Holmes Gets Ravens Off, Running

Priest Holmes picked the perfect night to play the best football game of his life.

The Baltimore Ravens desperately needed a victory and Holmes was asked to rescue a running game that had not produced a touchdown in three games. There was also a personal bit of motivation--his parents, grandmother and son packed themselves in a car and drove from Texas to see the game.

Holmes didn’t disappoint, running for 173 yards and two touchdowns Sunday night in the Ravens’ 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I had a great performance and I am very thankful,” Holmes said. “I knew that I could do the job when I got out there and played.”

Holmes’ 47-yard run in the third quarter was the longest in the Ravens’ three-year history and his 173 yards were the second most behind the 176 amassed by Bam Morris last season.

“The big thing is we ran the football,” Raven Coach Ted Marchibroda said.

The Ravens (2-2) took a 31-24 lead with 5:15 on Matt Stover’s 46-yard field goal after the Bengals (1-3) used a 67-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Blake to Carl Pickens to make it 28-24 with 11:18 left.

Cincinnati never got closer than the Baltimore 32 on its final drive.

Blake replaced Neil O’Donnell, who suffered bruised ribs after being sacked in the third quarter.

Pickens caught seven passes to move past Cris Collinsworth and atop the Bengals’ career list with 418 catches.

Raven quarterback Eric Zeier, making his first start of the season, was 15 for 20 for 254 yards. Jermaine Lewis scored touchdowns on a 73-yard reception and 87-yard punt return.