PRO FOOTBALL : Cunningham, Garrity Play It Again : For Second Straight Week, They Provide Eagles With Win

Randall Cunningham and Gregg Garrity have become a game-winning combination for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cunningham threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Garrity with 1:06 left Sunday, enabling the Eagles to halt Washington’s five-game winning streak with a 31-27 upset of the Redskins.

It was Cunningham’s second game-winning throw to Garrity in as many games. The two combined on a nine-yard scoring pass with 40 seconds remaining in a 28-25 victory last week over the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I wouldn’t call myself the designated hero,” Garrity said. “When the ball is thrown my way, I look at it and try to find the tip and go ahead and catch it.”

Cunningham, who completed 18 of 31 passes for 268 yards and ran for 80 yards, also fired scoring passes of 6 and 32 yards to Mike Quick to help the Eagles (4-4) win their third straight game.

Washington (6-2) took a 27-24 lead on Jay Schroeder’s 47-yard touchdown pass play to Gary Clark with 2:29 left. But the Eagles moved 77 yards in 6 plays to their winning score, with Cunningham completing passes of 2, 11 and 11 yards during the drive.

Cunningham was scrambling when he lofted the game-winner to Garrity, who got behind defender Tim Morrison. “It kind of looked like he (Cunningham) was going to be sacked,” Morrison said. “That’s the way it looked to me. The receiver did an out-and-up. The ball was ahead of me and all I could do was dive for it.”

As Morrison dove, Garrity turned around, leaped up, grabbed the ball and fell into the end zone.

“When you’re in a medium route and he’s scrambling like that, you change to a hook and take off,” Garrity said.

Philadelphia clinched the win when Mike Pitts recovered Redskin Kelvin Bryant’s fumble at the Washington 39 with 46 seconds left.

The Eagles also scored on a five-yard run by Anthony Toney and a 37-yard field goal from Paul McFadden, which was set up by a 53-yard gain on a pass from Cunningham to Kenny Jackson.

Washington got touchdowns on Schroeder’s 19-yard pass to Art Monk, a three-yard run by George Rogers and a 26-yard fumble return by cornerback Darrell Green.

Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs said: “It was a game of big plays and they came up with the last one.”

The Redskins led, 21-10, late in the first half when Eagle cornerback Roynell Young intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards. Cunningham, after being sacked for an 8-yard loss, completed passes of 24 and 9 yards to Jackson to set up Quick’s 6-yard touchdown catch and bring the Eagles within 21-17 at halftime.

Quick’s 32-yard touchdown reception came with 7:13 left in the game and gave the Eagles a 24-21 lead. It came two plays after Young recovered a fumble by Schroeder.