1989: Cunningham Throws for 447 Yards & 5 TDs as Eagles Stun Redskins

The Philadelphia Eagles were 1-0 as they faced the Washington Redskins, rivals in the NFC East, on September 17, 1989. Entering their fourth season under brash Head Coach Buddy Ryan, the Eagles had surged in the second half of the ’88 season to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title for their first postseason appearance in seven years. Central to the offense was QB Randall Cunningham (pictured above), who passed for 3808 yards and ran for 624. Beyond the fleet-footed quarterback, the running game was ordinary, with RB Keith Byars proving to be more effective as a receiver out of the backfield than a runner from scrimmage. The attacking defense was led by DE Reggie White and, while prone to giving up big plays on passes, improvement was anticipated. The Eagles defeated Seattle with ease in the first week.

Washington was coached by Joe Gibbs, who had enjoyed much success since taking over the team in 1981 but was coming off of a disappointing 7-9 record in 1988. QB Mark Rypien was taking over for the hobbled Doug Williams and it was hoped that the running game would improve with the addition of RB Gerald Riggs from the Falcons. It was also anticipated that the defense would recover from an injury-riddled year. The Redskins suffered a tough opening loss against the Giants the previous Monday night.

There were 53,493 fans in attendance at RFK Stadium. The Redskins struck quickly when, on their first play from scrimmage, Mark Rypien threw to WR Gary Clark for an 80-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt was aborted due to a bad snap but Washington held the early 6-0 advantage.

That lead got larger when DE Charles Mann recovered a fumble by FB Anthony Toney at the Philadelphia 41 and, on the next play, Gerald Riggs broke away for another TD. This time Chip Lohmiller added the point after and, having run just two offensive plays, the Redskins were up by 13-0.

It got worse for the Eagles when a Randall Cunningham pass was intercepted by CB Brian Davis, who returned it 13 yards to the Philadelphia 12. Two plays later, Rypien tossed a scoring throw to RB Earnest Byner from 11 yards out and, following another Lohmiller conversion, the home team was ahead by 20-0.

The Eagles responded with a nine-play, 80-yard series that included an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the defense and a pass from Cunningham to Keith Byars that picked up 28 yards. Cunningham connected with TE Keith Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown and, following the extra point by Luis Zendejas, the score stood at 20-7 after an eventful first quarter of play.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Redskins came back with an 80-yard possession in eight plays. Riggs (pictured below) carried for a 46-yard gain and Rypien threw to Clark for 21 yards before the series ended with another Rypien-to-Clark TD, this time covering five yards. Lohmiller’s conversion put Washington ahead by a formidable 27-7.

The Eagles got a break on defense when DB William Frizzell picked off a Rypien pass and returned it 23 yards to the Washington three. From there, Toney ran for a touchdown and, with Zendejas adding the PAT, Philadelphia was down by 13 points at 27-14. However, before the first half was over, the Redskins put together a long drive of 63 yards in 12 plays. Rypien completed a pass to WR Art Monk for 17 yards and two to WR Ricky Sanders for 13 and 14 yards to set up a 25-yard Lohmiller field goal. Washington took a 30-14 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was relatively quiet, with the Eagles mounting a 92-yard drive in 12 plays for the only score. Cunningham connected with Byars for 31 yards, WR Mike Quick for 21, and Byars again for 12 along the way before tossing a touchdown pass to Jackson that covered five yards. Zendejas converted and it was a 30-21 game heading into the final period.

Philadelphia narrowed the margin even further in the early minutes of the fourth quarter after SS Andre Waters recovered a Rypien fumble and returned it 16 yards. In a drive that covered 42 yards in seven plays, Cunningham passed to Byars for 20 yards and connected with WR Cris Carter for a five-yard TD. Zendejas booted the extra point and suddenly the Eagles were only two points down at 30-28.

The visitors regained possession on a fumble and appeared primed to take the lead, but Zendejas missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt. Having gained a reprieve, and following an exchange of punts, the Redskins finally got on the board again following a six-play, 71-yard series that concluded with Rypien going long to Monk for a 43-yard touchdown. Lohmiller added the point after that put Washington ahead by a seemingly comfortable 37-28 with 3:06 remaining on the clock.

Philadelphia responded with a drive that covered 69 yards in eight plays. Cunningham completed five straight passes that included one to Jackson for 17 yards and two to WR Gregg Garrity that covered 29 and 12 yards. Finally, it was Cunningham to Quick, who made a leaping grab for a two-yard TD and, with Zendejas adding the extra point, the Eagles were down by just 37-35.

It looked as though the two-point margin would hold for the Redskins, however, as Riggs took off for a 58-yard gain on first down to the Philadelphia 22. But two plays later, and with 1:16 left on the clock, LB Al Harris recovered a Riggs fumble and, before he could be pulled down by OT Jim Lachey, he handed off to FS Wes Hopkins who proceeded to charge 77 yards down the sideline to the Washington four (While Coach Gibbs complained that the Hopkins runback was due to a forward lateral, the replay official indicated that it was inconclusive).

On the next play, Cunningham threw to Jackson (pictured below), who was open in the end zone for a touchdown and Zendejas tacked on the point after. Any remaining chance for the Redskins ended when Rypien fumbled while being sacked by DT Jerome Brown and Reggie White recovered at the Washington 15 with 43 seconds to go. The Eagles, trailing for almost the entire game and twice by as many as 20 points, came away winners by a final score of 42-37.

The Redskins had the edge in total yards (492 to 474) although Philadelphia had far more first downs (32 to 16). Washington turned the ball over a critical six times, to three by the Eagles. The Redskins recorded four sacks to two by Philadelphia.

Randall Cunningham, who just received a five-year contract extension, had a huge performance as he completed 34 of 46 passes for 447 yards (breaking a team record that had been set in 1953) with five touchdowns while giving up one interception. Keith Jackson had 12 catches for 126 yards and three TDs and Keith Byars gained 130 yards on his 8 pass receptions. Anthony Toney rushed for 24 yards on 9 attempts that included a score. On defense, Jerome Brown had a notable performance with nine tackles and two sacks.

For the Redskins, Gerald Riggs gained a club-record 221 yards on 29 rushing attempts with one touchdown, but the outstanding performance was tarnished by the late fumble. Mark Rypien was successful on 12 of 23 throws for 288 yards and four TDs while being picked off twice. Gary Clark caught four passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns and Art Monk also had four receptions, for 87 yards and a TD.

“I told them I’ve been to Super Bowls and all that, but I’ve never been associated with a game like that,” said Buddy Ryan. “It was a knock-down, drag-out.”

