Holmes Runs for 227 Yards

Priest Holmes has turned the Cincinnati Bengal defense into his personal plaything.

The unheralded running back, who had 173 yards against the Bengals in his first NFL start, topped himself Sunday by piling up 227 yards as the Baltimore Ravens ground out a 20-13 victory.

It was the NFL’s top rushing total this season, the most ever by a Raven and the most ever against the Bengals (2-9), who have the league’s worst run defense.

In the two starts against Cincinnati, Holmes--an undrafted free agent out of Texas last year--has run for 400 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry.

“He has our number,” defensive lineman Michael Bankston said. “In some way or some fashion, he has our number. We’ve played a lot of great backs. We’re making him a great back.”

Holmes’ greatness begins and ends against the Bengals. Since his performance on Sept. 27, he had not reached 100 yards against any other team. He has only 290 yards, a 3.2-yard average and no touchdowns against teams other than the Bengals.

As in the first game, the Ravens (4-7) got Holmes off and running by creating huge holes.

“I would say that,” Holmes said. “Any running back watching this game would have loved to have been in my position.”

He did perhaps his most important running at the end, when the Ravens got the ball on their five-yard line with 8:27 to play. Holmes carried 11 times as the Ravens moved to the Cincinnati 15, where Jim Harbaugh went to his knee to end the game.

“When you start on your 5 and end the game with the ball on their side of the field, that’s just a thing of beauty,” Harbaugh said.