2002 Atlanta Falcons season

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2002 Atlanta Falcons season
Head coach Dan Reeves
Home field Georgia Dome
Results
Record9–6–1
Division place2nd NFC South
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(at Packers) 27–7
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Eagles) 6–20
Pro Bowlers QB Michael Vick
LB Keith Brooking
AP All-Pros LB Keith Brooking (2nd team)

The 2002 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 37th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first in the newly formed NFC South. It was also the team's first season under new owner Arthur Blank, who acquired the team during the 2002 offseason. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 7–9 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1998. The team was also involved in a rare tie, matching the Pittsburgh Steelers 34–34 at the end of overtime. [1] This was the last time the Atlanta Falcons ended a season with a tie.

Contents

Before the season, the Falcons acquired running back Warrick Dunn to help with the team’s running game. Their running game had suffered the past three years. Dunn finished the season with 927 rushing yards and 9 total touchdowns. With the boost of Dunn, the Falcons rushed for 2,368 yards (148 yards per game) and 23 touchdowns, both the fourth-best in the NFL.

After seeing limited action as a rookie, this was Michael Vick's first full season as starting quarterback.

In the Wild Card Game, Vick and the Falcons defeated the Brett Favre-led Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, 27–7, giving the Packers their first ever playoff loss in Lambeau. However, a 20–6 loss to Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles in the next round kept the Falcons from advancing in the playoffs.

This was Dan Reeves' last full season as head coach as he was replaced by interim Wade Phillips during the following season.

Vick and linebacker Keith Brooking were voted to play in the Pro Bowl after the season. However, neither Vick not Brooking actually participated in the game. The Pro Bowl was Vick's first and Brooking's second. It was the final season the Falcons used their traditional black falcon helmet logo.

The last remaining active member of the 2002 Atlanta Falcons was quarterback Michael Vick, who played his final NFL game in the 2015 season, although he missed the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Offseason

SigningsDepartures
RB Warrick Dunn (Buccaneers)QB Chris Chandler (Bears)
DE John Thierry (Packers)G Bob Hallen (Chargers)
DT Ellis Johnson (Colts)LB Henri Crockett (Vikings)
LB John Holecek (Chargers)FS Ronnie Bradford (Vikings)
T Todd Weiner (Seahawks)WR Terance Mathis (Steelers)
CB Allen Rossum (Packers)DE Chuck Wiley (Vikings)
CB Kevin Mathis (Saints)
CB Fred Weary (Saints)

NFL Draft

2002 Atlanta Falcons draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
116 T. J. Duckett   Running back Michigan State from Washington via Oakland
380 Will Overstreet   Linebacker Tennessee
4116 Martin Bibla   Guard Miami from Houston
5148 Kevin McCadam   Safety Virginia Tech
5158 Kurt Kittner   Quarterback Illinois from Oakland
6184 Kahlil Hill   Wide receiver Iowa
7217Michael Coleman  Wide receiver Widener from Dallas
7244 Kevin Shaffer   Offensive tackle Tulsa
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

2002 Undrafted Free Agents of note
PlayerPositionCollege
Matt Allen Punter Troy State

Personnel

Staff

2002 Atlanta Falcons staff

Front office

  • Chairman/president/chief executive officer – Arthur Blank
  • Senior advisor to the president – Bobby Beathard
  • Vice president of football operations – Ron Hill
  • College scouting coordinator – Reed Johnson
  • Director of pro personnel – Les Snead
  • Assistant to head coach/pro personnel – Marvin Bass

Head coaches

  • Executive vice president/head coach – Dan Reeves

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Al Miller
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Rocky Colburn

Roster

2002 Atlanta Falcons 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

Regular season

Schedule

In addition to their NFC South rivals, the Falcons played all teams from the NFC North and AFC North. In addition, the Falcons played the New York Giants from the NFC East, and the Seattle Seahawks from the NFC West, based on 2001 standings.

