ANALYIS : At Least Through the First Half, Raiders a Lot Better Than in ’92 : Pro football: To stay in race, however, team must find a reliable runner and develop killer instinct.

So what are we to make of the Raiders halfway through their 1993 season?

Are they good? They were when they dominated the Minnesota Vikings in their season opener and beat the Broncos in Denver on a Monday night.

Are they bad? They were when they blew a big lead in losing to the Cleveland Browns and couldn’t hold another against the San Diego Chargers.

Are they lucky? They were when they beat the New York Jets despite total confusion on the last play of the game, and survived against Chicago only because Kevin Butler booted the Bears out of the game.

Are they talented? Without question.

Are they Super Bowl contenders? The answer to that question should be clearer over the next couple of weekends when they play the Kansas City Chiefs at home and the Chargers at San Diego.

At this point, however, the Raiders are appreciably better than they were a year ago, when they struggled through a 7-9 season.

From Day 1 of training camp, Coach Art Shell has refused to discuss last year, waving off any and all inquiries with the standard comment: “We don’t talk about last season. This is a different team.”

He’s right about that.

QUARTERBACK--Last season, the Raiders were inconsistent with Jay Schroeder and Todd Marinovich. When they signed free agent Jeff Hostetler in the off-season, some eyebrows were raised, people wondering how a ball-control, short-pass specialist would fit into the Raiders’ traditional long game.

As it turns out, ideally. Hostetler has shown he can do it all, completing a club-record 15 consecutive passes against the Vikings on short routes and passing for a club-record 424 yards against the Chargers in a wide-open attack. The only question about Hostetler, who also adds mobility, is his ability to avoid injury. But Vince Evans has proved an able backup.

RUNNING BACKS--This is the area of most concern. With Marcus Allen gone and Nick Bell sidelined much of the first half because of injuries, the Raiders were depending mostly on eighth-round draft choice Greg Robinson to carry the ball. Last Sunday in Chicago, they decided to run by committee, using five backs. The result was a 179-yard rushing day. But for the running game to be effective in the second half, someone must emerge.

RECEIVERS--The Raiders started the season in this category strong and fast with Tim Brown and Alexander Wright, and got stronger and faster by adding Rocket Ismail and James Jett. This is unquestionably the fastest receiving corps in the NFL. It might also be the best.

OFFENSIVE LINE--They added Gerald Perry to the left side, teaming him with guard Steve Wisniewski. That should have made the Raiders solid up front, but there have been some disturbing moments. Over one two-game stretch, the Raiders gave up 12 sacks. And holes have not been there consistently for the running backs.

DEFENSIVE LINE--To the strength of a year ago, add depth. Anthony Smith is still spending a lot of time in opponents’ backfields, having accumulated 11 sacks, good enough to tie for the league lead. Howie Long remains a strong presence in his 13th season, Chester McGlockton has finally shaken off the injuries that have plagued him and begun to look like a top draft pick, Nolan Harrison is yet another rising young star and even Greg Townsend, who has been reduced to a part-time role, has begun to reassert himself. It’s no wonder the Raiders are second in the league with 28 sacks.

LINEBACKERS--This was thought to be another problem area. When the Raiders signed free agent Joe Kelly, a reserve with the Jets last season, and put him in the middle, it seemed to show how desperate they were. Instead, Kelly has often made opposing offenses look desperate. He has been a secure anchor in a linebacking corps that also includes Winston Moss, having a strong year, Aaron Wallace and Mike Jones. The Raiders have the fourth-ranked defense in the league. That wouldn’t be possible without strong linebacking.

DEFENSIVE BACKS--The one major concern in the secondary was who would fill the gaping hole left by the departure of strong safety and defensive leader Ronnie Lott. The Raiders made Patrick Bates their top draft choice, but third-year man Derrick Hoskins has stepped in for Lott, at least physically if not emotionally. With Terry McDaniel and Lionel Washington solid at the corners and Eddie Anderson at free safety, the Raiders are the NFL’s top team against the pass.

SPECIAL TEAMS--It took a while, but Ismail has finally been promoted to full time on the kick-return team, an area in which the Raiders needed help. Tim Brown is a solid punt returner. Jeff Jaeger is having a great year kicking field goals, having made 16 of 18, including the game-winner in Denver. He had made 11 in a row at one point, and outkicked Butler last week on Butler’s home turf, making three field goals at windy Soldier Field, where Butler missed a crucial pair.

Position by position, the Raiders look strong. On the field, they have also looked strong, but not after intermission. Lacking a killer instinct, the Raiders have been outscored in the second half, 89-55, and in the fourth quarter, 62-38.

“I said coming into the season that this team would contend for the division championship,” Shell said. “And I still feel that, at the end, we’ll be standing tall.

“We let a couple of games get away and I’m sure somebody would say, ‘Well, you won a couple you shouldn’t have won.’ It all balances out.”

So far. But to remain a contender, the Raiders must run better, block harder and maintain their intensity longer. For 60 minutes rather than 30. Otherwise, it could be a long second half.