The Redskins defeated the Minnesota Vikings 21-18 on Sunday at FedExField, finishing the season with a 6-10 record and putting Minnesota's playoff hopes in a precarious situation.
Running back Ladell Betts made his first start of the season and second career start. He logged 118 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown; his 27-yard gain late in the fourth quarter seemed it put the game away and put him over 100 yards on the afternoon.
The Vikings made it close at the end with a 36-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from Daunte Culpepper to Marcus Robinson and a subsequent 2-point conversion. But the score occurred with two seconds remaining and there was little Minnesota could do as time ran out shortly after their onsides kick.
The Redskins scored its third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Betts, who followed a block from fullback Mike Sellers and dove into the left side of the line for the score.
The touchdown was set up by a 46-yard completion from Patrick Ramsey to wide receiver Taylor Jacobs. The second-year wide receiver broke through coverage from Vikings' safeties Willie Offord and Brian Russell and caught the ball in stride. He was dragged down inches from the goal line, setting up Betts' score.
In the third quarter, Minnesota put together a 5-play, 61-yard touchdown drive to pull the Vikings within four points at the time. Vikings' quarterback Duante Culpepper connected with wide receiver Randy Moss on a 28-yard touchdown pass. Moss ran a post pattern and made a diving catch in front of Sean Taylor, who was covering Moss one-on-one.
In the first half, Ramsey threw two touchdown passes to build a 14-3 lead for the Redskins.
Late in the second quarter, Ramsey led an 11-play, 64-yard drive, finding tight end Robert Royal on a 4-yard touchdown pass, to give the Redskins a commanding lead heading into the break.
Betts began to find more running room on the drive, but it was Ramsey's 15-yard pass to James Thrash and 15-yarder to Laveranues Coles that put the Redskins in scoring position.
On the touchdown pass, Ramsey found Royal open in the right flat and the 6-4, 257-pound tight end bulldozed his way into the end zone for the score.
In the first quarter, the Redskins took a 7-0 lead on Minnesota on the game's opening series. Antonio Brown got things rolling on the opening kickoff with a 66-yard return to the Vikings' 32-yard line. Brown broke down the left sideline into open field, and if not slowed by Minnesota's kicker Jose Cortez, would have scored on the play.
Ramsey capped an 8-play, 32-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to H-back Chris
ey. ey was a step in the end zone, just ahead of linebacker Chris Clairborne, when he caught Ramsey's pass for the score.
Later in the first quarter, the Redskins were driving downfield again, but Ramsey threw an interception to the Vikings' defensive tackle Kevin Williams. Ramsey had looked to his second option on the play, Betts on a dump-off across the middle of the field, but Williams read the play and stepped in front of the pass for the interception.
Minnesota proceeded to go on a 14-play, 67-yard drive, capped by a 23-yard field goal by Morten Andersen. The Vikings had a first-and-goal at the Redskins' 3-yard line, but were turned away on two runs and a pass out of the reach of Nate Burleson.
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