“It is probably one of the low points since I’ve been here,” said Joe Gibbs in defeat. “It was one of the toughest losses I’ve ever been part of.”

The Eagles, who were 2-0 for the first time since 1981, lost their next two games but reeled off four straight wins before briefly slumping. They lost the rematch with the Redskins at home in a far more low-scoring contest (10-3) and went on to place second in the NFC East with an 11-5 record, securing a playoff spot and losing to the Rams in the Wild Card round. Washington recovered to win three of its next four games and, after slumping to 5-6, finished the season with five consecutive victories to end up third in the division at 10-6, although out of the playoffs.

The fortunes of the game’s major statistical performers varied over the course of the season. Randall Cunningham passed for 3400 yards and 21 touchdowns, with 15 interceptions, and again led the club in rushing with 621 yards. While he was chosen to the Pro Bowl for a second straight year, his performance was uneven as injuries to receivers, in particular Mike Quick and Keith Jackson, took their toll. Jackson still managed to gain selection to the Pro Bowl as well, although his numbers were reduced to 63 catches for 648 yards (10.3 avg.) and the three touchdowns scored against Washington were his total for the year.

Gerald Riggs also failed to sustain a strong start, not reaching the hundred-yard mark in the remainder of an injury-plagued season (although he did gain 99 yards in Week 7 against Tampa Bay). He finished with 834 yards on 201 carries (4.1 avg.) with four TDs.

1989: Cunningham’s 91-Yard Punt Highlights Win by Eagles Over Giants

The New York Giants had a 9-3 record as they hosted the Philadelphia Eagles, who were just a game behind in the NFC East at 8-4, on December 3, 1989. The Eagles, coached by the brash and defense-minded Buddy Ryan, were the defending division champions and had won the last three meetings between the clubs, including earlier in the season at Philadelphia. QB Randall Cunningham was the key to the offense, and while having a rather ordinary year by his standards, was still formidable both throwing and running with the ball. The loss of star WR Mike Quick left the team lacking a deep threat although TE Keith Jackson was an outstanding receiver. The tough defense, anchored by DE Reggie White, was adept at both rushing opposing passers and forcing turnovers. The loss of punter John Teltschik to a knee injury caused the team to sign Max Runager, whose leg was no longer as strong as when he had been with the club at the beginning of his pro career, but Cunningham, who averaged 45.2 yards as a punter in college, could boot the ball a long way in a pinch, although he lacked proper technique.

New York, under the guidance of Head Coach Bill Parcells for the seventh year, also fielded a tough defense led by LB Lawrence Taylor, who was playing with a bad ankle (and only made it through the first half against the Eagles). The conservative offense was directed by gritty QB Phil Simms while 32-year-old RB Ottis Anderson, once a star with the Cardinals, had resurrected his career.

There were 74,809 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium on a bitterly cold day in the New Jersey Meadowlands with temperatures in the teens and a wind chill factor that was below zero due to the 35 mph gusts. Anticipating a defensive struggle on a windy day, the Eagles won the toss and chose to kick. On New York’s third offensive play, Phil Simms fumbled when hit by Reggie White and CB William Frizzell recovered, returned it 12 yards, and, about to be tackled by RB Dave Meggett, lateraled to SS Andre Waters, who covered the remaining three yards for a touchdown. Roger Ruzek added the extra point and Philadelphia had the early 7-0 lead.

The Giants moved effectively on their next series. Ottis Anderson carried six straight times for 32 yards that included a long gain of 17 yards, but the drive stalled at the Philadelphia 30 and Bjorn Nittmo was short on a 47-yard field goal attempt.

The Eagles had to punt following a short possession and the defense again came up with a big play when DE Clyde Simmons intercepted a short Simms pass and returned it 60 yards for a TD. Ruzek again converted and the visitors were ahead by 14-0 thanks to the two turnovers.

Now in a two-touchdown hole, the Giants came back with a 70-yard drive in six plays. Simms threw to WR Lionel Manuel (pictured below) for a 24-yard gain in a third-and-seven situation and another completion to WR Mark Ingram resulted in a 41-yard touchdown. Nittmo added the point after and the Philadelphia lead was cut to 14-7.

With time running down in the first quarter, the Eagles advanced into New York territory. Randall Cunningham threw passes to Keith Jackson for 29 yards and WR Ron Johnson for 31 to reach the Giants’ 29. However, two penalties backed them up and, on the first play of the second quarter, Max Runager’s punt pinned the Giants back at their seven yard line.

New York had to punt in turn and Sean Landeta’s 53-yard boot went out of bounds at the Philadelphia 37. The Eagles again advanced into enemy territory, with a Cunningham throw to Jackson picking up 23 yards, but Cunningham’s next pass was picked off by LB Pepper Johnson. However, the Giants were penalized for holding on their first offensive play, negating a 23-yard pass completion, and two plays later CB Eric Allen intercepted a Simms throw and returned it to the New York 30. The Eagles kept the ball on the ground and Ruzek kicked a 35-yard field goal that made the score 17-7.

The Giants reached the Philadelphia 42 but had to turn the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth-and-11 play. They got the ball back shortly thereafter when Jackson fumbled after catching a short pass that Pepper Johnson recovered at the New York 29. It looked promising for the home team when, five plays later, Simms connected with Manuel for a 49-yard gain that had yardage added on due to an illegal head slap on the defense to put the ball on the Philadelphia 16. But on the next play, Dave Meggett fumbled and LB Byron Evans recovered for the Eagles. The clock was down to 1:47 remaining in the first half and the visitors ran it out to go into halftime maintaining a ten-point lead.

The Giants had the ball first in the third quarter and drove 37 yards in six plays, helped along by two penalties on the Eagles, one of which negated an interception. Simms again threw to Manuel for a big gain, picking up 39 yards to the Philadelphia 23. Facing third-and-five at the 13, Simms was sacked by FS Wes Hopkins for a loss of seven yards, but New York added three more points on a 38-yard Nittmo field goal to narrow the score to 17-10.

The Eagles moved effectively in response with FB Anthony Toney and RB Keith Byars handling the running load and Cunningham completing passes to Jackson for 33 yards and Byars for 10. After an 11-yard carry by Toney gave Philadelphia first-and-goal at the New York six, Byars ran for five yards up the middle, but three consecutive carries by Toney were stopped short of the end zone and the visitors turned the ball over on downs. The Giants could get no further than a yard on offense, but were helped out by an offsides penalty on the Eagles and Landeta boomed a 71-yard punt.

