2002 Indianapolis Colts season
Encyclopedia
The 2002
Indianapolis Colts
season
was the 50th season for the team in the National Football League
and 19th in Indianapolis.
The 2002 season marked the first for the Colts in the new AFC South
after competing for 32 seasons in the AFC East
.
y - clinched division title
z - clinched first-round bye
* - clinched homefield advantage
Q2 – JAC – 7:34 – 8-yard pass from Mark Brunell to Pete Mitchell (Hayden Epstein kick) (7–7)
Q2 – IND – 0:33- Marcus Washington 40-yard interception return (Vanderjagt kick) (14–7 IND)
Q3 – JAC – 7:39 – Hayden Epstein 27-yard FG (14–10 IND)
Q3 – JAC – 5:20 – 18- yard pass from Mark Brunell to Patrick Johnson (Hayden Epstein kick) (14–17 JAC)
Q3 – IND – 2:57 – 12-yard pass from Peyton Manning to Qadry Ismail (Vanderjagt kick) (21–17 IND)
Q4 – IND – 11:26 – 3-yard pass from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison (Vanderjagt kick) (28–17 IND)
Q4 – JAC – 4:11 – Fred Taylor 6-yard run (Mark Brunell pass to Jimmy Smith for 2-point conversion) (28–25 IND)
. The game was also the first following the passing of Colts Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas
. In tribute to Unitas, Peyton Manning
wore black cleats, this against league rules; he was fined but the league was criticized for the fine later.
completed 19 of 25 passes for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns as he led the Jets to a shutout victory over the Colts. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning
was limited to 14 out of 31 (45.2 percent) completions for 137 yards, with 2 interceptions.
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
season
Indianapolis Colts seasons
The Indianapolis Colts, formerly the Baltimore Colts, are an American football team playing in the National Football League . The list documents the season-by-season records of the Colts franchise from to present, including postseason records and league awards for individual players or head coaches...
was the 50th season for the team in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and 19th in Indianapolis.
The 2002 season marked the first for the Colts in the new AFC South
AFC South
The AFC South is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created before the 2002 season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams...
after competing for 32 seasons in the AFC East
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
.
2002 NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Height | Weight | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Dwight Freeney Dwight Freeney Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School... |
DE Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
6–1 | 268 | Syracuse Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... |
| 2 | 42 | Larry Tripplett Larry Tripplett Larry Tripplett is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington.Tripplett has also played for the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle... |
DT | 6–2 | 295 | Washington University of Washington University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University... |
| 3 | 74 | Joseph Jefferson | SS Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
6–1 | 202 | Western Kentucky Western Kentucky University Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier.... |
| 4 | 106 | David Thornton | OLB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
6–2 | 230 | North Carolina University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States... |
| 6 | 182 | David Pugh David Pugh (American football) David Pugh is a former football player for the Indianapolis Colts. He weighed 270 pounds and stood 6-2.- College career :... |
DT | 6–2 | 270 | Virginia Tech Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in... |
| 6 | 183 | James Lewis | DB Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
5–10 | 192 | University of Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... |
| 6 | 204 | Brian Allen Brian Allen (running back) Brian Allen was an NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts from 2002-2005. He played at Stanford University from 1998–2001 and surpassed 2,100 yards in rushing during his collegiate career. Brian graduated from Stanford University in 2002 and is currently the 7th leading... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
5–9 | 205 | Stanford Stanford University The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San... |
| 7 | 220 | Josh Mallard Josh Mallard Josh Mallard is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft... |
DE Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
6–2 | 259 |
Preseason schedule
| Date | Opponent | Result | Host Stadium | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 10, 2002 | at Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
W 28–10 | Qwest Field Qwest Field CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer... |
Recap |
| August 20, 2002 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
L 10–22 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap |
| August 24, 2002 | Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 19–7 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap |
| August 30, 2002 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
L 21–25 | Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA... |
Recap |
Roster
| Indianapolis Colts 2002 roster | ||||||
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Receivers
Tight Ends
Kickers
Long-Snapper
|
Offensive line
Linebackers
|
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Defensive line
