2002 Oakland Raiders season
2002 Oakland Raiders season | |
---|---|
Owner | Al Davis |
Head coach | Bill Callahan |
General manager | Al Davis |
Home field | Network Associates Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 11–5 |
Division place | 1st AFC West |
Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Jets) 30–10 Won AFC Championship (vs. Titans) 41–24 Lost Super Bowl XXXVII (vs. Buccaneers) 21–48 |
Pro Bowlers | QB Rich Gannon WR Jerry Rice T Lincoln Kennedy C Barret Robbins FS Rod Woodson |
AP All-Pros | QB Rich Gannon (1st team) WR Jerry Rice (2nd team) T Lincoln Kennedy (1st team) C Barret Robbins (1st team) FS Rod Woodson (1st team) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Oakland_Raiders_24%2C_Kansas_City_Chiefs_0%2C_2002%2C_by_Ken_Lund.jpg/220px-Oakland_Raiders_24%2C_Kansas_City_Chiefs_0%2C_2002%2C_by_Ken_Lund.jpg)
The 2002 season was the Oakland Raiders' 33rd in the National Football League, their 43rd overall, their eighth since returning to Oakland and their first under head coach Bill Callahan. The Raiders played their home games at Network Associates Coliseum as members of the AFC West. The Raiders had essentially traded their head coach Jon Gruden following the 2001 season. The Raiders hired Callahan, the offensive coordinator under Gruden, to return them to the playoffs.
Despite their talent, the Raiders struggled in the first half of the season. A 4–0 start was followed by four consecutive losses; the team's 4–4 record stunned many onlookers. The team, however, redeemed itself by winning seven of its final eight contests. In the third quarter of Oakland's 26–20 win on Monday Night Football over the Jets, Tim Brown became the third player in NFL history with 1,000 career catches. Finishing 11–5 in a conference where twelve teams obtained .500 or better records and nine were above .500, the Raiders won the AFC West for the third consecutive season and clinched the AFC's top seed and full home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They routed the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans in the playoffs, by a combined score of 71–34 and +4 in turnover differential; in doing so, they advanced to their first Super Bowl since 1984. Their opponent was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by their former coach Jon Gruden.
The Raiders entered Super Bowl XXXVII as slight favorites; many predicted a hard-fought showdown between Oakland's top-ranked offense and Tampa Bay's top-ranked defense. The resulting game, however, ended in disaster for the Raiders. An early three-point lead (courtesy of a Sebastian Janikowski field goal) evaporated as the Buccaneers scored 34 unanswered points. The Buccaneers defense, aided by Gruden's knowledge of the Raider offense and Raiders failure to change many of the terms for their offense, intercepted Rich Gannon three times during this scoring surge. Many times, Buccaneer safety John Lynch was able to determine what play was coming based on audibles called by Raider quarterback Rich Gannon. A furious Raider rally cut the score to an almost-competitive 34–21 in the fourth quarter. However, two more Gannon interceptions sealed the Raiders' fate in a 21–48 bludgeoning.
The years following the Super Bowl loss marked a period of decline and futility for the Raiders, who would obtain neither a winning record nor a playoff trip until 2016, and, as of 2020, have not won another postseason game since this season.
Offseason[]
Signings | Departures |
---|---|
DT Sam Adams (Ravens) | CB Eric Allen (retirement) |
QB Rick Mirer (49ers) | LB Greg Biekert (Vikings) |
DT John Parrella (Chargers) | QB Rodney Peete (Panthers) |
LB Bill Romanowski (Broncos) | |
FS Rod Woodson (Ravens) |
NFL Draft[]
2002 Oakland Raiders draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 17 | Phillip Buchanon | CB | Miami | from Atlanta |
1 | 23 | Napoleon Harris | LB | Northwestern | |
2 | 53 | Langston Walker | T | California | from Tampa Bay |
2 | 55 | Doug Jolley | TE | BYU | |
5 | 147 | Kenyon Coleman | DE | UCLA | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Background[]
The 2002 season, due mainly to the aforementioned Super Bowl run, ranks among the most important in franchise history. The aging Raiders' controversial elimination from the prior year's playoffs set the stage for a concerted championship push. Owner Al Davis traded then-head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shortly after the Raiders' 2001 playoff loss; in doing so, he received two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and cash considerations from Tampa Bay. Davis, despite team salary cap troubles, also managed to acquire veteran stars Sam Adams, Rod Woodson, and Bill Romanowski during the 2002 offseason.
The Raiders entered the season with a hugely talented, albeit aging roster of players. The offense was led by quarterback Rich Gannon, who would be named MVP for the season. The team's receiving corps of Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, and Jerry Porter ranked among the league's best; additionally, running back Charlie Garner posted 1,903 all-purpose yards. The offensive line, moreover, was anchored by pro-bowlers Lincoln Kennedy and Barret Robbins. The Raiders' offense, all told, led the league in total yardage; Gannon additionally led all NFL quarterbacks in passing with 4,689 yards. The defense, while less vaunted, nonetheless ranked among the NFL's finest; the contributions of Rod Woodson, Bill Romanowski, Charles Woodson, and Trace Armstrong aided the Raiders' cause greatly.