Philadelphia managed only a short series before punting, and Runager’s kick traveled only 21 yards to give the Giants possession at the Eagles’ 49. Simms immediately threw to TE Zeke Mowatt for 29 yards and, after two more passes fell incomplete, he connected with Ingram for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play to the Philadelphia six. A pass interference call moved the ball to the one and Anderson scored a touchdown from there. Nittmo kicked the extra point and the score was tied at 17-17.

The Eagles punted from deep in their own territory following the next possession and Runager’s 37-yard kick was returned 10 yards by Meggett to the Philadelphia 39. Simms threw to Meggett for seven yards to finish off the period but a tripping penalty moved the Giants back ten yards and DT Mike Pitts sacked Simms for a nine-yard loss. A third down pass was incomplete and New York was forced to punt, with Landeta’s 26-yard boot downed at the Philadelphia 25.

After an incompletion on first down, a holding penalty moved the Eagles back ten yards, a toss to Byars lost another three, and Cunningham was sacked on third down by NT Erik Howard. It looked good for the Giants as Philadelphia was forced to punt from its own end zone. But this time it was Cunningham back to punt, rather than Runager (pictured at top). His wind-aided kick went 70 yards in the air and bounced past Meggett, who finally chased it down after it had traveled 91 yards in all. Meggett returned it nine yards, but instead of having favorable field position in Philadelphia territory, the Giants were back at their 16 and facing the wind. New York was penalized for an illegal formation on first down and on the next play Simms fumbled when sacked by DT Mike Golic and Pitts recovered at the New York seven. Three plays later, Byars ran for a two-yard touchdown and, with Ruzek adding the point after, the Eagles were back in front by seven points.

There were still nearly 11 minutes left to play and the Giants drove into Philadelphia territory. Simms converted a third-and-four play with a completion to Meggett for 11 yards and a pass interference penalty on Waters gained 21 yards. But the advance was halted at the Philadelphia 30 and a fourth-and-seven pass by Simms intended for Ingram was incomplete.

The Eagles were able to run significant time off the clock as Byars ran six straight times, including a 15-yard gain on a draw play when facing third-and-eight. By the time they had to punt, there was only a little over a minute remaining in regulation. However, a bad snap over Runager’s head had the punter recovering at the Philadelphia 46, from where the Giants had possession with 1:04 left. Simms threw to Manuel for 14 yards, but his next four throws fell incomplete and the Eagles came away with a hard-fought 24-17 win.   

New York had the edge in total yards (294 to 279) and first downs (17 to 13). However, the Giants also turned the ball over five times and all of Philadelphia’s points came off of New York turnovers. The Eagles turned the ball over twice but were penalized 16 times at a cost of 111 yards, to six flags thrown on the Giants. Philadelphia recorded five sacks, to one by New York.

Randall Cunningham completed 9 of 16 passes for 140 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, ran the ball five times for 10 yards, and of course booted the 91-yard punt. Keith Jackson topped the Philadelphia receivers with 5 catches for 97 yards. Anthony Toney (pictured at left) rushed for 68 yards on 22 carries and Keith Byars contributed 66 yards and a TD on his 14 attempts plus three pass receptions for 12 yards.

For the Giants, Phil Simms was successful on just 11 of 37 throws for 265 yards and a TD with two intercepted. Lionel Manuel had a big day with four receptions for 126 yards while Mark Ingram gained 83 yards on his three catches that included a touchdown. Ottis Anderson ran for 46 yards on 16 carries and scored a TD.

“I’m disappointed in the way we played,” said Coach Parcells of the Giants. “We turned the ball over far too much. Even though we did that, we had enough chances to win, but we didn’t.”

The Eagles drew even with the Giants at 9-4 while holding the tiebreaker due to having now swept the season series. However, they lost one of their three remaining games while New York won all of theirs and thus the Giants topped the AFC East with a 12-4 record and Philadelphia settled for second place and a wild card slot at 11-5. Both teams lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the postseason, the Eagles in the Wild Card playoff and the Giants in the Divisional round.

Randall Cunningham punted 20 times over the course of his 16-year NFL career, averaging 44.7 yards. 12 of those punts, for a 51.7-yard average, came with the Eagles, with the 91-yard kick against the Giants the longest and most memorable. It remains a franchise record, by a full eight yards.

1998: Alstott & Dunn Spur Bucs to Upset of Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were undefeated at 7-0 as they took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 1, 1998. Head Coach Dennis Green’s team had a high-octane offense directed by 35-year-old QB Randall Cunningham, who had taken over for the injured Brad Johnson and impressively resurrected his career. Rookie WR Randy Moss was sensational across from veteran WR Cris Carter and RB Robert Smith made for a good ground attack as well.

The Buccaneers were at 3-4 and had already lost badly to the Vikings in the season’s opening week. Under Head Coach Tony Dungy, they were a formidable defensive team, ranked third in the league thus far, that had been having difficulties on offense, failing to reach the end zone against the Saints in a 9-3 loss the previous week. Running backs Mike Alstott (pictured above) and Warrick Dunn made for a productive combination, but QB Trent Dilfer, coming off of a Pro Bowl year in ’97, was inconsistent. 

There were 64,979 fans in attendance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Buccaneers took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in 13 plays. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott ran effectively and Trent Dilfer threw to Dunn twice, once for 14 yards in a third-and-four situation. Dunn finished the series off with a 10-yard carry around end for a touchdown. Michael Husted added the extra point and Tampa Bay was ahead by 7-0.

In response, the Vikings came out throwing. Randall Cunningham connected with Randy Moss for 11 yards on first down and then went to TE Andrew Glover for a gain of 30 yards to the Tampa Bay 35. The eight-play, 76-yard drive ended with Robert Smith running up the middle for a nine-yard TD. Gary Anderson added the point after to tie the score.

With Alstott running three straight times for 13 yards and Dunn catching a pass for another 13, the Bucs were driving as the first quarter ended. Alstott added a 21-yard carry to the Minnesota 22 and he and Dunn continued to chip away. Dilfer passed to WR Reidel Anthony for a 12-yard touchdown and, with Husted’s conversion, the 13-play drive that covered 80 yards had the home team back in the lead by 14-7.

The Vikings started the next possession from their own 10 yard line thanks to a penalty on the kickoff return, but still managed to keep the scoring parade going with a 90-yard drive that took 12 plays. Cunningham immediately threw to WR Jake Reed for 28 yards, the first of four completions during the series. Minnesota converted two third downs and a fourth down along the way before Cunningham threw long to Reed for a 44-yard TD on a third-and-19 play. Anderson’s PAT was successful and the game was again knotted at 14-14.

There was 4:16 remaining in the first half as the Buccaneers started their next series. Dilfer completed a pass to WR Bert Emanuel for 15 yards while facing third-and-eight and Dunn had a 50-yard run to the Minnesota 13. An offensive pass interference penalty nullified an apparent touchdown pass to Dunn, but the Bucs came away with points on a 29-yard Husted field goal.

