Raiders Win Survival of Footest : Pro football: Jaeger’s kick puts L.A. in playoffs, 33-30, after Hostetler’s touchdown pass at the end of regulation and Elam’s miss in overtime.

It was 4:36 Sunday afternoon at the Coliseum. It is normally a time when the Raiders, win or lose, have finished playing for the day and a calm has settled over the empty seats.

But not this Sunday.

Every seat was still filled, it was anything but calm and the Raiders were still out there, fighting to stave off sudden death and find new life in the postseason by beating the Denver Broncos.

Every eye in the Coliseum was on Jeff Jaeger, who had already kicked three field goals Sunday and a team-record 34 this season, who had already beaten the Broncos once this season with a game-winning field goal in the closing seconds and was now preparing to do the same again from 47 yards away.

It was so quiet in the Coliseum, you almost hear the Broncos’ hearts drop. Jaeger calmly connected, getting his full foot in a ball that sailed smoothly between the uprights and into the setting sun above the closed end of the Coliseum, enabling the Raiders to rise again and return to the playoffs after missing out last season.

Even before Jaeger’s kick had bounced off the protective screen, the noise returned, the noise of ultimate elation and celebration as Jaeger disappeared in a sea of silver and black.

With an improbable 33-30 victory before an ecstatic sellout crowd of 66,904, the Raiders not only won a playoff spot, but the right to play host to their first game. They will again face the Broncos next Sunday afternoon at the Coliseum in a first-round wild-card game.

Nail-biting finish? In the locker room afterward, many of the Raiders exuded confidence. They had appeared dead so many times this season and so many times on Sunday alone, they seemed to feel nothing would stop them from beating Denver.

The Raiders survived despite a victory by the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the day. Had the Steelers lost, the Raiders would have automatically qualified for the playoffs.

The Raiders had survived injuries earlier in the game to receiver/kick returner Rocket Ismail, running back Randy Jordan and defensive lineman Nolan Harrison. Only Harrison returned.

The Raiders had survived despite falling behind, 27-13 at the half.

The Raiders had survived despite coming down to the final play of regulation time needing a touchdown. They got it on a four-yard pass from Jeff Hostetler to Alexander Wright.

The Raiders had survived despite losing the coin toss for overtime.

The Raiders had survived despite an opportunity for a game-winning field goal by Jason Elam in overtime. Elam was wide left was 40 yards out.