2001 Oakland Raiders season

2001 Oakland Raiders season
Owner	Al Davis
General manager	Al Davis
Head coach	Jon Gruden
Home stadium	Network Associates Coliseum
Results
Record	10–6
Division place	1st AFC West
Playoffs	Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Jets) 38–24 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Patriots) 13–16 (OT)
Pro Bowlers	Rich Gannon, QB Tim Brown, WR Lincoln Kennedy, OT Charles Woodson, CB Shane Lechler, P
←  2000 Raiders seasons 2002  →

The 2001 Oakland Raiders season was the franchise's 32nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 42nd overall, their seventh season since their move back to Oakland, and the fourth year under head coach Jon Gruden, the last of his first stint as the team's head coach.

In the offseason, the Raiders acquired wide receiver Jerry Rice through free agency. Rice excelled with his new team, catching 83 passes for 1,139 yards and 9 touchdowns. The Raiders finished the season 10–6, finishing in first place in the AFC West for the second consecutive year. Their six regular season losses were by a combined 24 points.

The Raiders qualified for the postseason, beating the New York Jets in the wild-card round, who were also the team the Raiders lost to in the final game of the regular season. In the Divisional round, the Raiders blew a 13–3 lead and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 16–13 in overtime in a controversial finish. With a minute and 43 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Raiders leading 13–10, cornerback Charles Woodson appeared to force a fumble of Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady that was recovered by the Raiders. The play was reviewed by instant replay and the fumble was ruled an incomplete pass. The Patriots tied the game in the ensuing drive and then won in overtime. The game became known as the Tuck Rule Game.

It would be Jon Gruden's final season as head coach in his first stint with the Raiders. After the season he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for Tampa Bay's first-round draft picks in 2002 and 2003, their second-round draft picks in 2004 and 2005, and $8 million in cash. The Raiders faced Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl the next year, and lost 48–21. Gruden would return to the Raiders as head coach 16 years later in 2018. After the season, they lost Steve Wisniewski to retirement.

The Raiders' theme song was Veridis Quo by Daft Punk.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 2001 NFL draft

2001 Oakland Raiders Draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College
1	28	Derrick Gibson	SS	Florida State
2	59	Marques Tuiasosopo	QB	Washington
3	89	DeLawrence Grant	LB	Oregon State
5	158	Ray Perryman	SS	Northern Arizona
5	168	Chris Cooper	DT	Nebraska–Omaha
7	228	Derek Combs	CB	Ohio State
7	229	Ken-Yon Rambo	WR	Ohio State

Staff

2001 Oakland Raiders Coaching Staff
Head coaches Head coach – Jon Gruden Coaches’ Assistant – Paul Kelly Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/offensive line – Bill Callahan Quarterbacks – David Shaw Running backs – Skip Peete Wide receivers – Fred Biletnikoff Wide receivers – John Morton Tight ends – Jim Erkenbeck Assistant offensive line – Aaron Kromer Senior assistant-offense – Marc Trestman			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Chuck Bresnahan Defensive line – Mike Waufle Linebackers – Fred Pagac Defensive backs – Ron Lynn Assistant defensive backs/director of squad development – Willie Brown Defensive quality control – Don Martin Special teams coaches Special teams – Bob Casullo Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Garrett Giemont

Final roster

2001 Oakland Raiders final roster
Quarterbacks 12 Rich Gannon 16 Rodney Peete  8 Marques Tuiasosopo Running backs 32 Zack Crockett FB 25 Charlie Garner 28 Randy Jordan 42 Terry Kirby KR 40 Jon Ritchie FB 47 Tyrone Wheatley 34 Jermaine Williams Wide receivers 81 Tim Brown PR 82 James Jett 83 Marcus Knight 84 Jerry Porter 80 Jerry Rice Tight ends 87 Jeremy Brigham 89 Mondriel Fulcher 86 Roland Williams		Offensive linemen 77 Darryl Ashmore G/T 79 Mo Collins G 68 Aaron Graham C/LS 72 Lincoln Kennedy T 73 Frank Middleton G 70 Toby Myles T 65 Barry Sims T 74 Matt Stinchcomb T 62 Adam Treu C 76 Steve Wisniewski G Defensive linemen 94 Tony Bryant DE 57 Rod Coleman DT 75 Chris Cooper DE 95 DeLawrence Grant DE 92 Junior Ioane DT 90 Grady Jackson DT 99 Josh Taves DT 91 Regan Upshaw DE		Linebackers 58 Elijah Alexander OLB 50 Eric Barton OLB 54 Greg Biekert MLB 55 Bobby Brooks MLB 53 Travian Smith OLB 59 William Thomas OLB Defensive backs 21 Eric Allen CB 33 Anthony Dorsett FS 26 Derrick Gibson FS 37 Johnnie Harris SS 20 Tory James CB 39 Brandon Jennings CB 23 Marquez Pope SS 24 Charles Woodson CB/PR Special teams  3 Brad Daluiso K 11 Sebastian Janikowski K  9 Shane Lechler P		Reserve lists 93 Trace Armstrong DE (IR) 85 Reggie Barlow WR (IR) 14 Bobby Hoying QB (IR) 41 Eric Johnson S (IR) 63 Barret Robbins C (IR) 96 Darrell Russell DT (Susp.) Practice squad  5 Derek Combs CB 44 Ray Perryman S 78 Chad Slaughter T 19 Elijah Thurmon WR 18 Marcus Williams TE rookies in italics 53 active, 6 inactive, 5 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue
1	August 4	Dallas Cowboys	W 21–14	1–0	Network Associates Coliseum
2	August 11	at Arizona Cardinals	W 10–7	2–0	Sun Devil Stadium
3	August 19	at San Francisco 49ers	L 17–20	2–1	3Com Park
4	August 27	vs. Dallas Cowboys	L 6–21	2–2	Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
5	August 31	Green Bay Packers	W 24–13	3–2	Network Associates Coliseum