With the clock now down to 36 seconds, Cunningham went to the air and completed three straight passes, the longest to Moss for 41 yards. Anderson capped the first half scoring with a 44-yard field goal and the tally was 17-17 at halftime. Thus far, neither team had punted or turned the ball over. Dunn (pictured below) already had 80 rushing yards and Alstott had contributed 50.

The pattern of long drives ending with scores continued in the third quarter as the Vikings advanced 75 yards in nine plays. Cunningham had passes to Glover for 25 yards and Reed for 32. The series ended with a short Cunningham toss to Reed for a one-yard TD. Anderson’s extra point put the visitors ahead by 24-17.

The Bucs moved methodically down the field in response. Alstott had a 15-yard run and Dilfer completed a pass to Anthony for 16 yards, but the drive bogged down inside the Minnesota 10 and, facing fourth-and-goal at the five, Dilfer’s throw intended for Anthony was knocked away and incomplete.

The Vikings had the ball as the contest entered the final period. Cunningham completed four passes, but after reaching their own 36, another throw that came as he was hit hard by LB Al Singleton was intercepted by LB Derrick Brooks, who returned it 25 yards to the Minnesota 23. The Buccaneers went three-and-out but came away with a 38-yard field goal by Husted to narrow the Vikings’ lead to 24-20.

Minnesota was forced to punt following the next series, which was the first of the game with ten minutes to go in regulation. The big play in stopping the Vikings came when CB Ronde Barber sacked Cunningham, who had eluded Brooks, on third down. The Bucs came away with good starting field position at the Minnesota 43. Dilfer connected with Anthony for a gain of 17 yards and Dunn followed up with a nine-yard run. Alstott lost a yard, but Dilfer converted a third-and-two situation with a three-yard carry. A pass into the end zone was deflected away, and then Dunn ran for nine yards and Alstott finished off the seven-play possession with a six-yard touchdown. Husted added the point after and Tampa Bay was ahead by three.

There was 5:48 left on the clock, plenty of time for the quick-striking Vikings. A Cunningham pass to Cris Carter was flagged for offensive pass interference and a sack by DT Brad Culpepper forced Minnesota to have to punt once again. The Vikings never got the ball back as the Buccaneers, behind the running of Alstott, controlled it for the remaining three minutes of the game. Alstott ran for a 37-yard gain and game-clinching first down and the Buccaneers won by a final score of 27-24.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (378 to 340), with a franchise-record 246 yards gained on the ground, and in first downs (22 to 18). The Buccaneers, who also ran far more plays than Minnesota (63 to 46), never punted or turned the ball over, and gave up no sacks. The Vikings accounted for the game’s lone turnover and gave up two sacks, all of which proved costly. They also were held to just 17 yards and scored no points in the fourth quarter, which proved to be decisive.

Both Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn gained over a hundred yards running, the first time in Tampa Bay’s team history that two players had done so in the same contest. Alstott gained 128 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown and Warrick Dunn had 115 yards on 18 attempts that also contained a TD. In addition, Dunn caught four passes for 49 yards. Trent Dilfer was 11 of 22 for 132 yards through the air, with a touchdown and no interceptions. Reidel Anthony topped the club with 5 pass receptions for 65 yards and a score.

For the Vikings, Randall Cunningham (pictured at right) was outstanding as he was successful on 21 of 25 throws for 291 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Jake Reed had his biggest game of the year as he caught 6 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns while Randy Moss and Cris Carter were comparatively quiet, catching two passes for 52 yards and two for 13, respectively. Robert Smith ran for 46 yards and a TD on 13 carries and had 5 receptions for 28 yards.

“We had to score every time we got the football, and we were able to do that except for once,” said Trent Dilfer. “That’s the kind of game we had to play.”

“They throw the ball as well as anyone’s thrown it in the last 10 or 12 years,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Dungy regarding the Minnesota offense. “We felt our zone could make some plays, but they ripped up our zone in the first half.”

The Buccaneers went on to lose their next three games before rallying to take four of their last five on the way to an 8-8 finish that placed third in the NFC Central. Minnesota didn’t lose again for the remainder of the regular season, topping the entire conference at 15-1 while setting a NFL record by scoring 556 points. However, it all ended in disappointment with an overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game.

Warrick Dunn gained 1370 yards from scrimmage, with 1026 on 245 rushing attempts (4.2 avg.) and 344 yards on 44 pass receptions. Mike Alstott gained 846 yards on 215 carries (3.9 avg.) and received first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

1990: Cunningham Rallies Eagles to Win Against Falcons

The Philadelphia Eagles, who started the 1990 NFL season at 1-3, carried a 5-4 record into Atlanta as they took on the Falcons on November 18. Under brash Head Coach Buddy Ryan, the aggressive defense was the key to Philadelphia’s success, anchored by DE Reggie White and featuring other outstanding players such as DE Clyde Simmons, DT Jerome Brown, LB Seth Joyner, and CB Eric Allen. Exciting QB Randall Cunningham (pictured at right), fleet-footed as well as strong-armed, directed the offense that lacked a potent ground attack but benefited from the addition of rookie wide receivers Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams.

Atlanta was struggling under first-year Head Coach Jerry Glanville. The wide-open passing offense was operated by QB Chris Miller and received a boost from the arrival of WR Andre Rison. However, the running game was only fair and while the defense was effective against the run, the backfield, despite the presence of rookie CB Deion Sanders, was prone to giving up big plays.

There were 53,755 fans in attendance at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Falcons had the first possession and drove deep into Philadelphia territory, the big play being a pass from Chris Miller to WR Michael Haynes for 55 yards to the 11. RB Steve Broussard followed up with a seven-yard run to the four, but two more running plays gained two yards and, trying to convert on fourth-and-one, Broussard ran wide to his left and was tossed for a four-yard loss by Seth Joyner.

The teams traded punts until, with just over three minutes remaining in the opening period, the Falcons commenced a 10-play, 73-yard series that extended into the second quarter. On a third-and-three play at the Philadelphia 40, Miller threw to Andre Rison for a 24-yard gain and that was followed by a pass interference penalty on Eric Allen that put the home team on the two yard line. Once again the Eagles defense proved difficult to penetrate, but the Falcons prevailed when RB Tracy Johnson ran for a touchdown from a yard out. Greg Davis added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Philadelphia drove into Atlanta territory on the next possession, with RB Keith Byars (pictured below) gaining 20 yards on a carry from his 32 and Randall Cunningham completing two passes. However, penalties hindered the advance, including one that nullified an apparent TD throw to Fred Barnett, and the Eagles were forced to punt.

