Embattled Carroll Savors Win

Pete Carroll strode to the podium, spoke animatedly about having fun, then left with a light wave of his right hand and the words, “See ya.”

Sunday’s news conference after his Patriots ended their season with a 20-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens might have been the last public sighting of Carroll as New England’s coach.

He is expected to be fired with two years left on his contract. He avoided questions about his future as successfully as his defense battled the Ravens (8-8), who had won their previous four games.

“I just loved the day today,” Carroll said when asked if he didn’t think he’d have another enjoyable day as coach of the Patriots. “I’m always savoring everything I have an opportunity to savor.”

He loved Troy Brown’s three long kick returns and a defense that allowed one touchdown in its last two games. The Patriots (8-8) won despite gaining a season-low 151 yards against the NFL’s third-ranked defense in a game between teams already eliminated from playoff contention.

Carroll, whose Patriots were 2-6 in the second half of the season, said he had a “very good, upbeat” conversation with owner Robert Kraft on Sunday.

Brown was the biggest star, with returns that set up 10 points as the Patriots led, 13-3, at halftime.

“We didn’t want to go home carrying a loss with us,” Brown said.

That’s what the Ravens had to do, despite a strong stretch run.

The small crowd reflected the game’s meager significance. The 50,263 fans marked the smallest crowd at Foxboro Stadium since the Patriots last home game of 1995.