2002 Green Bay Packers season

Summary

The 2002 season was the Green Bay Packers' 82nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 84th overall.

2002 Green Bay Packers season
Head coachMike Sherman
Home fieldLambeau Field
Results
Record12–4
Division place1st NFC North
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Falcons) 7–27
Pro BowlersQB Brett Favre
RB Ahman Green
WR Donald Driver
TE Bubba Franks
G Marco Rivera
FS Darren Sharper
AP All-ProsQB Brett Favre (2nd team)
FS Darren Sharper (2nd team)

For the first time since 1989, LeRoy Butler was not on the opening day roster.

This was the first of three consecutive NFC North titles for the Packers. They achieved a 12–4 record in the regular season, before losing in the NFC Wild Card playoffs round to quarterback Brett Favre's former team, the Atlanta Falcons, at Lambeau Field.[1] This marked the first time in franchise history that the Packers had lost at home in the playoffs.[2]

Background edit

In 2001, the Packers achieved the franchise's best record since 1997, finishing 12–4 and advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs. There, they lost to the eventual NFC champion St. Louis Rams. During the game, it became clear that the Packers would need wide receivers with greater speed and ability to compete with the conference's best teams. GM Mike Sherman spent the 2002 offseason revamping Green Bay's receiving corps. The team promoted Donald Driver to starter, acquired veteran Terry Glenn from the New England Patriots and drafted Javon Walker in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. The influx of new players seemed to position the Packers as one of the strongest contenders in the NFC.

Season summary edit

Green Bay started the season with eight wins in their first nine games, led by quarterback Brett Favre and running back Ahman Green. The Packers led the NFC North throughout the year, winning the division by a six-game margin. Green Bay became the first team to win the newly rechristened division, formerly known as the NFC Central. It was the Packers' first division title since 1997, and the team would go on to win the NFC North for three consecutive seasons.

For the first time in years, it appeared that the Packers had a legitimate chance of reaching the Super Bowl heading into the final Sunday of the regular season. With one game left, Green Bay was 12–3, and a victory away from clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs after the Philadelphia Eagles failed to clinch home field advantage themselves one day prior in an overtime defeat to the New York Giants. The Packers had never lost a home playoff game in franchise history, had achieved an 8–0 record at home in 2002, and had established a run of Lambeau Field dominance since the Mike Holmgren era. As a result, playing home games at Lambeau Field would seemingly give the Packers a significant advantage in the playoffs. The final game was on the road against the New York Jets, who beat the Packers handily to win the AFC East division title. The loss which coincided with the Buccaneers winning was a blow to the Packers, who dropped down to the number three seed in the NFC and had an incredibly difficult road to the Super Bowl. Six days later, the Packers were beaten by Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons, the first home playoff loss in Packers history.

The 2002 season was another memorable year for quarterback Brett Favre. Throughout the season, Favre was a favorite to win his fourth Most Valuable Player award. The Packers' lopsided loss to the Jets in the regular season finale may have swayed voters, as Favre lost the MVP award by merely two votes to Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon.

Offseason edit

Signings Departures
WR Terry Glenn (Patriots) WR Bill Schroeder (Lions)
LB Hardy Nickerson (Jaguars) WR Charles Lee (Buccaneers)
DE Joe Johnson (Saints) RB Dorsey Levens (Eagles)
WR Karsten Bailey (Seahawks) WR Antonio Freeman (Eagles)
CB Darrien Gordon (Falcons) LB Bernardo Harris (Ravens)
T Barry Stokes (Browns)
DE John Thierry (Falcons)
WR Corey Bradford (Texans)
CB Allen Rossum (Falcons)
DT Santana Dotson (Redskins)

Draft edit

In the 2002 NFL draft, the Packers selected 20th overall, drafting future all-pro wide receiver Javon Walker with their first round pick.[3]

2002 Green Bay Packers Draft
Round Selection Player Position College
1 25 Javon Walker WR Florida State
3 92 Marques Anderson FS UCLA
4 135 Najeh Davenport RB Miami
5 156 Aaron Kampman DE Iowa
164 Craig Nall QB Northwestern State, La.
6 200 Mike Houghton T San Diego State

Players highlighted in yellow indicate players selected to the Pro Bowl during their NFL career.

