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Eagles Bring Down Cardinals : Johnson Catches 2 Scoring Passes, Sets Up Another in 31-21 Win

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<i> From Associated Press </i>

No more than 2 months ago, Ron Johnson sat at home, waiting for the telephone to ring and wondering if his National Football League career was over.

The call came 3 weeks ago, and Sunday Johnson made the most of it by catching two touchdown passes and setting up another score as the Philadelphia Eagles knocked the Phoenix Cardinals out of a 3-way tie for the NFC East lead, 31-21.

The Eagles (8-5) gained their fourth straight victory and seventh in their last nine, while the Cardinals lost their second straight with quarterback Neil Lomax sidelined with a knee injury.

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“I was pretty much ready to go on to other things,” said Johnson, who was released by the Eagles on Aug. 29 in the final cut. “I was 80% ready to do some counseling work. I still felt I could play. But if the call never came, I was ready to go on.”

Randall Cunningham, who completed 17 of 35 passes for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns, rallied the Eagles from a 14-7 halftime deficit to a 24-14 lead after three quarters. He got an assist from backup Matt Cavanaugh, who came in to throw a scoring pass to Johnson.

The Eagles got to within 14-10 on a 28-yard field goal by Luis Zendejas early in the third quarter and took a 17-14 lead with 7:21 left in the period when Cunningham’s hit Cris Carter for an 8-yard touchdown pass play. The score was set up by Cunningham’s 40-yard pass to Johnson at the Phoenix 12.

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The Eagles upped their lead to 24-14 later in the quarter when Cavanaugh relieved Cunningham, who twisted his back, and threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Johnson.

The Cardinals came back to within 24-21 on Earl Ferrell’s 1-yard touchdown run 58 seconds into the final period, but the Eagles put the game away on Keith Byars’ 4-yard scoring run with 4:45 left.

The Eagles took a 7-0 lead in the first period on Cunningham’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, but the Cardinals tied it on Cliff Stoudt’s 7-yard scoring pass to J.T. Smith. Stoudt completed 24 of 33 for 228 yards and a touchdown.

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