Surf Wiki
Save to docs
sports

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

2002 Tennessee Titans season

43rd season in franchise history; last AFC Championship appearance until 2019

43rd season in franchise history; last AFC Championship appearance until 2019

FieldValue
teamTennessee Titans
year2002
record11–5
division_place1st AFC South
coachJeff Fisher
general_managerFloyd Reese
ownerBud Adams
stadiumThe Coliseum
playoffs**Won [Divisional Playoffs](2002-03-nfl-playoffs)**
(vs. [Steelers](2002-pittsburgh-steelers-season)) 34–31 (OT)
Lost [AFC Championship](2002-03-nfl-playoffs)
(at [Raiders](2002-oakland-raiders-season)) 24–41
pro_bowlers**DE** Kevin Carter
shortnavlinkTitans seasons

(vs. Steelers) 34–31 (OT) Lost AFC Championship (at Raiders) 24–41

The 2002 season was the Tennessee Titans' 33rd in the National Football League and 43rd overall. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 7–9, managing eleven victories. After starting 1–4, the Titans won 10 of their next 11 games. They qualified for the playoffs with a first-round bye, but were unable to reach the Super Bowl, losing to the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship. The Titans would not return to the AFC Championship again until 2019.

The season also marked the first time that the Titans would return to Houston, in a week 17 match against the Texans since relocating 5 years earlier.

As of 2024, this was the last time the Titans won a home playoff game, having gone 0–3 since.

Offseason

SigningsDepartures
S Rich Coady (Rams)
FB Robert Holcombe (Rams)
FS Lance Schulters (49ers)

NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

PlayerPositionCollege
Brad KassellLinebacker[North Texas](2001-north-texas-mean-green-football-team)
John SimonRunning back[Louisiana Tech](2001-louisiana-tech-bulldogs-football-team)

Personnel

Coaching staff

  • Founder/owner/chairman of the board/CEO – Bud Adams

  • President/chief operating officer – Jeff Diamond

  • Executive VP/general manager/director of football operations – Floyd Reese

  • Director of player personnel – Rich Snead

  • Director of college scouting – Mike Ackerley

  • National coordinator of college scouting – C. O. Brocato

  • Executive vice president/head coach – Jeff Fisher

  • Assistant head coach/offense – George Henshaw

  • Assistant head coach/linebackers – Gunther Cunningham

  • Offensive coordinator – Mike Heimerdinger

  • Quarterbacks – Craig Johnson

  • Running backs – Sherman Smith

  • Wide receivers – Steve Walters

  • Offensive line – Mike Munchak

  • Offensive assistant/quality control – Ned James

  • Defensive coordinator – Jim Schwartz

  • Defensive line – Jim Washburn

  • Defensive backs – Everett Withers

  • Defensive assistant/quality control – Chuck Cecil

  • Special teams – Alan Lowry

  • Strength and conditioning – Steve Watterson

  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Sammy Cribb

Roster

  • Juqua Thomas DE

Preseason

Schedule

Tennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"WeekTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"DateTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"OpponentTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"ResultTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"Record1234
August 10, 2002[St. Louis Rams](2002-st-louis-rams-season)**W** 28–261–0
August 15, 2002[Oakland Raiders](2002-oakland-raiders-season)**W** 24–142–0
August 23, 2002at [Minnesota Vikings](2002-minnesota-vikings-season)**L** 10–142–1
August 30, 2002at [Green Bay Packers](2002-green-bay-packers-season)**L** 20–212–2

Regular season

Under the NFL's divisional realignment, the Titans were moved from the AFC Central, where they had played since the NFL–AFL merger in 1970, into the new AFC South. In addition to their home and away games with AFC South opponents, the Titans in 2002 played games against the AFC North and NFC East according to the league's new schedule rotation. They also played one game each against the Patriots and the Raiders based upon standings from 2001.

Schedule

Tennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"WeekTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"DateTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"OpponentTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"ResultTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"TVTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"Time (CT)Tennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"RecordTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"Attendance1234567*Bye*891011121314151617
September 8[Philadelphia Eagles](2002-philadelphia-eagles-season)**W** 27–24FOX12:00 pm1–068,804
September 15at [Dallas Cowboys](2002-dallas-cowboys-season)**L** 13–21CBS12:00 pm1–162,527
September 22[Cleveland Browns](2002-cleveland-browns-season)**L** 28–31 (OT)CBS12:00 pm1–268,804
September 29at [Oakland Raiders](2002-oakland-raiders-season)**L** 25–52CBS3:15 pm1–358,719
October 6[Washington Redskins](2002-washington-redskins-season)**L** 14–31FOX12:00 pm1–468,804
October 13**[Jacksonville Jaguars](2002-jacksonville-jaguars-season)****W** 23–14CBS3:15 pm2–468,804
October 27at [Cincinnati Bengals](2002-cincinnati-bengals-season)**W** 30–24CBS12:00 pm3–452,822
November 3at **[Indianapolis Colts](2002-indianapolis-colts-season)****W** 23–15CBS12:00 pm4–456,752
November 10**[Houston Texans](2002-houston-texans-season)****W** 17–10CBS12:00 pm5–468,804
November 17[Pittsburgh Steelers](2002-pittsburgh-steelers-season)**W** 31–23CBS12:00 pm6–468,804
November 24at [Baltimore Ravens](2002-baltimore-ravens-season)**L** 12–13CBS12:00 pm6–569,365
December 1at [New York Giants](2002-new-york-giants-season)**W** 32–29 (OT)CBS12:00 pm7–578,640
December 8**[Indianapolis Colts](2002-indianapolis-colts-season)****W** 27–17CBS12:00 pm8–568,804
December 16[New England Patriots](2002-new-england-patriots-season)**W** 24–7ABC8:08 pm9–568,809
December 22at **[Jacksonville Jaguars](2002-jacksonville-jaguars-season)****W** 28–10CBS12:00 pm10–551,033
December 29at **[Houston Texans](2002-houston-texans-season)****W** 13–3CBS12:00 pm11–570,694