Undrafted free agents edit

2002 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Kevin Barry Offensive Tackle Arizona
Andy Eby Center Kansas State
Tony Fisher Running back Notre Dame
Ken Kocher Defensive Tackle UCLA
Bill Seymour Tight end Michigan
Jeremy Unertl Safety UW–La Crosse
Marcus Wilkins Linebacker Texas

Personnel edit

Staff edit

2002 Green Bay Packers staff

Front office

  • President and chief executive officer – Bob Harlan
  • Executive vice president and chief operating officer – John Jones
  • Vice president of player finance/general counsel – Andrew Brandt
  • Vice president of football operations – Mark Hatley
  • Director of college scouting – John Dorsey
  • Director of pro personnel – Reggie McKenzie
  • Personnel analyst to general manager – John Schneider
  • Assistant director of college scouting – Shaun Herock
  • Assistant director of pro personnel – Sean Howard

Head coaches

  • Executive vice president/general manager/head coach – Mike Sherman
  • Assistant head coach/defensive backs – Bob Slowik

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Barry Rubin
  • Strength and conditioning assistant – Mark Lovat
  • Weight room assistant – Vince Workman

Roster edit

2002 Green Bay Packers final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
53 active, 6 inactive, 5 practice squad

Preseason edit

Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
August 10, 2002 at Philadelphia Eagles L 13–20 0–1 Veterans Stadium 58,546
August 17, 2002 at Arizona Cardinals W 29–21 1–1 Sun Devil Stadium 35,716
August 26, 2002 Cleveland Browns W 27–20 2–1 Lambeau Field 62,668
August 30, 2002 Tennessee Titans W 21–20 3–1 Lambeau Field 62,485

Regular season edit

Schedule edit

The Packers finished 12–4 overall, winning the NFC North crown by a six-game margin.[4]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 8 Atlanta Falcons W 37–34 (OT) 1–0 Lambeau Field 63,127
2 September 15 at New Orleans Saints L 20–35 1–1 Louisiana Superdome 67,958
3 September 22 at Detroit Lions W 37–31 2–1 Ford Field 61,505
4 September 29 Carolina Panthers W 17–14 3–1 Lambeau Field 63,329
5 October 7 at Chicago Bears W 34–21 4–1 Memorial Stadium 63,226
6 October 13 at New England Patriots W 28–10 5–1 Gillette Stadium 68,436
7 October 20 Washington Redskins W 30–9 6–1 Lambeau Field 63,363
8 Bye
9 November 4 Miami Dolphins W 24–10 7–1 Lambeau Field 63,284
10 November 10 Detroit Lions W 40–14 8–1 Lambeau Field 63,313
11 November 17 at Minnesota Vikings L 21–31 8–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,153
12 November 24 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 7–21 8–3 Raymond James Stadium 65,672
13 December 1 Chicago Bears W 30–20 9–3 Lambeau Field 64,196
14 December 8 Minnesota Vikings W 26–22 10–3 Lambeau Field 64,070
15 December 15 at San Francisco 49ers W 20–14 11–3 3Com Park 67,947
16 December 22 Buffalo Bills W 10–0 12–3 Lambeau Field 64,106
17 December 29 at New York Jets L 17–42 12–4 Giants Stadium 78,733

Game summaries edit

Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons edit

Week 1: Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Falcons 0 21 310034
Packers 3 10 147337

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: September 8, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 83 °F (28 °C)
  • Game attendance: 63,127
  • Referee: Ron Winter (14)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Curt Menefee, Tim Ryan, Drew Smith
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 2: at New Orleans Saints edit

