Evans Makes His Dreams Come True : Pro football: Quarterback leads Raiders to last-minute victory over Redskins, 21-20, damaging Washington’s hopes of making playoffs.

Quarterback Vince Evans had seen it all disappear this season--his unrealistic hopes of being a starter at 37, his faint chance of being a backup, even his spot on the Raider roster.

But no one could take away his dreams.

He worked at Raider headquarters in El Segundo most of the season, practicing his timing with receivers such as Tim Brown.

And Saturday, before a stunned crowd of 53,032 at RFK Stadium, Evans’ dream came true.

With 13 seconds to play, he and Brown hooked up for a three-yard touchdown pass to beat the Washington Redskins, 21-20, allowing the Raiders to finish the season 7-9.

“You dream of moments like that,” Evans said, “and when it happens, it’s beautiful to see.”

Evans had no monopoly on emotions Saturday. They flowed on both sidelines.

The scoreboard clock at RFK was slowly, inexorably ticking down the final seconds for a lot of people in those closing moments Saturday.

It was:

--The end of the Raiders’ season.

--The finish, perhaps, of the Redskins’ hopes of repeating as Super Bowl champions.

--The conclusion of Marcus Allen’s 11-year Raider career.

--The last game, probably, of Bob Golic’s 14-year NFL career.

Evans didn’t notice.

All he knew was that the Redskins had just scored on a one-yard run by Ricky Ervins to move in front, 20-14.

Evans had less than two minutes to get it back.

He has faced worse odds.

After all, this is a man who spent seven years with the Chicago Bears, a season with the Chicago Blitz and another with the Denver Gold of the now-defunct USFL before joining the Raiders in 1987.

Evans has spent much of the time with the silver and black simply trying to keep his uniform on, bouncing on and off the waiver list. He was waived before this season began and later re-signed. He would spend more time on the waiver wire. He would spend time as the No. 3 quarterback. He spent time as the No. 2 when Todd Marinovich was demoted.

And finally, Evans got his chance in the second half of a losing effort last week against the San Diego Chargers and again Saturday.

On Saturday’s closing drive, Evans, taking over at his 20, handed off to Allen, who picked up six yards.

But a holding penalty took away 10 yards on the next play, leaving the Raiders a second and 14 at their 16 with 1:43 to play.

Evans was mad now. Several teammates were talking about being tired. Evans would hear none of it.

“We can win this game,” he screamed in the huddle. “Get back up to the line!”

On the next play, Evans passed to Allen for 13 yards. Allen picked up eight more yards on a run and five more were added on an offside penalty against Washington.

Then Evans hit Willie Gault on a post pattern, Gault beating the Redskins’ ace defender, Darrell Green, for 50 yards. Gault bounced to the turf at the Washington eight-yard line.

Fifty-one seconds to play.

Two runs by Nick Bell got the ball down to the three.

Then, an incomplete pass.

Fourth down. Washington’s season perhaps on the line.

The ball was snapped, the blitz was on and Evans, out of time, hit Brown on a quick slant across the middle a couple of feet into the end zone.

Redskin defender Alvoid Mays wrapped his arms around Brown, but it was too late.

Jeff Jaeger’s conversion kick moved the Raiders ahead, 21-20.

After the kickoff, Washington quarterback Mark Rypien threw a long pass that fell incomplete.

With one last gasp, he faded back for the final time and cocked his arm, only to see the ball slip awkardly from his grasp and sail like a wounded bird far short of his receivers.

It was an inglorious finish for last year’s Super Bowl champions.

The Redskins (9-7) have only one hope of making the playoffs--the Green Bay Packers must lose today against the Minnesota Vikings.

Heavy favorites coming in, the Redskins appeared to have Saturday’s game in hand for quite awhile.

Chip Lohmiller broke a scoreless tie with 6:34 to play in the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal.

Schroeder lasted only one series after Lohmiller’s kick. The Raider quarterback was injured last Sunday at the Coliseum when a Charger defender fell on his right shoulder.

Schroeder, making his first appearance in Washington since being traded to the Raiders in 1988, felt good when he warmed up Saturday. But, attempting a long pass to Sam Graddy in the second quarter, Schroeder reared back, fired and felt the pain return.

“It was throbbing,” he said. “It got to where it wasn’t fun to be out there. It wasn’t worth ripping everything loose.”

Schroeder left having completed four of 11 passes for 41 yards.

Enter Evans, who gave the Raiders a 7-3 lead in the third quarter with a 41-yard touchdown pass play to Alexander Wright.

Evans wound up completing 15 of 22 for 214 yards.

Washington went back in front, 10-7, on a 49-yard touchdown pass play from Rypien to Art Monk, Monk doing a juggling act for 10 yards before securing the ball.

Lohmiller’s 22-yard field goal boosted Washington to a 13-7 advantage at the start of the fourth quarter.

Bell, who gained 75 yards in 21 carries as the starting tailback, made it 14-13 with a five-yard run with 4:03 to play.

Then Ervins put Washington back on top, setting the stage for Evans’ dream finish.

* MARCUS ALLEN

It’s a tearful finish to what is probably the running back’s last game with the Raiders. C11