NFL playoffs, 2002-03
The NFL playoffs for the 2002-03 season led up to Super Bowl XXXVII. Prior to the 2002-03 season, the league realigned the teams into eight divisions (four in each conference). Thus, the 12-team playoff format was modified: The four division champions are seeded #1 through #4 based on their regular season won-lost-tied record. Two "wild card" qualifiers (those non-division champions with the conference's best won-lost-tied percentages) are seeded #5 and #6 within the conference.
These changes meant that a wild card team could no longer host a playoff game during the first "Wild Card" round.
Playoff seeds
Wild-card roundJanuary 4, 2003
AFC: New York Jets 41, Indianapolis Colts 0
:at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Jets squeaked into the playoffs on the last week of the regular season. New York QB Chad Pennington, making his playoff debut, threw three touchdowns. His counterpart on the Colts, Peyton Manning, was not as spectacular, completing less than half his passes and throwing two interceptions.Scoring*NYJ - Anderson 56 pass from Pennington (Hall kick)*NYJ - FG Hall 41*NYJ - Jordan 1 run (Hall kick)*NYJ - Moss 4 pass from Pennington (Hall kick)*NYJ - FG Hall 39*NYJ - Baker 3 pass from Pennington (Hall kick)*NYJ - Jordan 1 run (Hall kick)
NFC: Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay Packers 7
:at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Packers lost at home for the first time in playoff history as Atlanta QB Michael Vick continued his hot streak. The Falcons also blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown and caused five turnovers. Scoring*ATL - Jefferson 10 pass from Vick (Feely kick)*ATL - Ulmer 1 blocked punt return (Feely kick)*ATL - Duckett 6 run (Feely kick)*ATL - FG Feely 22*GB - Driver 14 pass from Favre (Longwell kick)*ATL - FG Feely 23
January 5, 2003
AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 36, Cleveland Browns 33
:at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Steelers, behind journeyman quarterback Tommy Maddox, exploded for 22 fourth-quarter points as the Browns suffered one of their famous playoff collapses. A 3-yard touchdown run by Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala with 54 seconds left capped the game-winning 58 yard drive.Scoring*CLE - Green 1 run (Dawson kick)*CLE - Northcutt 32 pass from Holcomb (Dawson kick)*PHI - Randle El 66 punt return (Reed kick)*CLE - FG Dawson 31*CLE - Northcutt 15 pass from Holcomb (Dawson kick)*PIT - Burress 6 pass from Maddox (Reed kick)*CLE - FG Dawson 24*PIT - Tuman 3 pass from Maddox (Reed kick)*CLE - Davis 22 pass from Holcomb (Pass failed)*PIT - Ward 5 pass from Maddox (Reed kick)*PIT - Fuamatu-Ma'afala 3 run (Tuman pass from Randle El)
NFC: San Francisco 49ers 39, New York Giants 38
:at San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point, San Francisco
The Steelers' comeback earlier in the day was matched by San Francisco's similar late drive. Down 38-14 in the third quarter, the 49ers' offense led by Jeff Garcia fired up, with Tai Streets scoring what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with one minute left. The Giants still had a chance, though, but a botched snap by Trey Junkin on the final play resulted in a field goal attempt turning into a feeble pass play. After the Giants were penalized for having an illegal man downfield on the play, the game ended. But it was revealed the following day that he had checked in as an eligible receiver, and that the Giants should have gotten another chance to win. Scoring*SF - Owens 76 pass from Garcia (Chandler kick)*NYG - Toomer 12 pass from Collins (Bryant kick)*NYG - Shockey 2 pass from Collins (Bryant kick)*SF - Barlow 1 run (Chandler kick)*NYG - Toomer 8 pass from Collins (Bryant kick)*NYG - Toomer 24 pass from Collins (Bryant kick)*NYG - Barber 6 run (Bryant kick)*NYG - FG Bryant 21*SF - Owens 26 pass from Garcia (Owens pass from Garcia)*SF - Garcia 14 run (Owens pass from Garcia)*SF - FG Chandler 25*SF - Streets 13 pass from Garcia (pass failed)
Byes AFC: Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans NFC: Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Divisional roundJanuary 11, 2003
AFC: Tennessee Titans 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 31 (OT)
:at Nashville Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
The third time was the charm for Titans kicker Joe Nedney. After missing the a potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation time, and a second failed kick in overtime was negated because of a roughing-the-kicker penalty on Pittsburgh's Dewayne Washington, Nedney won the game from 26 yards out 2:15 into overtime. Steelers coach Bill Cowher was incensed, saying he called a timeout before the winning kick took place. Earlier in the game, the Titans went out to an early 14-0 lead before three turnovers led to Pittsburgh scores, making it 20-14. Two Tennessee touchdowns made it 28-20 by the end of the third quarter, but a 21-yard Hines Ward touchdown and subsequent 2-point conversion tied the game at 28. The teams traded late 4th-quarter field goals to send the game into OT.Scoring*TEN - McNair 8 run (Nedney kick)*TEN - George 1 run (Nedney kick)*PIT - Ward 8 pass from Maddox (Reed kick)*PIT - FG Reed 30*PIT - FG Reed 39*PIT - Zereoue 31 run (Reed kick)*TEN - Wycheck 7 pass from McNair (Nedney kick)*TEN - Kinney 2 pass from McNair (Nedney kick)*PIT - Ward 21 pass from Maddox (Burress pass from Ward)*PIT - FG Reed 40*TEN - FG Nedney 42*TEN - FG Nedney 26
NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 20, Atlanta Falcons 6
:at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
The hyped quarterback duel between Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick never materialized, as the Eagles' defense sacked Vick three times and picked him off twice, with Bobby Taylor returning one of those interceptions for a touchdown. A 20-yard touchdown run by Vick in the 3rd quarter was called back for a holding penalty. Scoring*PHI - Taylor 39 interception return (Akers kick)*PHI - FG Akers 34*PHI - FG Akers 39*ATL - FG Feely 34*ATL - FG Feely 52*PHI - Thrash 35 pass from McNabb (Akers kick)
January 12, 2003
NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, San Francisco 49ers 6
:at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Tampa Bay QB Brad Johnson, who had been sidelined for a month, returned to throw for 196 yards, two touchdowns and one early interception, as the league's top-ranked defense in 2002 forced five turnovers. San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia was sacked four times as the 49ers would not get into the end zone all day. Fullback Mike Alstott scored two touchdowns for the Bucs.Scoring*TB - Alstott 2 run (Gramatica kick)*SF - FG Chandler 24*TB - Jurevicius 20 pass from B. Johnson (Gramatica kick)*SF - FG Chandler 40*TB - Dudley 12 pass from B. Johnson (Gramatica kick)*TB - Alstott 2 run (Gramatica kick)*TB - FG Gramatica 19
AFC: Oakland Raiders 30, New York Jets 10
:at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
Chad Pennington's dream season came to an end in as the New York Jets' quarterback threw two interceptions and was sacked four times. The Raiders' Rich Gannon threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns as Oakland pulled away from a 10-10 halftime tie to score twenty consecutive second half points. Scoring*NYJ - FG Hall 38*OAK - FG Janikowski 29*OAK - Crockett 1 run (Janikowski kick)*NYJ - Sowell 1 pass from Pennington (Hall kick)*OAK - Porter 29 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick)*OAK - Rice 9 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick)*OAK - FG Janikowski 34*OAK - FG Janikowski 31
Conference championships
Having succeeded with changing the times of the earlier rounds of the playoffs to draw more television viewers, starting in 2002 the times were changed for the Conference Championship games, with the conferences continuing to alternate both the early and late games. The first game (in this case, the NFC) began at 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time in the United States, with the game that followed (the AFC this season) starting at 6:30 PM US EST.
January 19, 2003
NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
:at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
Tampa Bay won a) on the road for the first time in playoff history and b) in tempratures below 32°F (0°C) as they advanced to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance in the last football game played at Veterans' Stadium in Philadelphia, as the Eagles prepared to move to a new home, Lincoln Financial Field, for the 2003 campaign. Eagles' running back Duce Staley opened the scoring with a 20-yard touchdown less than a minute into the game, but the Bucs took over from there. Mike Alstott put Tampa in the lead for good with a touchdown late in the first quarter, with the key play in that drive a 68-yard pass play from Brad Johnson to Joe Jurevicous that broke the Eagles down. They fumbled twice in the second quarter, and Keyshawn Johnson put the Bucs in the end zone again by halftime. Ronde Barber capped off the win with a 92-yard fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown.Scoring*PHI - Staley 20 run (Akers kick)*TB - FG Gramatica 48*TB - Alstott 1 run (Gramatica kick)*PHI - FG Akers 30*TB - K. Johnson 9 pass from B. Johnson (Gramatica kick)*TB - FG Gramatica 27*TB - Barber 92 interception return (Gramatica kick)
AFC: Oakland Raiders 41, Tennessee Titans 24
:at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
The Raiders made it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1984, when they were based in Los Angeles. Rich Gannon, the league's MVP in 2002, threw three touchdowns and ran in himself for another one. Wide receiver Jerry Porter scored first four minutes into the game for Oakland, but the Titans countered with a 33-yard TD pass from Steve McNair to Drew Bennett tied it up five minutes later. The Raiders went in the lead to stay when Charlie Garner caught another touchdown pass late in the first quarter. All but abandoning the run for the first three quarters, Oakland scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns on the ground to seal the victory. Scoring*OAK - Porter 3 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick)*TEN - Bennett 33 pass from McNair (Nedney kick)*OAK - Garner 12 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick)*TEN - FG Nedney 29*TEN - McNair 9 run (Nedney kick)*OAK - Jolley 1 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick)*OAK - FG Janikowski 43*OAK - FG Janikowski 32*TEN - McNair 13 run (Hentrich kick)*OAK - Gannon 2 run (Janikowski kick)*OAK - Crockett 7 run (Janikowski kick)
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