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Jamal Lewis became the fifth player in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards in a season, reaching the milestone Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-10 in overtime.
Lewis began the game needing 48 yards to add his name to an elite list that includes several of the finest runners ever to play the game. He reached exactly 2,000 on a 9-yard run in the first quarter, then followed with a 25-yard touchdown run to make it 2,025 -- third best in NFL history.
After his 9-yard run, the game was stopped as officials removed the ball. Following the touchdown, the sellout crowd at M&T Bank Stadium gave Lewis a prolonged standing ovation.
He wound up with 114 yards on 27 carries, giving him 2,066, second most in NFL history. He finished 39 yards short of the NFL record of 2,105 yards, set by Eric Dickerson in 1984.
Dickerson, watching on television, held up a sign at the end of the game: ``19 years and counting'' and smiled.
Because the Ravens clinched the AFC North title when Cincinnati lost earlier Sunday, it was uncertain if Lewis would be used for the entire game. He did, however, play the whole game.
The other members
of the exclusive 2,000-yard club are: Barry Sanders (2,053 in 1997); Terrell
Davis (2,008 in 1998); and O.J. Simpson (2,003 in 1973).
Simpson did it during a 14-game season, while the other backs accomplished the
feat in 16 games.
It's been an incredible year for Lewis, a punishing fourth-year back. After opening the season with a 69-yard performance in Pittsburgh, Lewis ripped through the Cleveland Browns for an NFL-record 295 yards rushing -- the first of several outstanding performances that put him on course to challenge Dickerson for the record.
He became the fifth player
in league history to run for 1,000 yards in eight games, then continued his
charge in the second half of the season. Lewis ran for 180 yards in an important
win over Cincinnati on Dec. 7, then gained 205 yards rushing in Cleveland last
week -- his 11th 100-yard game of the season.