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 9	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 27–24	1–0	Arrowhead Stadium	78,844
2 [A]	September 23	at Miami Dolphins	L 15–18	1–1	Pro Player Stadium	73,304
3	September 30	Seattle Seahawks	W 38–14	2–1	Network Associates Coliseum	54,629
4 [B]	October 7	Dallas Cowboys	W 28–21	3–1	Network Associates Coliseum	61,535
5	October 14	at Indianapolis Colts	W 23–18	4–1	RCA Dome	56,972
6	Bye [B]
7	October 28	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 20–10	5–1	Veterans Stadium	65,342
8	November 5	Denver Broncos	W 38–28	6–1	Network Associates Coliseum	62,637
9	November 11	at Seattle Seahawks	L 27–34	6–2	Husky Stadium	67,231
10	November 18	San Diego Chargers	W 34–24	7–2	Network Associates Coliseum	61,960
11	November 25	at New York Giants	W 28–10	8–2	Giants Stadium	78,756
12	December 2	Arizona Cardinals	L 31–34 (OT)	8–3	Network Associates Coliseum	46,601
13	December 9	Kansas City Chiefs	W 28–26	9–3	Network Associates Coliseum	60,784
14	December 15	at San Diego Chargers	W 13–6	10–3	Qualcomm Stadium	67,349
15	December 22	Tennessee Titans	L 10–13	10–4	Network Associates Coliseum	61,934
16	December 30	at Denver Broncos	L 17–23	10–5	Invesco Field at Mile High	75,582
17 [A]	January 6	New York Jets	L 22–24	10–6	Network Associates Coliseum	62,011

Standings

AFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(3) Oakland Raiders	10	6	0	.625	399	327	L3
Seattle Seahawks	9	7	0	.563	301	324	W2
Denver Broncos	8	8	0	.500	340	339	L1
Kansas City Chiefs	6	10	0	.375	320	344	L1
San Diego Chargers	5	11	0	.313	332	321	L9

Playoffs

AFC Wild Card Playoff

Oakland Raiders 38, New York Jets 24

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Jets	0	3	7	14	24
Raiders	6	10	0	22	38

at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Date: January 12, 2002
• Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), clear
• Game attendance: 61,503
• Referee: Dick Hantak
• TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels (play-by-play), Dan Fouts, Dennis Miller (color commentators), Melissa Stark, and Eric Dickerson (sideline reporters)

AFC Divisional Playoff

See also: Tuck Rule Game

New England Patriots 16, Oakland Raiders 13 (OT)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Raiders	0	7	6	0	0	13
Patriots	0	0	3	10	3	16

at Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

• Date: January 19, 2002
• Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 19 °F (−7 °C), heavy snow
• Game attendance: 60,292
• Referee: Walt Coleman
• TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel (play-by-play), Phil Simms (color commentator), and Armen Keteyian (sideline reporter)

Notes

1. The Raiders were originally scheduled to host the New York Jets during Week 2 of the original NFL schedule (September 16) at Network Associates Coliseum. However, due to the September 11 attacks, the game was rescheduled to Week 17.
2. The Raiders were originally scheduled to host the Dallas Cowboys during Week 6 (October 21) at Network Associates Coliseum. However, the game was rescheduled to Week 4 to accommodate a possible Oakland Athletics baseball game in the ALCS, in which both the Cowboys and Raiders would originally have had their byes. The Athletics were subsequently eliminated on October 15.

References

Raiders on Pro Football Reference