The Falcons, pinned deep in their own territory, also had to punt but retained possession when WR Anthony Edwards fumbled on the return. Atlanta was still unable to move the ball and punted again shortly thereafter and the Eagles, taking over at their 21, went 79 yards in just four plays. Cunningham threw to Byars, who picked up 33 yards, and then to TE Keith Jackson for another 27 to the Atlanta 19. Following the two-minute warning, Calvin Williams ran for 18 yards on a reverse and Cunningham finished off the drive with a one-yard TD pass to Jackson. Roger Ruzek added the point after to tie the score.

There was still 1:46 on the clock as the Falcons started a series that moved 25 yards in nine plays. Miller completed three passes to Rison, but three throws from the Philadelphia 36 fell incomplete and Davis kicked a 53-yard field goal that put the home team back on top by 10-7 at halftime.

Neither team was able to move the ball well to start the third quarter until the Falcons, on their second series, put together a nine-play, 34-yard scoring drive. Miller completed four passes along the way, including three on consecutive plays, to set up another Davis field goal, this time from 46 yards.

On Philadelphia’s next play following the ensuing kickoff, RB Heath Sherman fumbled and DE Tim Green recovered for the Falcons at the Eagles’ 35. In a series that extended into the fourth quarter, Atlanta chipped away and got a break when, after calling on Davis to successfully kick another field goal, a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Falcons a first down at the four. However, on first down Clyde Simmons sacked Miller for a six-yard loss and two passes fell incomplete. The home team still had to settle for a Davis field goal, this time from 28 yards. Atlanta was ahead by 16-7, but had missed an opportunity to take a more commanding lead.

RB Thomas Sanders returned the kickoff 37 yards to the Philadelphia 35, and Cunningham went to the air, hitting Byars for five yards and Barnett for 29. The five-play series covered 65 yards as Cunningham completed one more throw to Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown. Ruzek converted and Atlanta’s lead was down to two points.

The Falcons turned the ball over when a fumbled snap was recovered by Jerome Brown and the Eagles took full advantage on the next play when Cunningham fired to Williams for a 30-yard TD. Ruzek again converted and the visitors were in the lead by a score of 21-16.

Now it was Atlanta’s turn to advance quickly down the field. Following two incompletions, Miller converted a third-and-ten play with a pass to WR George Thomas that picked up 50 yards. Another pass to Rison was good for a 23-yard touchdown and, with Davis converting the extra point, the Falcons were back in the lead by 23-21 with 8:30 to play.

At this point the teams exchanged punts. Scott Fulhage’s 29-yard kick for the Falcons gave the Eagles the ball at their 47 and, with the clock now down to 3:26, Cunningham completed three passes to advance to the Atlanta 29. The drive stalled, but Ruzek’s 46-yard field goal attempt was successful and the visitors were back in front by one.

In the time remaining, the Falcons were unable to come back as Miller threw an incomplete pass, exited the game due to a bruised sternum, and backup QB Scott Campbell had three more incompletions to effectively end the game. Philadelphia came away the winner by a score of 24-23.

Atlanta led in total yards (315 to 279) and time of possession (35:51 to 24:09) while the teams were even in first downs with 16 apiece, although the Falcons had difficulty running the ball, gaining just 59 yards. The Eagles turned the ball over twice, to one by Atlanta, while the Falcons were penalized eight times, to seven flags thrown on Philadelphia.

Randall Cunningham completed 16 of 27 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Keith Byars had 7 catches for 78 yards in addition to rushing for 26 yards on three attempts. Keith Jackson contributed four receptions for 54 yards that included two TDs. Heath Sherman was Philadelphia’s leading rusher with just 27 yards on 11 carries.

For the Falcons, Chris Miller was successful on 19 of 38 throws for 268 yards and a TD, also giving up no interceptions. Andre Rison (pictured at left) caught 7 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown and Michael Haynes added 70 yards on his three receptions. Steve Broussard ran for 25 yards on 10 attempts to top the club.

The Eagles went 4-2 the rest of the way to finish second in the NFC East with a 10-6 record. They lost to Washington in the Wild Card round, their third straight failure to advance past the initial playoff game.  Atlanta kept losing, reaching seven consecutive defeats before winning the final two games to end up at 5-11 and fourth in the NFC West.

Randall Cunningham led the NFC with 30 touchdown passes and had his best year to date (his sixth) as he threw for 3466 yards with a completion percentage of 58.3 and a passer rating of 91.6. He also rushed for 942 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl as well as receiving MVP honors from the Pro Football Writers and the Bert Bell Award from the Maxwell Club as Player of the Year. Keith Byars led the club with 81 catches for 819 yards and Keith Jackson was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice with his 50 receptions for 670 yards.

Andre Rison ranked second in the NFL in pass receptions (82) and TD catches (10) and third with 1208 yards. He was also a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection.

2001: Cunningham Rallies Ravens to Win Over Jaguars

The NFL’s defending champions, the Baltimore Ravens, were struggling at 3-3 as they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 28, 2001. Coached by Brian Billick, the Ravens had ridden a stifling defense through the 2000 postseason to a Super Bowl triumph, and that defense was still largely in place. However, the offense was another story. QB Elvis Grbac had been signed away from the Chiefs, was not proving to be the upgrade at the position that he was expected to be, and now was out with an injury. RB Jamal Lewis, outstanding as a rookie during the championship season, went down for the year in training camp with a knee injury and his replacement, veteran Terry Allen, was on the downside of his career and was now also injured.  38-year-old Randall Cunningham (pictured above) was starting at quarterback and inexperienced Jason Brookins was subbing at running back for Allen against the Jaguars.

Cunningham, whose greatest seasons had come with the Eagles and Vikings, had been an All-Pro as recently as 1998 but was nearing the end of his career. No longer the potent running threat with the big arm that he had been in Philadelphia, he spent the 2000 season with Dallas and was signed to provide a veteran backup to Grbac.

Jacksonville, under Head Coach Tom Coughlin, was 2-3 and also experiencing problems, having won its first two games before dropping three straight. The Jaguars also were missing a key player in RB Fred Taylor, who was nagged by injuries, but still had an established nucleus in QB Mark Brunell and wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

There were 69,439 fans in attendance at PSINet Stadium. WR Damon Gibson returned the opening kickoff 35 yards to give the Jaguars good starting field position at their own 47 and they advanced deep into Baltimore territory. Mark Brunell completed four passes, three of them to Keenan McCardell, and Jacksonville was also helped by a pass interference penalty. But facing fourth-and-one at the eight yard line, Brunell’s pass intended for Jimmy Smith was incomplete and the visitors came up empty.

