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Holmes thanks offensive line for record
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The NFL is full of running backs who praise their offensive linemen after a good day but really don't mean it.
As everyone knows, the NFL is not full of running backs like Priest Holmes.
After he and Derrick Blaylock scored four rushing touchdowns apiece Sunday in a record-breaking 56-10 rout of Atlanta, Holmes was happiest for his hardworking behemoths up front.
''I'm excited because it sets this offensive line apart from any offensive line in history,'' said Holmes. ''They created lanes and seams and we did an excellent job as far as reading them.''
No team in NFL history had ever scored eight touchdowns rushing in one game. Even more remarkable was the fact it came against a team that was 5-1 and a defense that was leading the NFL by giving up only 74.5 yards per game on the ground.
''To go out and break an NFL record against a 5-1 football team is just unbelievable,'' said Willie Roaf, the Pro Bowl left tackle. ''It's incredible. That's a good football team and they'll bounce back. This was a college-type football game today. I'm just glad I was a part of it.''
Holmes scored on runs of 1, 2, 2 and 15 yards in the first half. He was stopped just a couple of feet short of what would have been his fifth TD rushing for the Chiefs (2-4).
The man who set the NFL record last year with 27 touchdowns rushing then left with a mild ankle sprain, unleashing the backup Blaylock on Atlanta's embarrassed and helpless defense.
Blaylock, who had a 7-yard TD in the first half, immediately scored on a 1-yard run after Holmes was hurt. He added TD runs of 3 yards, then 2 yards in a game that also saw the Chiefs pile up 540 total yards and a a team-record 36 first downs.
Coincidentally, the record of seven rushing touchdowns had belonged to the 1976 Los Angeles Rams, who did it in a 59-0 rout in 1976 of the Falcons.
''Today was just a great day where we took over the game and dominated and they really couldn't slow us down,'' said Roaf.
Holmes probably could have kept playing on his sore ankle. But with the game out of reach, why risk further injury?
''I owe Priest,'' Blaylock said with a grin. ''He came out and let me do my thing.''
Holmes totaled 139 yards on 22 carries and Blaylock had 90 on 19.
''We didn't have an answer for anything they did,'' said Atlanta linebacker Keith Brooking. ''There is no worse feeling as a linebacker than having the ball rammed down your throat. We were the No. 1 rushing defense and they hammered us.''
Holmes' four TDs rushing in a half tied the NFL record and also broke the record for most in a game against the Falcons.
''I am honored to be a part of history,'' Atlanta coach Jim Mora said sarcastically. ''We have done a tremendous job of stopping the run. So it just emphasized how well they played. Their O-line was doing such an excellent, tremendous job, it might not have mattered who was in there.''
The collapse of the defense, which had been given great credit for Atlanta's 5-1 start, was nearly complete. They came in with 20 sacks, but hardly even got a hand on Trent Green, who had 269 yards passing on 20 completions.
The Falcons got their only touchdown when Allen Rossum returned a punt 75 yards in the third period.