Holmes passes 1,000-yard rushing mark
Too little, too late for Marchibroda as Ravens beat Lions
Posted: Sunday December 27, 1998 07:02 PM
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Roosevelt Potts is congratulated by Priest Holmes after making a one-handed catch on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Harbaugh AP |
BALTIMORE (AP) -- There were no tears. Only giddy laughter, as Ted
Marchibroda took great delight in going out with a victory. The
Baltimore Ravens beat
the Detroit Lions 19-10
Sunday in a game that ended a disappointing season for both teams. It also
marked the conclusion of Marchibroda's reign in Baltimore, as he conceded
afterward that he expected to be dismissed by owner Art Modell as the
Ravens' head coach. "I'm not prepared to be here," he said,
shortly after thanking his players for their effort in the season
finale. Marchibroda, 67, failed to produce a winning season with
the Ravens and went 16-31-1 in his three years. But he was proud that his
players never quit trying, right down to the final play of a season that
never lived up to lofty expectations. "I told Mr. Modell when he
hired me that I'll get the guys to play for me," Marchibroda said during a
10-minute postgame interview in which he smiled throughout. "As I leave
here, I can say they played for me. We had a tough climb for three
years." Priest
Holmes scored a touchdown and became the Ravens' first 1,000-yard
rusher as Baltimore (6-10) raced to a 16-0 lead and held on against the
error-prone Lions (5-11). The game marked the end of
Marchibroda's three-year contract. He wore a broad smile as he shook hands
with Detroit coach Bobby Ross and later took consolation in doing the best
he could with a team that had to deal with the distraction of moving from
Cleveland. "I'm thankful for the opportunity. I can walk the
streets of Baltimore with my head held high," Marchibroda said. "This has
been a tough situation some times. I came in to do a job and I didn't
finish the job." Minutes later, Marchibroda giggled
uncontrollably after he caught himself asking a team spokesman about when
the coach would learn his fate from Modell. The Ravens led 16-0
in the second quarter, then let the lead dwindle to 16-10 before Matt Stover kicked a
30-yard field goal with 5:03 remaining to clinch the victory.
Holmes gained 132 yards on 20 carries and finished with 1,008 yards for the
season. Jim Harbaugh
shrugged off an early elbow injury to finish 17-for-26 for 141 yards and a
touchdown.
Holmes (left) gained 132 yards on 20 carries and finished with 1,008 yards for the season AP | |
"I wanted to play hard for Ted. It was in my mind to
get this win for him," said Harbaugh, who also played for Marchibroda in
Indianapolis. The injury-riddled Lions were penalized 12 times
and their only turnover was quickly converted into a Baltimore touchdown.
Barry Sanders needed 50
rushing yards to reach 1,500 for the fifth consecutive season but finished
with 41 yards on 19 carries. "I think the emotion that's most
prevalent is disappointment. Really, it's almost regret -- like you wasted
a whole year of football," Sanders said. Detroit trailed 16-3
before Frank Reich
directed a 52-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Cory Schlesinger with
13:25 remaining. Two plays earlier, Herman Moore caught a
10-yard pass on a fourth-and-3 situation. But after Detroit
forced a punt, the Lions failed to gain a first down and Harbaugh moved
Baltimore 51 yards in 11 plays before Stover connected. "A
disappointing end to a disappointing season -- that about sums it up," said
Reich, who was 18-for-29 for 195 yards. Sanders had 10 carries
for minus-1 yard and Detroit was penalized 10 times in the first half,
including five times for false starts, in falling behind 16-3.
The Ravens went up 2-0 midway in the first quarter when Detroit tackle Ray Roberts was called for
holding in the end zone. The free kick went out of bounds, giving Baltimore
the ball at midfield, and the Ravens' ensuing punt pinned the Lions at
their 4. Sanders then fumbled on a hit by Lional Dalton and
Baltimore's Tony
Siragusa fell on the ball at the 2. Three players later, Holmes scored
from the 1 to make it 9-0. Baltimore went up 16-0 with a
13-play, 97-yard drive that consumed nearly seven minutes. Immediately
after Detroit's Bryant
Westbrook was called for holding on a third-down play, Roosevelt Potts made a
one-handed grab on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Harbaugh.
Extra points Baltimore's Wally Richardson made his
NFL debut when he replaced Harbaugh in the first half. Richardson played
five downs and was 1-for-2 for 1 yard. ... Detroit was without rookie Terry Fair, who was
inactive due to a bruised shoulder. ... Schlesinger's TD catch was his
first score in his four years as a reserve fullback and special teams
player. ... Moore finished the season 17 yards short of 1,000 receiving
yards, the first time since 1993 that he did not exceed the 1,000-yard
mark.
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