Turned Loose, Cunningham Runs Wild : Interconference: He has 121 rushing yards, two scores in Eagles’ 28-17 victory over Vikings.

It’s no secret that Randall Cunningham has felt confined by the Philadelphia Eagles’ game plan all season.

Cunningham has pleaded with Coach Rich Kotite all season to let him scramble.

Kotite conceded Sunday and told Cunningham that if the pass wasn’t there, don’t wait for company. Run Randall run.

The NFL’s all-time scrambling leader responded by virtually running the Minnesota Vikings out of the stadium.

Cunningham carried 12 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Vikings, 28-17. It was Cunningham’s best running game since he gained 124 against New England on Nov. 4, 1990.

He didn’t do so badly passing, either, completing 16 of 23 for 164 yards.

The loss prevented the Vikings (9-4) from clinching the NFC Central title and a playoff spot. The victory kept the Eagles (8-5) in the hunt for a wild-card berth in the NFC East.

Cunningham, usually devoid of emotion, said: “Right now I’m the happiest I’ve been in my life.

“Richie told me during the week that the Vikings’ defense is quick and strong and hits the rush lanes. He told me to take off whenever I could.”

Cunningham said he didn’t expect to gain 100 yards this year because of the brace that still protects the left knee surgically repaired last year after he went down in the season opener.

Minnesota Coach Dennis Green pointed out the obvious.

“Randall had control of the whole ballgame,” Green said. “He showed good poise, a good completion percentage. As long as Randall has the ball in his hands he’s dangerous.”

Green added that the Vikings made a good run at it. “We didn’t quite get it done,” he said. “It took a long time for us to get them to punt the ball. At 21-17 we had a good chance, but we’re not hanging our heads.”

Cunningham got help from Herschel Walker, who gained 44 yards in 13 carries in his first game against Minnesota since the Vikings obliged his request for a release last June.

Heath Sherman had 53 of the Eagles’ 225 yards on the ground.

The Eagles’ injury-riddled defense, with three backups in the secondary, had five quarterback sacks. Andy Harmon had a career-high three sacks.

In the third quarter, Cunningham led a 10-play, 84-yard drive, completing five of six passes for 55 yards and sneaking over from the one for his second touchdown and a 21-10 lead.

Minnesota slashed the deficit to 21-17 with 6:44 left in the game on a 14-play, 70-yard drive capped by Terry Allen’s one-yard scoring run, his second touchdown of the game.

But on the Vikings’ next possession, Seth Joyner intercepted a swing pass by Sean Salisbury and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. Salisbury said the interception was his fault. “Maybe six more inches and maybe Terry Allen is still running. Obviously I didn’t throw it exactly the way I wanted to,” he said of Joyner’s steal.