Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, October 17, 1994                   TAG: 9410190030
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                  LENGTH: Medium

THE TOUCHDOWN THAT NEARLY WASN'T

While Arizona's Ricky Proehl and Washington's Alan Grant argued in separate locker rooms about possession of a football, Cardinals center Ed Cunningham is sure he'll soon be missing something almost as dear.

Proehl caught a game-tying 5-yard touchdown pass from Steve Beuerlein with 19 seconds left in regulation Sunday, partly a product of an officials' huddle to decide whether Redskin cornerback Grant came away with the ball because of legitimate theft or illegal muggery.

Referee Gary Lane said field judge Bobby Skelton couldn't see the play and made no call. One official, however, signaled touchback - meaning he thought Grant had an interception - and was bull-rushed by Cunningham, who bumped him during a dynamic dissent.

The call was overturned and the Cardinals later won 19-16 in overtime. You could say Cunningham, who was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected, ``invested'' in Arizona's second victory this year.

``Oh, yeah, absolutely,'' Cunningham said when asked if he'd be fined. ``Probably about $2,000.

``That'll probably be my rebuttal to the commissioner: `Hey, I was right.' I don't think he'll listen to me.''

To hear Proehl and Grant, the officials listened either to reason or insanity.

Grant: ``I didn't take it from him. I got it at the same time as him and I came down with it.''

Proehl: ``I caught it and came down with it, and he ripped it out of my hands. I was ticked off [at the touchback signal]. One judge was calling it a touchdown. [Another] said, `I didn't see it.' I yelled at the ref ruling it a TD, `He can't make that [touchback] call.'''

Why? Cunningham is glad to inform.

``I was blocking my man. It's a quick protection. I sat and watched, and saw the ball go right over my head and right into Proehl's hands,'' said Cunningham, an Alexandria, Va., native who attended the University of Washington. ``I saw him come down with it. [I said], If you can't see the play, don't make the damn call.''

Had the interception stood, the Redskins would have had the ball at their 20, leading 16-9 and needing only to genuflect for its first home victory this year. When he saw the touchback signal, Cunningham said, ``I thought it was over.'' So ...

``I picked up the flag and threw it as far as I could, which ended up being about 11 yards. It was stupid on my part. But my emotions kind of took over, because we fought so hard to come back.''