Staff[]
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Roster[]
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
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Regular season[]
Schedule[]
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 8, 2002 | Seattle Seahawks | W 31–17 | 1–0 | 53,260 | |
2 | September 15, 2002 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 30–17 | 2–0 | 62,260 | |
3 | Bye | |||||
4 | September 29, 2002 | Tennessee Titans | W 52–25 | 3–0 | 58,719 | |
5 | October 6, 2002 | at Buffalo Bills | W 49–31 | 4–0 | 73,038 | |
6 | October 13, 2002 | at St. Louis Rams | L 13–28 | 4–1 | 66,070 | |
7 | October 20, 2002 | San Diego Chargers | L 21–27 (OT) | 4–2 | 60,974 | |
8 | October 27, 2002 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 10–20 | 4–3 | 78,685 | |
9 | November 3, 2002 | San Francisco 49ers | L 20–23 (OT) | 4–4 | 62,660 | |
10 | November 11, 2002 | at Denver Broncos | W 34–10 | 5–4 | 76,643 | |
11 | November 17, 2002 | New England Patriots | W 27–20 | 6–4 | 62,552 | |
12 | November 24, 2002 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 41–20 | 7–4 | 58,814 | |
13 | December 2, 2002 | New York Jets | W 26–20 | 8–4 | 62,257 | |
14 | December 8, 2002 | at San Diego Chargers | W 27–7 | 9–4 | 67,968 | |
15 | December 15, 2002 | at Miami Dolphins | L 17–23 | 9–5 | 73,572 | |
16 | December 22, 2002 | Denver Broncos | W 28–16 | 10–5 | 62,592 | |
17 | December 28, 2002 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 24–0 | 11–5 | 62,078 |
Game summaries[]
Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
Raiders | 7 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: September 8
- Game time: 1:17pm local
- Game weather: clear, 70 °F (21 °C), 47% humidity, wind W 7 miles per hour (11 km/h)
- Game attendance: 53,260
- Referee: Larry Nemmers
- TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, Dave Krieg, and Brian Webber
- Gamecenter, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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Week 5: at Buffalo Bills[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 7 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 49 |
Bills | 0 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: October 6, 2002
- Game time: 1:00 pm
- Game weather: Sunny, 64 °F (18 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,038
- Referee: Bernie Kukar (86)
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross and Beasley Reece
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 11: vs. New England Patriots[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
Raiders | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: November 17, 2002
- Game time: 8:30 p.m.
- Game weather: Clear, 61 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 62,552
- Referee: Ed Hochuli (85)
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, and Suzy Kolber
- Recap, Game Book
Game information | ||
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Week 13: vs. New York Jets[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
Raiders | 3 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 26 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information | ||
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Week 15: at Miami Dolphins[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
Dolphins | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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Standings[]
AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(1) Oakland Raiders | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 450 | 304 | W2 |
Denver Broncos | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 392 | 344 | W1 |
San Diego Chargers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 333 | 367 | L4 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 467 | 399 | L1 |
Playoffs[]
AFC Divisional Playoff Game: vs. New York Jets[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Raiders | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information | ||
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AFC Championship Game[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Titans | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Raiders | 14 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 41 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Clear, 52 °F (11 °C)
- Game attendance: 62,544
- Referee: Ed Hochuli
- TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian, and Bonnie Bernstein
The Raiders defeated the Titans and advanced to their first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XVIII, when they were based in Los Angeles. As of 2018, this has been the last time the Raiders won a playoff game, as they would not return to the playoffs again until 2016, and the last playoff game to be held at the Oakland Coliseum as in 2017, the Raiders were approved to relocate to Las Vegas.
Heavy Metal band Metallica performed an unannounced pregame concert prior to the game, and the game’s national Anthem was performed by Joe Satriani.
Until the 2019–20 NFL playoffs, this was the last AFC championship game which did not include the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, or Pittsburgh Steelers.
Super Bowl XXXVII[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders (AFC) | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 21 |
Buccaneers (NFC) | 3 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 48 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: January 26, 2003
- Game time: 3:26 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)
- Referee: Bill Carollo
- Recap
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarer
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Awards and honors[]
- Rich Gannon, Bert Bell Award[1]
- Rich Gannon, NFL MVP
References[]
- ^ "Bert Bell Award past recipients". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
External links[]
- Oakland Raiders seasons
- AFC West championship seasons
- American Football Conference championship seasons
- 2002 National Football League season by team
- 2000s in Oakland, California
- 2002 in sports in California