The teams traded punts before the Ravens, starting at their own 10, began to move on offense. Randall Cunningham threw to TE Shannon Sharpe for a gain of 30 yards to start the drive and hit on three more passes, two to WR Qadray Ismail. However, a holding penalty and a sack blunted progress and on the first play of the second quarter Matt Stover kicked a 49-yard field goal.

A long return on the ensuing kickoff was nullified by a holding penalty and the Jaguars started at their 18, but, with the help of the mobile Brunell’s passes and a 38-yard run, they managed to advance into Baltimore territory. The series stalled and Mike Hollis booted a 40-yard field goal to knot the score at 3-3.

The teams again traded punts. Regaining possession with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, the Ravens moved from their own 16 to the Jacksonville 35 as Cunningham completed seven passes, the longest to Sharpe for 16 yards, but a sack by LB Kevin Hardy put them in a hole they couldn’t dig out of and they punted. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Ravens took the second half kickoff and drove from their 32 to the Jacksonville seven. Cunningham connected with Ismail for 20 yards and Jason Brookins had a 23-yard run along the way. But facing third-and-four, RB Moe Williams was dropped for a three-yard loss and the Ravens settled for a Stover field goal from 28 yards.

On Jacksonville’s next possession, Brunell completed consecutive passes to Smith for 19 and 11 yards, but two plays later McCardell fumbled after making a reception and DE Rob Burnett recovered for the Ravens at the Baltimore 44. With Brookins running four times for 21 yards, the home team advanced into Jacksonville territory, but facing third down at the 31, Cunningham was sacked for an eight-yard loss by DT Gary Walker and the Ravens had to punt.

Starting back at their ten, the Jaguars drove 90 yards in eight plays. Brunell (pictured above) had completions to McCardell for 12 and 13 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty erased a second-and-15 situation. Brunell ran the ball himself for 17 yards and threw to Smith for a 35-yard touchdown. Hollis added the extra point and Jacksonville was ahead by 10-6.

In the last minute of the third quarter, a Cunningham pass was intercepted by LB Hardy Nickerson. Brunell threw to McCardell for 34 yards and, on the first play of the final period, hit RB Stacey Mack for an 11-yard TD. Hollis converted and now the visitors were up by eleven points at 17-6.

Cunningham completed four passes on the next Baltimore series, the longest to Ismail for 19 yards, and the nine-play, 71-yard possession ended with Brookins running two yards for a touchdown.  The Ravens tried for a two-point conversion, but Cunningham’s pass intended for WR Brandon Stokley was incomplete and the margin remained five points at 17-12.

A short series by the Jaguars resulted in a punt and Baltimore put together another scoring series of 56 yards in seven plays. A face mask penalty helped the drive along and Cunningham completed a pass to Sharpe for 13 yards in a third-and-three situation to reach the Jacksonville nine. Following two carries by Brookins that picked up seven yards, Cunningham threw to Ismail for a two-yard touchdown that was upheld upon review by the officials. Once again, the try for two points failed but the Ravens held a one-point lead with four minutes to play.

In response, the Jaguars moved methodically down the field as Brunell completed five straight passes, two to McCardell and one for 15 yards to WR Sean Dawkins that converted a third down. But facing third-and-five at the Baltimore 44, Brunell tossed two incomplete passes to turn the ball over on downs. The Ravens were able to run the clock down before punting and, taking over with 19 seconds left, Jacksonville was unable to move from its 42 yard line. The Ravens held on for an 18-17 win.

The Jaguars had more total yards (365 to 305) while Baltimore led in first downs (23 to 19) and time of possession (33:44 to 26:16). Each team turned the ball over once. Jacksonville recorded five sacks, to three by the Ravens, but also was assessed 10 penalties, at a cost of 70 yards, to four flags thrown on Baltimore.

Randall Cunningham completed 23 of 31 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown with one interception, and crucially was seven-for-seven and 76 yards in the fourth quarter. Jason Brookins rushed for 82 yards on 19 carries that included a TD. Shannon Sharpe (pictured below) and Qadray Ismail each had 7 catches, for 89 and 85 yards, respectively, and Ismail scored a touchdown.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was successful on 25 of 37 throws for 306 yards and two TDs and had no interceptions, also rushing for 55 yards on four carries, which made him the team’s leading ground gainer. Keenan McCardell caught 10 passes for 118 yards and Jimmy Smith gained 119 yards on his 7 receptions that included a score.

Baltimore ended up finishing second in the AFC Central with a 10-6 record and once again qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card entry. The postseason run didn’t go as far as in 2000, as after beating Miami in the Wild Card round, the Ravens lost to the Steelers at the Divisional level. The Jaguars won only one of their next five games but rallied to win three straight and closed out with a 6-10 record that placed fifth in the division.

“I don’t know if I’ll play next week or anymore,” said Randall Cunningham. “I’m retiring after this season.”

Cunningham did indeed play again the next week, which was another win for the Ravens. Overall, he appeared in six games in 2001 and completed 60.7 percent of his 89 passes for 573 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions.

MVP Profile: Randall Cunningham, 1998

Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings

Age:  35

13^th season in pro football, 2^nd with Vikings

College: Nevada – Las Vegas

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 205

Prelude:

Taken by the Eagles in the 2^nd round of the 1985 NFL draft, Cunningham saw some action in place of veteran QB Ron Jaworski, and while he completed only 42 % of his passes, he showed off his exciting running ability. In ’86, under new Head Coach Buddy Ryan, he saw more action in place of Jaworski and took over as the starting quarterback during the strike-interrupted 1987 season. Cunningham threw for 2786 yards and 23 TDs in 12 games and also rushed for 505 yards. He followed up with a 1988 season in which he set a new club record with 3808 passing yards and rushed for 624 yards as the Eagles won the NFC East. Cunningham had another Pro Bowl year in 1989, but the Eagles again lost in the first round of the playoffs. An outstanding talent who could often improvise brilliantly, Cunningham was less adept at reading defenses and often irritated teammates with his demeanor. He was outstanding during a 1990 season in which he threw for 3466 yards and 30 TDs while rushing for 942 yards, garnering a second Bert Bell Award and going to the Pro Bowl for the third straight year, but was lost to a season-ending injury in the first game of 1991 and, while he successfully returned in ’92, injuries became more of an issue as he missed most of 1993 with a broken leg. Benched in favor of Rodney Peete in ’95, Cunningham sat out a year in retirement before returning as a backup with the Vikings in 1997. When QB Brad Johnson was injured early in ’98, he moved into the starting lineup.   