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordAttendance
1September 8at Green Bay Packers L 37–34 (OT)0–163,127
2September 15 Chicago Bears L 14–130–268,081
3September 22 Cincinnati Bengals W 30–31–268,129
4Bye
5October 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 20–61–368,936
6October 13at New York Giants W 17–102–378,728
7October 20 Carolina Panthers W 30–03–368,056
8October 27at New Orleans Saints W 37–354–367,883
9November 3 Baltimore Ravens W 20–175–368,532
10November 10at Pittsburgh Steelers T 34–34 (OT)5–3–162,779
11November 17 New Orleans Saints W 24–176–3–170,382
12November 24at Carolina Panthers W 41–07–3–172,533
13December 1at Minnesota Vikings W 30–24 (OT)8–3–163,947
14December 8at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 34–108–4–165,648
15December 15 Seattle Seahawks L 30–24 (OT)8–5–169,551
16December 22 Detroit Lions W 36–159–5–169,307
17December 29at Cleveland Browns L 24–169–6–173,528
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Green Bay Packers

Week 1: Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers
Period1234OTTotal
Falcons021310034
Packers310147337

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

Week 2: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 2: Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons
Period1234Total
Bears077014
Falcons0103013

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
Period1234Total
Bengals03003
Falcons1377330

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

Week 13: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 13: Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings
Period1234OTTotal
Falcons01473630
Vikings7773024

at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game information

Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 16: Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons
Period1234Total
Lions0001515
Falcons31061736

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

  • Date: December 22, 2002
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: none (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 69,307
  • Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
  • TV: FOX
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Playoffs

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultAttendance
Wild CardJanuary 4at Green Bay Packers W 27–765,358
DivisionalJanuary 11at Philadelphia Eagles L 6–2066,452

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card: at Green Bay Packers

NFC Wild Card Game: (6) Atlanta Falcons at (3) Green Bay Packers
Period1234Total
Falcons14103027
Packers00707

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: ABC
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Standings

Division

NFC South
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1240.7504–29–3346196W1
(6) Atlanta Falcons 961.5944–27–5402314L1
New Orleans Saints 970.5633–37–5432388L3
Carolina Panthers 790.4381–54–8258302W2

Conference

NFC
#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOV
Division leaders
1 [lower-alpha 1] Philadelphia Eagles East1240.7505–111–1.469.432
2 [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South1240.7504–29–3.482.432
3 [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] Green Bay Packers North1240.7505–19–3.451.414
4 San Francisco 49ers West1060.6255–18–4.504.450
Wild Cards
5 New York Giants East1060.6255–18–4.482.450
6 Atlanta Falcons South961.5944–27–5.494.429
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 New Orleans Saints South970.5633–37–5.498.566
8 [lower-alpha 3] St. Louis Rams West790.4384–25–7.508.446
9 [lower-alpha 3] Seattle Seahawks West790.4382–45–7.506.433
10 [lower-alpha 4] Washington Redskins East790.4381–54–8.527.438
11 [lower-alpha 4] Carolina Panthers South790.4381–54–8.486.357
12 Minnesota Vikings North6100.3754–25–7.498.417
13 [lower-alpha 5] Arizona Cardinals West5110.3131–55–7.500.400
14 [lower-alpha 5] Dallas Cowboys East5110.3131–53–9.500.475
15 Chicago Bears North4120.2502–43–9.521.430
16 Detroit Lions North3130.1881–53–9.494.375
Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 6]
  1. 1 2 3 Philadelphia finished ahead of Tampa Bay and Green Bay based on conference record (11–1 vs 9–3/9–3).
  2. 1 2 Tampa Bay finished ahead of Green Bay based on head-to-head victory.
  3. 1 2 St. Louis finished ahead of Seattle based on division record (4–2 to 2–4).
  4. 1 2 Washington finished ahead of Carolina based on common games (2–3 to 1–4)
  5. 1 2 Arizona finished ahead of Dallas based on head-to-head victory.
  6. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Related Research Articles

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References

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