WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Los Angeles Raiders managed a rousing finale Saturday to their disappointing season.
Vince Evans, filling in for the injured Jay Schroeder, connected with Tim Brown on a 3-yard TD pass on fourth down with 13 seconds left, and Jeff Jaeger's extra point provided the final margin as the Raiders rallied for a 21-20 comeback triumph over Washington that put the Redskins' playoff hopes in jeopardy.
The defending Super Bowl champions, who finished their own disappointing regular season with a 9-7 record, still can qualify for the postseason, but must rely on Green Bay losing Sunday to Minnesota.
A Green Bay victory will give the Packers the last NFC playoff spot and make the Redskins miss the playoffs for the first time since 1989.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, ended its season at 7-9 and missed the playoffs.
'The one good vibe that I take from this year is this is a team with closeness,' said Evans. 'We exemplified that today on the field.'
Said Raiders running back Marcus Allen: 'Any time you end on a positive note, hopefully this will carry the guys into next year. When they look back on the films, people will see that we're capable of doing some special things out there and this game was one of them.
'A lot of guys stepped up and played extremely well. Vince Evans, my hat's off to him.'
Evans' heroics were set up when Washington's Ricky Ervins -- in for the injured Earnest Byner -- scored on a 1-yard TD run off right tackle to give the Redskins a 20-14 edge with 1:57 left in the game. Mark Rypien (15-of-29, 204 yards) connected for 43 yards to Art Monk to set up Ervins' go-ahead score.
However, Evans hooked up with Willie Gault on a 50-yard fly to put Los Angeles at Washinton's eight yard-line with 51 seconds left.
Two carries by Nick Bell brought the ball to the three before Evans threw an incomplete pass, setting up fourth-and-goal.
Evans then found Brown cutting over the middle for the tying play before Jaeger booted the extra point. The catch was Brown's eighth reception of the day.
'It was a pass that we ran last week against San Diego and Timmy Brown had scored on that pass as well,' said Evans, who completed 15 of 22 passes for 214 yards after Schroeder reinjured his shoulder near the end of the first half.
'They had a blitz coverage,' Evans added. 'Both of their safeties were up, and so the middle was wide open, and I just said, 'Let me get it out front and give him an opportunity to catch it.' '
The dramatic ending might also have capped the career of Evans, who is 37 years old.
'It was a lot of heartache today,' said Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. 'You've got to admire the fight of the Raiders. I thought we had it, but that's life in the NFL.'
After missed opportunities in the first half, both offenses came alive in the second.
Trailing 3-0, the Raiders staged a 69-yard drive capped by Evans' 41- yard touchdown pass to Alexander Wright for a 7-3 edge with 15 seconds left in the third period.
Jaeger attempted an onside kick, but Washington's Todd Bowles recovered at the Raiders' 49. Two plays later, on the period's final play, Rypien found Monk at the 23. Monk bobbled the ball three times, but gained control and ran untouched into the end zone to give Washington a 10-7 lead.
After Redskins' linebacker Andre Collins recovered Brown's fumble and returned it 35 yards to his own 6, Chip Lohmiller converted his second field goal for a 13-7 Washington edge.
But the Raiders charged back, marching 67 yards in 12 plays, as Bell ran five yards around left end for the touchdown and a 14-13 L.A. lead.
'This is very disappointing, it's a heartbreaker for us,' Washington defensive tackle Jason Buck said afterward. 'We come back, play a home game with the playoffs on the line against a team that was really out of it, it's terrible to drop one like that.
'We had them right there at the end and they drive the length of the field to score. It was one of those classic upsets.'
