Paul Furlong saved QPR's blushes against ten-man Millwall in a tight game.
Furlong netted with just five minutes on the clock after Barry Hayles had put Millwall in the driving seat.
But Adrian Serioux saw red for launching a throw in directly at the face of Lee Cook, which allowed Rangers to get back in the game.
And Holloway said: "We are like a snake in a bag. If you don't tie it up we will wriggle free. They should have killed us off, but we got out of it.
"I can't fault my players at all, because they fought, and Millwall let us back in the game. That's what happens in this league if you take your foot off the gas." QPR's six-game home unbeaten run looked to be coming to an end after a feisty Millwall side barged their way in front with Hayles' second goal for the club - and just the third on their travels.
But Serioux's moment of madness turned the game on its head, and Holloway added: "He turned what was a massive positive for them into a huge negative." Kevin Gallen should have nicked all three points in stoppage time when he blasted wide with the goal at his mercy.
Hayles scored his second goal for Millwall - and just their third away strike this season - six minutes after the break after David Livermore's work up the left flank.
And Jo Tessem should have made it two almost straight from the restart as QPR poured forward for a quick reply.
The Lions were left a man short on 66 minutes when Serioux was dismissed.
Furlong had the best chance for a sluggish Rangers side on 20 minutes when he had his rocket blocked by Matt Lawrence after meeting Marcus Bignot's cross.
And he could have done better late on when he blasted straight into the back of Lawrence's legs when he could have squared for any one of three team-mates waiting on the edge of the box.
Millwall went on the offensive almost immediately when Serioux let fly a trademark monster throw into the path of Tessem, who poked the ball wide.
Marc Bircham, meeting his old club for the first time since he left two years ago, was mercilessly taunted by the visiting fans throughout the match over his choice of hairstyle and the lion tattoo on his arm.
The former Lion produced the first chance of the match after just four minutes when his attempted 25-yard lob over Graham Stack flew high over the crossbar.
The visitors lost some of their bite in midfield when Jody Morris limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury after just 24 minutes.