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2003 NFL season
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The 2003 regular season of the National Football League (NFL) was the 84th one played by the major professional American football league in the United States. Regular season play was held from September 4, 2003 to December 28. Due to damage caused by the Cedar Fire, Qualcomm Stadium was used as an emergency shelter, and thus the Miami Dolphins–San Diego Chargers regular season match on October 27 was instead played at Sun Devil Stadium, the home field of the Arizona Cardinals.
The playoffs began on January 3, 2004.
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Encyclopedia
The 2003 regular season of the National Football League (NFL) was the 84th one played by the major professional American football league in the United States. Regular season play was held from September 4, 2003 to December 28. Due to damage caused by the Cedar Fire, Qualcomm Stadium was used as an emergency shelter, and thus the Miami Dolphins–San Diego Chargers regular season match on October 27 was instead played at Sun Devil Stadium, the home field of the Arizona Cardinals.
The playoffs began on January 3, 2004. The NFL title was eventually won by the New England Patriots when they defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on February 1.
Major rule changes
- If an onside kick inside the final five minutes of the game does not go 10 yards, goes out of bounds, or is touched illegally, the receiving team will have the option of accepting the penalty and getting the ball immediately. Previously, the kicking team was penalized, but had another chance to kick again from five yards back.
- League officials encouraged networks to immediately cut to a commercial break if an instant replay challenge review was initiated. Previously networks rarely utilized those stoppages for their prescribed commercial periods.
2003 Coaching Changes
Final regular season standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in green
Tiebreakers
- Indianapolis finished ahead of Tennessee in the AFC South based on better head-to-head record (2-0).
- Denver clinched the AFC 6 seed instead of Miami based on better conference record (9-3 to 7-5).
- Buffalo finished ahead of N.Y. Jets in the AFC East based on better division record (2-4 to 1-5).
- Jacksonville finished ahead of Houston in the AFC South based on better division record (2-4 to 1-5).
- Oakland finished ahead of San Diego in the AFC West based on better conference record (3-9 to 2-10).
- Philadelphia clinched the NFC 1 seed instead of St. Louis based on better conference record (9-3 to 8-4).
- Seattle clinched the NFC 5 seed instead of Dallas based on strength of victory (.406 to .388).
Playoffs
- Home team in capitals
AFC
- Wild-Card playoffs: Tennessee 20, BALTIMORE 17; INDIANAPOLIS 41, Denver 10
- Divisional playoffs: NEW ENGLAND 17, Tennessee 14; Indianapolis 38, KANSAS CITY 31
- AFC Championship: NEW ENGLAND 24, Indianapolis 14 at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, January 18, 2004
NFC
- Wild-Card playoffs: CAROLINA 29, Dallas 10; GREEN BAY 33, Seattle 27 (OT)
- Divisional playoffs: Carolina 29, ST. LOUIS 23 (2OT); PHILADELPHIA 20, Green Bay 17 (OT)
- NFC Championship: Carolina 14, PHILADELPHIA 3 at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 18, 2004
Super Bowl
Milestones
The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:
| Record | Player/Team | Date/Opponent | Previous Record Holder |
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| Most Touchdowns, Season | Priest Holmes, Kansas City (27) | N/A | Marshall Faulk, St. Louis, 2000 (26) | | Most Rushing Yards Gained, Game | Jamal Lewis, Baltimore (295) | September 14, vs. Cleveland | Corey Dillon, Cincinnati vs. Denver, October 22 2000 (278) | | Most Consecutive Field Goals | Mike Vanderjagt, Indianapolis | December 28, at Houston | Gary Anderson, 1997-98 (40) | | Most Consecutive Road Games Lost | Detroit Lions | December 21, vs. Carolina | Houston Oilers, 1981-84 (23) |
Statistical leaders
Team
| Points scored | Kansas City Chiefs (484) | | Total yards gained | Minnesota Vikings (6,294) | | Yards rushing | Baltimore Ravens (2,674) | | Yards passing | Indianapolis Colts (4,179) | | Fewest points allowed | New England Patriots (238) | | Fewest total yards allowed | Dallas Cowboys (4,056) | | Fewest rushing yards allowed | Tennessee Titans (1,295) | | Fewest passing yards allowed | Dallas Cowboys (2,631) |
Individual
| Scoring | Jeff Wilkins, St. Louis (163 points) | | Touchdowns | Priest Holmes, Kansas City (27 TDs) | | Most field goals made | Jeff Wilkins, St. Louis (39 FGs) | | Rushing | Jamal Lewis, Baltimore (2,066 yards) | | Passing | Steve McNair, Tennessee (100.4 rating) | | Passing touchdowns | Brett Favre, Green Bay (32 TDs) | | Pass receiving | Torry Holt, St. Louis (117 catches) | | Pass receiving yards | Torry Holt, St. Louis (1,696) | | Punt returns | Dante Hall, Kansas City (16.3 average yards) | | Kickoff returns | Jerry Azumah, Chicago (29.0 average yards) | | Interceptions | Brian Russell, Minnesota and Tony Parrish, San Francisco (9) | | Punting | Shane Lechler, Oakland (46.9 average yards) | | Sacks | Michael Strahan, New York Giants (18.5) |
Awards
| Most Valuable Player | Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Indianapolis and Steve McNair, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans | | Coach of the Year | Bill Belichick, New England | | Offensive Player of the Year | Jamal Lewis, Running back, Baltimore | | Defensive Player of the Year | Ray Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore | | Offensive Rookie of the Year | Anquan Boldin, Wide Receiver, Arizona | | Defensive Rookie of the Year | Terrell Suggs, Linebacker, Baltimore | | NFL Comeback Player of the Year | Jon Kitna, Quarterback, Cincinnati |
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