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2003 New England Patriots season
| 2003 New England Patriots season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Robert Kraft |
| Head coach | Bill Belichick |
| Home field | Gillette Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 14–2 |
| Division place | 1st AFC East |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Titans) 17–14 Won AFC Championship (vs. Colts) 24–14 Won Super Bowl XXXVIII (vs. Panthers) 32–29 |
| Pro Bowlers | CB Ty Law LB Willie McGinest DE Richard Seymour |
| AP All-Pros | SS Rodney Harrison (1st team) CB Ty Law (1st team) DE Richard Seymour (1st team) LB Tedy Bruschi (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 2003 season was the New England Patriots' 34th in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th overall, and their fourth under head coach Bill Belichick. They finished with a league-best and franchise-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII.[1]
Two seasons after winning Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots went into 2003 after missing the playoffs in 2002. In a salary cap-related move, captain and Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy was released five days before the start of the regular season. This prompted second-guessing of head coach Bill Belichick among some fans[2] and a report by ESPN analyst Tom Jackson that Patriots players "hated their coach", an accusation later denied by players.[3] Milloy signed with the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Patriots, 31–0, in the season opener. The Patriots would rebound, not losing another game after starting with a 2–2 record. Due to multiple injuries, the Patriots started 42 different players during the season, an NFL record for a division winner until the 2005 Patriots started 45 different players.[4] Undefeated at home, nose tackle Ted Washington coined the phrase "Homeland Defense" for the Patriots' defense.[5] That defense, boosted by the offseason acquisitions of Washington and former San Diego Chargers safety Rodney Harrison, gave up a league-low 14.9 points per game. The regular season was bookended with a 31–0 victory over the Bills at home in Week 17, a score reversed from the Patriots' shutout loss to the Bills in Week 1. The win gave the Patriots a perfect 8–0 record at home in the regular season, and their 14 total wins was the team's highest mark since their 11–5 season in 2001.[6][7]
After a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots faced the Tennessee Titans at home in one of the coldest games in the Patriots' NFL history[8] and won 17–14, setting up an AFC Championship Game matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots intercepted Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, the league's co-MVP, four times, winning 24–14 and advancing to Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers. With a tied game late in the fourth quarter, Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winning field goal with seconds remaining, giving the Patriots their second Super Bowl victory in three seasons.[9][10][11]
- ^ "A new scheme makes the Pats dangerous". www.patriots.com. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ Cafardo, Nick (September 5, 2003). "Fans seek safety". The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ "Patriots say they don't 'Hate' Belichick". ESPN.com. September 15, 2003. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ "Bill Belichick Biography". New England Patriots. Archived from the original on June 2, 2007. Retrieved April 23, 2007.
- ^ Cafardo, Nick (January 15, 2004). "Chess Match". The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ Battista, Judy (December 20, 2003). "PRO FOOTBALL; The Patriots Find Ways To Adapt and Succeed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ Flaherty, Dan (July 9, 2014). "Highlights Of The 2003 New England Patriots". thesportsnotebook.com. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ "Coldest-ever Patriots home game revisited". Boston 25 News. December 29, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Hack, Damon (February 2, 2004). "Patriots Win 2nd Super Bowl in 3 Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ The Associated Press (February 1, 2004). "Vinatieri Kicks Patriots to Super Bowl Win". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ "Five unforgettable Adam Vinatieri moments with Patriots". RSN. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
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