1998 season summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Pass attempts – 425 [11]

Most attempts, game – 55 at Baltimore 12/13

Pass completions – 259 [9, tied with Vinny Testaverde]

Most completions, game – 32 at Baltimore 12/13

Passing yards – 3704 [5]

Most yards, game – 442 at Green Bay 10/5

Completion percentage – 60.9 [6]

Yards per attempt – 8.7 [2]

TD passes – 34 [2]

Most TD passes, game – 4 at Chicago 9/27, at Green Bay 10/5, at Dallas 11/26, vs. Chicago 12/6

Interceptions – 10 [20, tied with John Elway, Steve McNair & Danny Kanell]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Detroit 10/25, vs. Cincinnati 11/15

Passer rating – 106.0 [1]

400-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 12

Rushing

Attempts – 32

Most attempts, game - 5 (for 6 yds.) at Chicago 9/27

Yards – 132

Most yards, game – 22 yards (on 1 carry) vs. Jacksonville 12/20

Yards per attempt – 4.1

TDs – 1

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1

Yards – -3

Yards per catch – -3.0

TDs - 0

Scoring

TDs – 1

2-pt PAT – 1

Points – 8

Postseason: 2 G

Pass attempts – 75

Most attempts, game - 48 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Pass completions – 46

Most completions, game - 29 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Passing yardage – 502

Most yards, game - 266 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

TD passes – 5

Most TD passes, game - 3 vs. Arizona, NFC Divisional playoff

Interceptions – 1

Most interceptions, game - 1 vs. Arizona, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing attempts – 9

Most rushing attempts, game - 6 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Rushing yards – 19

Most rushing yards, game - 13 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 2.1

Rushing TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: NEA, Bert Bell Award

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 15-1 to finish first in the NFC Central with the conference’s best record while leading the NFL in passing yards (4328), scoring (556 points), and touchdowns (64). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Arizona Cardinals (41-21). Defeated for NFC Championship by Atlanta Falcons (30-27).

Aftermath:

Cunningham played in just six games in 1999 and finished up his career for good following a year each in Dallas and Baltimore. In the end, he passed for 29,979 yards and 207 TDs, was the career rushing leader for quarterbacks (4928 yards) at the time of his retirement, and had the best rushing average (6.4) of any player in NFL history with over 750 carries (775).

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

1989: Broncos Rally, But Eagles Pull Out Win

The Philadelphia Eagles were 5-2, including wins in their last three games, as they came to Denver to take on the 6-1 Broncos on October 29, 1989. However, even in winning the Eagles had difficulty putting points on the board. QB Randall Cunningham (pictured at right) could be an exciting performer both passing and running the ball, but the receiving corps lacked speed and in particular missed WR Mike Quick and TE Keith Jackson, who were out with injuries. The heart of brash Head Coach Buddy Ryan’s team was its aggressive defense, led by DE Reggie White.

The Broncos, coached by Dan Reeves for the ninth year, were benefiting from the presence of rookie RB Bobby Humphrey to add balance to an offense dominated by the big-play passing ability of QB John Elway. WR Vance Johnson was having an outstanding season and the defense was responding well to the coaching of first-year defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

It was a cold afternoon at Mile High Stadium with 75,065 in attendance. Things did not start in promising fashion for the Eagles when RB Heath Sherman fumbled the opening kickoff and, while he recovered, they had to start the opening possession with the ball at their own four yard line. With running backs Keith Byars and Anthony Toney running effectively, the visitors got out of the shadow of their own end zone. Randall Cunningham helped when, flushed out while back to pass out of the shotgun in a third-and-five situation, he ran for 24 yards to the Denver 42. Philadelphia kept the ball on the ground and the methodical 13-play, 96-yard drive ended with Byars running the final 16 yards for a touchdown. Luis Zendejas added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

The Eagles got the ball back shortly thereafter when John Elway, who had started off with a 22-yard throw to Vance Johnson, had a deflected pass intercepted by CB Izel Jenkins, which he returned 18 yards to the Denver 42. Once again the Eagles moved down the field by running the ball. Facing fourth-and-one at the seven, Cunningham leaped two yards for the first down and then threw to WR Cris Carter for a five-yard TD. With the successful PAT, Philadelphia’s lead was extended to 14-0.

A short Denver series resulted in a punt. On the first play of the second quarter, the Eagles punted the ball back, but RB Ken Bell fumbled the kick and LB Britt Hager recovered at the Denver 13. However, the visitors came up empty when QB Matt Cavanaugh, briefly in for Cunningham, threw an interception. LB Rick Dennison gave the Broncos the ball at their 10.

Denver reached the 36 before Elway was sacked by Reggie White for a loss of eight yards and then was intercepted by CB Eric Allen. But Philadelphia again failed to get points when, after the resulting series stalled at the Denver 23, Zendejas was wide to the left on a 41-yard field goal attempt.

The Broncos responded with an eight-play, 76-yard drive. Elway completed four passes, including three to Johnson (pictured at left) that gained a total of 41 yards, and, rolling out to his right, ran the last 10 yards for a touchdown. David Treadwell added the PAT and Philadelphia’s lead was cut to 14-7, which remained the score at the end of the half.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter until, on the first play of their second series, the Eagles got a big play as Cunningham threw to TE Jimmie Giles who went the distance for a 66-yard touchdown. Zendejas’ conversion made it 21-7, but the Broncos came back with a 66-yard drive that took eight plays. Elway converted a third-and-five situation along the way when, flushed out of the pocket, he ran for 11 yards and also completed a pass to Johnson for 21 yards to the Philadelphia 25. It was Elway-to-Johnson for the last 13 yards and a TD. Treadwell added the extra point to again make it a one-touchdown game.

The teams once more traded punts until the Broncos got a break when Cunningham fumbled while being sacked deep in his own territory and NT Greg Kragen recovered at the Philadelphia three. Denver wasn’t able to penetrate the end zone, however, and settled for an 18-yard Treadwell field goal.

The Broncos regained possession following a punt by the Eagles early in the fourth quarter. Elway completed a pass to WR Mark Jackson for 11 yards in a third-and-10 situation and, two plays later, connected with Johnson for 33 yards to the Philadelphia 18. Two incompletions were followed by Elway running for 14 yards on a third-and-10 play and he followed up with a four-yard TD pass to RB Melvin Bratton that put Denver in front with just over nine minutes remaining by a 24-21 score after Treadwell added the PAT.