|
||||
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | NFL Recap | TV Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 8, 2002 | at Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 28–25 | 1–0 | Alltel Stadium | Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 2 | September 15, 2002 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 13–21 | 1–1 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 3 | September 22, 2002 | at Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 23–3 | 2–1 | Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface.... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 4 | Bye | |||||||
| 5 | October 8, 2002 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
W 28–21 | 3–1 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 6 | October 13, 2002 | Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... |
W 22–20 | 4–1 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 7 | October 21, 2002 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
L 10–28 | 4–2 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
Recap | ABC 9:00 pm | |
| 8 | October 27, 2002 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 21–26 | 4–3 | FedEx Field | Recap | ESPN 8:30 pm | |
| 9 | November 3, 2002 | Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 15–23 | 4–4 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 10 | November 10, 2002 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 35–13 | 5–4 | Veterans Stadium Veterans Stadium Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 11 | November 17, 2002 | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
W 20–3 | 6–4 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | FOX 4:15 pm | |
| 12 | November 24, 2002 | at Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 23–20 | 7–4 | Invesco Field at Mile High | Recap | ESPN 8:30 pm | |
| 13 | December 1, 2002 | Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 19–3 | 8–4 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 14 | December 8, 2002 | at Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 17–27 | 8–5 | Adelphia Coliseum LP Field LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 15 | December 15, 2002 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 28–23 | 9–5 | Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity... |
Recap | CBS 1:00 pm | |
| 16 | December 22, 2002 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27–44 | 9–6 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | FOX 1:00 pm | |
| 17 | December 29, 2002 | Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20–13 | 10–6 | RCA Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
Recap | CBS 4:15 pm | |
Standings
x - clinched playoff berthy - clinched division title
z - clinched first-round bye
* - clinched homefield advantage
Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Scoring summary
Q1 – IND – 2:38 – 6-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Qadry Ismail (Vanderjagt kick) (7–0 IND)Q2 – JAC – 7:34 – 8-yard pass from Mark Brunell to Pete Mitchell (Hayden Epstein kick) (7–7)
Q2 – IND – 0:33- Marcus Washington 40-yard interception return (Vanderjagt kick) (14–7 IND)
Q3 – JAC – 7:39 – Hayden Epstein 27-yard FG (14–10 IND)
Q3 – JAC – 5:20 – 18- yard pass from Mark Brunell to Patrick Johnson (Hayden Epstein kick) (14–17 JAC)
Q3 – IND – 2:57 – 12-yard pass from Peyton Manning to Qadry Ismail (Vanderjagt kick) (21–17 IND)
Q4 – IND – 11:26 – 3-yard pass from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison (Vanderjagt kick) (28–17 IND)
Q4 – JAC – 4:11 – Fred Taylor 6-yard run (Mark Brunell pass to Jimmy Smith for 2-point conversion) (28–25 IND)
Week 2: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Colts were defeated by the Dolphins in their only game of the season against a team from their former division, the AFC EastAFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
. The game was also the first following the passing of Colts Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas
John Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
. In tribute to Unitas, Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
wore black cleats, this against league rules; he was fined but the league was criticized for the fine later.
Postseason schedule
| Playoff Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Game Site | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 4, 2003 | at New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... (4) |
L 0–41 | 0–1 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
Recap |
AFC Wild-Card Playoff Game: vs. New York Jets
In his playoff debut, quarterback Chad PenningtonChad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
completed 19 of 25 passes for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns as he led the Jets to a shutout victory over the Colts. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
was limited to 14 out of 31 (45.2 percent) completions for 137 yards, with 2 interceptions.
Scoring summary
-
- 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)
See also
- History of the Indianapolis ColtsHistory of the Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
- Indianapolis Colts seasonsIndianapolis Colts seasonsThe Indianapolis Colts, formerly the Baltimore Colts, are an American football team playing in the National Football League . The list documents the season-by-season records of the Colts franchise from to present, including postseason records and league awards for individual players or head coaches...
- Colts-Patriots rivalry
- Chiefs-Colts rivalry