined to renegotiate a five-year, $6.6-million contract two years into the deal, Townsend sat out all of the exhibition season before finally dropping his demands and reporting on the Friday before the opener. It cost him $75,000 in fine money and valuable time to get into shape.

Coming in overweight, Townsend struggled to get back to peak form, but never really did. After going to the Pro Bowl as a starter in 1990 and ’91 and recording 13 sacks in ‘91, Townsend got only five in ’92.

Does he regret the holdout?

“I don’t regret anything I ever did in life,” he said. “I never killed anybody, I never did any harm to anybody, so I regret nothing.”

Still, he came to training camp this year determined to stay in shape and on the field.

Did he believe that he had to prove himself all over again?

“No,” he said. “I don’t have to prove myself to nobody. They know what I can do.”

And for one brief shining moment in 1993, Townsend reminded them vividly, recording three sacks against the Denver Broncos during a Monday night game.

That really should not have been surprising. Townsend has had some of his biggest moments against the Broncos, among them a fumble recovery in overtime in 1985 that set up a game-winning field goal and an 86-yard interception return for a touchdown in 1988.

“It was a given,” he said in recalling his performance this season against the Broncos. “That one doesn’t even count.”

Townsend concedes that his job is easier now because defenses are concentrating elsewhere, double-teaming Smith rather than worrying about Townsend.

“If that’s the way I’ve got to do it, by making a sneak attack, I’ll take it,” Townsend said. “Teams don’t see me on film as much and they forget about old man Greg Townsend.”

And, Townsend admits, he sometimes feels like an old man.

“I don’t feel that good,” he said. “But I can still get the job done. Now, I have to get warmed up, get hit a few times, and that will get me (mad), and then I’m ready to play.”

But by then, he’s usually back on the sideline.

One of Townsend’s frustrations is that his limited playing time has reduced his chances of moving up on the all-time sack list. Reggie White of the Green Bay Packers is the current leader with 130 1/2.

“Obviously, this organization doesn’t care about numbers,” Townsend said. “If my daughter needed two races to become all-time in her school, I would have her running those two races. If it was left to me, I’d be in the game attempting to be No. 1 instead of No. 5.”

The numbers Townsend has to be concerned with now, though, are those revolving around the salary cap, which is expected to kick in next year. A high-priced, part-time player will be a luxury many teams can’t afford, but Townsend, whose contract is not guaranteed, would love to finish his career in Los Angeles, his hometown.

“Everything is here for me,” he said. “I have two more years left on my contract. If they can stand it, I can, too.”