Note: Division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

'''First quarter''''

  • TEN – Eddie George 14-yard pass from Steve McNair (Joe Nedney kick), 7:10. Titans 7-0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 5:19.
  • PHI – James Thrash 18-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 5:20. Tied 7-7. Drive: 2 plays, 6 yards, 0:53.
  • PHI – Duce Staley 7-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 2:36. Eagles 14-7. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:44. Second quarter
  • TEN – Joe Nedney 33-yard field goal, 11:00. Eagles 14-10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 6:36.
  • PHI – Chad Lewis 7-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 5:05. Eagles 21-10. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:55.
  • PHI – David Akers 30-yard field goal, 0:48. Eagles 24-10. Drive: 4 plays, 18 yards, 1:00. Third quarter
  • TEN – Joe Nedney 47-yard field goal, 11:06. Eagles 24-13. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 3:54. Fourth quarter
  • TEN – Justin McCareins 2-yard pass from Steve McNair (2PT run failed), 12:49. Eagles 24-19. Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:21.
  • TEN – Eddie George 2-yard run (Eddie George run), 3:09. Titans 27-24. Drive: 14 plays, 84 yards, 5:41. Top passers
  • PHI – Donovan McNabb – 18/36, 212 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
  • TEN – Steve McNair – 24/34, 269 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers
  • PHI – Brian Westbrook – 8 rushes, 42 yards
  • TEN – Eddie George – 18 rushes, 42 yards, TD Top receivers
  • PHI – Antonio Freeman – 3 receptions, 54 yards
  • TEN – Derrick Mason – 7 receptions, 109 yards

Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys

'''First quarter''''

  • TEN – Frank Wycheck 1-yard pass from Steve McNair (Joe Nedney kick), 0:00. Titans 7-0. Drive: 12 plays, 85 yards, 8:27. Second quarter
  • DAL – Tony McGee 17-yard pass from Quincy Carter (Billy Cundiff kick), 12:00. Tied 7-7. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 3:00.
  • TEN – Joe Nedney 37-yard field goal, 5:31. Titans 10-7. Drive: 13 plays, 55 yards, 6:29. Third quarter
  • DAL – Dexter Coakley 52-yard interception return (Billy Cundiff kick), 3:10. Cowboys 14-10. Fourth quarter
  • DAL – Joey Galloway 38-yard pass from Quincy Carter (Billy Cundiff kick), 11:25. Cowboys 21-10. Drive: 7 plays, 95 yards, 3:22.
  • TEN – Joe Nedney 53-yard field goal, 5:18. Cowboys 21-13. Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards, 2:36. Top passers
  • TEN – Steve McNair – 20/38, 226 yards, TD, INT
  • DAL – Quincy Carter – 14/24, 240 yards, 2 TD Top rushers
  • TEN – Eddie George – 19 rushes, 65 yards
  • DAL – Emmitt Smith – 18 rushes, 59 yards Top receivers
  • TEN – Derrick Mason – 7 receptions, 118 yards
  • DAL – Joey Galloway – 5 receptions, 88 yards, TD

Week 3: vs. Cleveland Browns

Week 15: vs. New England Patriots

Second quarter

  • TEN – Steve McNair 11-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 12:16. ''Titans 7–0. '''Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards, 6:18.'''''
  • TEN – Steve McNair 1-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 0:32. ''Titans 14–0. '''Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 6:48.''''' Third quarter
  • NE – Tom Brady 10-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 13:08. ''Titans 14–7. '''Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 1:52.'''''
  • TEN – Rich Coady 24-yard interception return (Joe Nedney kick), 9:58. *Titans 21–7. * Fourth quarter
  • TEN – Joe Nedney 28-yard field goal, 9:22. ''Titans 24–7. '''Drive: 15 plays, 69 yards, 9:24.''''' Top passers
  • NE – Tom Brady – 14/29, 134 yards, INT
  • TEN – Steve McNair – 11/24, 136 yards, INT Top rushers
  • NE – Antowain Smith – 6 rushes, 31 yards
  • TEN – Eddie George – 31 rushes, 101 yards Top receivers
  • NE – Troy Brown – 8 receptions, 73 yards
  • TEN – Derrick Mason – 6 receptions, 86 yards

Standings

Division

Conference

Playoffs

Tennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"WeekTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"DateTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"OpponentTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"ResultTennessee Titansyear=2002border=2}}"AttendanceDivisionalConference Championship
January 11, 2003[Pittsburgh Steelers](2002-pittsburgh-steelers-season)**W** 34–31 (OT)68,809
January 19, 2003at [Oakland Raiders](2002-oakland-raiders-season)**L** 24–4162,544

AFC Divisional Playoff vs Pittsburgh Steelers

This was the Titans franchise's first playoff win over the Steelers in four tries, following three losses as the Oilers in 1978, 1979 and 1989, the last of which was also in overtime. The Titans went to the AFC Championship to the Oakland Raiders and lost 41-24.

AFC Championship Game

This was the Titans' last appearance at the AFC championship game until 2019. The Titans were crashed and in 2003 finished 12-4, the same récord as the Colts they win to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round 20-17. But lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round 17-14.

References

References

  1. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/2002.htm 2002 Tennessee Titans]
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

tennessee-titans-seasons afc-south-championship-seasons 2002-nfl-season-by-team 2002-in-sports-in-tennessee
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 2002 Tennessee Titans season — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report