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43rd season in franchise history; last AFC Championship appearance until 2019
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.[ 1] The Titans qualified for the playoffs, 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 .
Offseason
NFL Draft
Undrafted free agents
Personnel
Coaching staff
2002 Tennessee Titans staff
Front office
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
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
Strength and conditioning – Steve Watterson
Assistant strength and conditioning – Sammy Cribb
Roster
Preseason
Schedule
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
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
TV
Time (CT )
Record
Attendance
1
September 8
Philadelphia Eagles
W 27–24
FOX
12:00 pm
1–0
68,804
2
September 15
at Dallas Cowboys
L 13–21
CBS
12:00 pm
1–1
62,527
3
September 22
Cleveland Browns
L 28–31 (OT)
CBS
12:00 pm
1–2
68,804
4
September 29
at Oakland Raiders
L 25–52
CBS
3:15 pm
1–3
58,719
5
October 6
Washington Redskins
L 14–31
FOX
12:00 pm
1–4
68,804
6
October 13
Jacksonville Jaguars
W 23–14
CBS
3:15 pm
2–4
68,804
7
Bye
8
October 27
at Cincinnati Bengals
W 30–24
CBS
12:00 pm
3–4
52,822
9
November 3
at Indianapolis Colts
W 23–15
CBS
12:00 pm
4–4
56,752
10
November 10
Houston Texans
W 17–10
CBS
12:00 pm
5–4
68,804
11
November 17
Pittsburgh Steelers
W 31–23
CBS
12:00 pm
6–4
68,804
12
November 24
at Baltimore Ravens
L 12–13
CBS
12:00 pm
6–5
69,365
13
December 1
at New York Giants
W 32–29 (OT)
CBS
12:00 pm
7–5
78,640
14
December 8
Indianapolis Colts
W 27–17
CBS
12:00 pm
8–5
68,804
15
December 16
New England Patriots
W 24–7
ABC
8:08 pm
9–5
68,809
16
December 22
at Jacksonville Jaguars
W 28–10
CBS
12:00 pm
10–5
51,033
17
December 29
at Houston Texans
W 13–3
CBS
12:00 pm
11–5
70,694
Note: Division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Eagles
14
10
0 0 24
Titans
7
3
3 14 27
at The Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
Date : September 8, 2002Game time : 12:00 PMGame weather : Hot and Hazy, 83 °F (28.3 °C)Game attendance : 68,804Referee : Terry McAulay (77)TV announcers (FOX) : UnknownRecap , Game Book
Game information
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
Week 2: Tennessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Titans
7
3
0 3 13
Cowboys
0
7
7 7 21
at Texas Stadium , Irving, Texas
Date : September 15, 2002Game time : 12:00 PMGame weather : Cloudy skies, 81 °F (27.2 °C)Game attendance : 62,527Referee : Ed Hochuli (85)TV announcers (CBS) : UnknownRecap , Game Book
Game information
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
Week 15: New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Patriots
0
0
7 0 7
Titans
0
14
7 3 24
at The Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee
Game information
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
Playoffs
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Attendance
Divisional
January 11, 2003
Pittsburgh Steelers
W 34–31
68,809
Conference Championship
January 19, 2003
at Oakland Raiders
L 24–41
62,544
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.
AFC Championship Game
This was the Titans' last appearance at the AFC championship game until 2019 .
References
Founded in 1960
Formerly the Houston Oilers (1960–1996) and the Tennessee Oilers (1997–1998)
Based and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (11) Conference championships (1) League championships (2) Retired numbers Media Current league affiliations Former league affiliation Key personnel