Week 2: Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 10 7320
Saints 7 14 7735

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

Week 3: at Detroit Lions edit

Week 3: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 10 14637
Lions 7 10 01431

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers edit

Week 4: Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Panthers 7 0 0714
Packers 3 7 0717

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 5: at Chicago Bears edit

Week 5: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 14 10 7334
Bears 7 7 0721

at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

Game information

Week 6: at New England Patriots edit

Week 6: Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 14 7728
Patriots 0 3 0710

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Game information

Week 7: vs. Washington Redskins edit

Week 7: Washington Redskins at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Redskins 3 3 309
Packers 7 10 01330

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: October 20, 2002
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m.
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 44 °F (7 °C)
  • Game attendance: 63,363
  • Referee: Jeff Triplette (42)
  • TV announcers (FOX): Sam Rosen, Bill Maas, Drew Smith
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 9: vs. Miami Dolphins edit

Week 9: Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 0 01010
Packers 0 14 10024

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions edit

Week 10: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Lions 7 0 0714
Packers 3 27 10040

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings edit

Week 11: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 7 7721
Vikings 14 0 71031

at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game information

Week 12: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers edit

Week 12: Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 0 007
Buccaneers 0 3 11721

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, Florida

Game information

Week 13: vs. Chicago Bears edit

Week 13: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Bears 7 7 0620
Packers 3 3 101430

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: December 1, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 23 °F (−5 °C)
  • Game attendance: 64,196
  • Referee: Ron Winter (14)
  • TV announcers (FOX): Dick Stockton, Daryl Johnston and Ron Pitts
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 14: vs. Minnesota Vikings edit

Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Vikings 10 3 9022
Packers 0 6 71326

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers edit

Week 15: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 3 0 14320
49ers 0 6 8014

at 3Com Park, San Francisco, California

Game information

Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills edit

Week 16: Buffalo Bills at Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Bills 0 0 000
Packers 0 3 0710

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: December 22, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Snow flurries, 27 °F (−3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 64,106
  • Referee: Tom White (123)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross and Beasley Reece
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 17: at New York Jets edit

Week 17: Green Bay Packers at New York Jets
Period 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 10 0717
Jets 0 14 141442

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: December 29, 2002
  • Game time: 4:15 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 40 °F (4 °C)
  • Game attendance: 78,733
  • Referee: Dick Hantak (105)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Daryl Johnston and John DiScepolo
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Standings edit

NFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(3) Green Bay Packers 12 4 0 .750 5–1 9–3 398 328 L1
Minnesota Vikings 6 10 0 .375 4–2 5–7 390 442 W3
Chicago Bears 4 12 0 .250 2–4 3–9 281 379 L2
Detroit Lions 3 13 0 .188 1–5 3–9 306 451 L8

Playoffs edit

Schedule edit

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
Wildcard January 4, 2003 Atlanta Falcons L 7–27 0–1 Lambeau Field 65,358

Game summaries edit

NFC Wild Card: vs. Atlanta Falcons edit

NFC Wild Card Game: (6) Atlanta Falcons at (3) Green Bay Packers
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 14 10 3027
Packers 0 0 707

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: January 4, 2003
  • Game time: 8:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Clear, 31 °F (−1 °C)
  • Game attendance: 65,358
  • Referee: Bernie Kukar (86)
  • TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, John Madden and Melissa Stark
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Awards and records edit

  • Brett Favre, NFC Leader, Attempts (551)
  • Brett Favre, NFC Leader, Completions (341)
  • Brett Favre, NFC Leader(tied), Touchdown Passes (27)

References edit

  1. ^ "2002 Packers' schedule". Packers.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
  2. ^ "Vick, Falcons shock Packers in Lambeau". NFL.com. January 4, 2003. Archived from the original on December 11, 2006. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
  3. ^ "2002 Green Bay Packers Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  4. ^ "NFL History – 2002 Regular Season Standings". NFL.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.