The Eagles were unable to move on their next series but, in a key play, a punt by John Teltschik that was ruled to have hit Denver CB Darren Carrington was recovered by DB William Frizzell at the Denver 24. DE Alphonso Carreker sacked Cunningham for an eight-yard loss and, after an incomplete pass, Philadelphia was facing third-and-18. However, Cunningham threw to WR Gregg Garrity for 21 yards and, three plays later, Byars ran for a touchdown from a yard out. Zendejas added the extra point and the Eagles were back in the lead by four.

The Broncos still had 5:15 to work with following the kickoff. Elway completed passes to Johnson for 13 yards and to RB Steve Sewell for 19, but after reaching the Philadelphia 44 he was intercepted by CB Eric Everett.

The Eagles were able to run two minutes off the clock on their next series, with Cunningham getting a first down on a 13-yard run to help the cause, before having to punt. Now with 1:32 left on the clock, the Broncos took over at their 20. Elway threw to Jackson twice for 41 yards. With the ball at the Philadelphia 39, he spiked the ball to stop the clock. Two more passes fell incomplete before, facing fourth down, Elway took off on a quarterback draw for 10 yards but fumbled.  FS Wes Hopkins recovered to seal the 28-24 win for the Eagles.

Denver held a slight edge in total yards (320 to 313) and also had more first downs (22 to 17). The Eagles ran the ball 45 times for 215 yards, which was their best rushing output of the year thus far (and would remain so until the season finale). They also sacked Elway seven times (with 3.5 accounted for by DE Clyde Simmons), as opposed to Denver recording four sacks. The Broncos turned the ball over six times, with two of them coming in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, as opposed to two suffered by Philadelphia.

Randall Cunningham completed 11 of 20 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted and also ran the ball six times for 57 yards. Keith Byars (pictured at right) rushed for 93 yards and two TDs on 23 carries and had three pass receptions for 22 yards. Jimmie Giles led the club in receiving yards with his 66 yards on the one scoring catch.

For the Broncos, John Elway was successful on 19 of 39 throws for 278 yards and two TDs, but also had three passes intercepted. Vance Johnson had 9 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Elway was Denver’s top rusher with 45 yards on four attempts that included a TD while Bobby Humphrey was right behind with his 44 yards on 12 attempts.

Of the critical call on the punt that hit Denver’s Darren Carrington in the fourth quarter, Dan Reeves said, “Darren says the punt did not hit him. I don’t think the referee saw it clearly.”

“I had an excellent view and I saw the ball hit the Denver player,” said Philadelphia’s Buddy Ryan. “I was just afraid the ref was going to miss it.” Both referee Jim Tunney and the replay official confirmed the call.

The Eagles lost their next two games before reeling off five wins in their last six games to place second in the NFC East at 11-5. Qualifying for a Wild Card playoff berth, they lost to the Rams in the opening round. The Broncos remained on top of the AFC West following the loss and won their next four games. They won the division title with an 11-5 record and advanced to the Super Bowl where they were crushed by the 49ers.

Randall Cunningham had a relatively ordinary season, throwing for 3400 yards and 21 touchdowns but completing only 54.5 percent of his passes and averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. He led the team in rushing with 621 yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Keith Byars, typically more effective as a receiver out of the backfield than as a runner, gained 452 yards on the ground while averaging just 3.4 yards per carry but caught a team-leading 68 passes for 721 yards.

Vance Johnson, in his fifth year, went on to have his best season. He caught 76 passes for 1095 yards and seven touchdowns, which were all career highs.

MVP Profile: Randall Cunningham, 1990

Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles

Age:  27

6^th season in pro football & with Eagles

College: Nevada – Las Vegas

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 203

Prelude:

Taken by the Eagles in the 2^nd round of the 1985 NFL draft, Cunningham saw some action in place of veteran QB Ron Jaworski, and while he completed only 42 % of his passes, he showed off his exciting running ability. In ’86, under new Head Coach Buddy Ryan, he saw more action in place of Jaworski and took over as the starting quarterback during the strike-interrupted 1987 season. Cunningham threw for 2786 yards and 23 TDs in 12 games and also rushed for 505 yards. He followed up with a 1988 season in which he set a new club record with 3808 passing yards and rushed for 624 yards as the Eagles won the NFC East. Cunningham had another Pro Bowl year in 1989, passing for 3400 yards and running for 621, but the Eagles again lost in the first round of the playoffs. An outstanding talent who could often improvise brilliantly, Cunningham was less adept at reading defenses and often irritated teammates with his demeanor.

1990 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 465 [6]

Most attempts, game – 42 at NY Giants 9/9, at Washington 10/21

Completions – 271 [6]

Most completions, game – 25 at NY Giants 9/9

Yards – 3466 [6]

Most yards, game – 274 vs. Indianapolis 9/30

Completion percentage – 58.3 [7]

Yards per attempt – 7.5 [7]

TD passes – 30 [2, 1st in NFC]

Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. New England 11/4

Interceptions – 13 [14, tied with Warren Moon, Jeff George & Steve Walsh]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at NY Giants 9/9

Passer rating – 91.6 [5]

200-yard passing games – 11

Rushing

Attempts – 118

Most attempts, game - 13 (for 90 yds.) vs. Minnesota 10/15

Yards – 942 [9]

Most yards, game – 124 yards (on 8 carries) vs. New England 11/4

Yards per attempt – 8.0 [1]

TDs – 5

100-yard rushing games – 1

Scoring

TDs – 5

Points - 30

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff vs. Washington)

Pass attempts – 29

Pass completions – 15

Passing yardage – 205

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 7

Rushing yards – 80

Average gain rushing – 11.4

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: PFWA, Bert Bell Award

1^st team All-NFL: PFWA, Pro Football Weekly

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Eagles went 10-6 to finish second in the NFC East and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card while leading the NFL in rushing (2556 yards) and the NFC in scoring (396 points) and touchdowns (48). Lost Wild Card playoff to Washington Redskins (20-6).

Aftermath:

Cunningham was lost to a season-ending injury in the first game of 1991 and, while he successfully returned in ’92, injuries became more of an issue as he missed most of 1993 with a broken leg. Benched in favor of Rodney Peete in ’95, he sat out a year in retirement before returning as a backup with the Vikings in 1997. When starting QB Brad Johnson was injured early in ’98, Cunningham put together an outstanding season, leading the league in passing (106.0 rating) while throwing 34 TD passes against just 10 interceptions. However, the team was upset by Atlanta in the NFC Championship game and Cunningham played in just six games in ’99. He finished up his career for good following a year each in Dallas and Baltimore. In the end, he passed for 29,979 yards and 207 TDs, was the career rushing leader for quarterbacks (4928 yards), and had the best rushing average (6.4) of any player in NFL history with over 750 carries (775).

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/5/14]
[Updated 11/28/14]