2002 Buffalo Bills season

Infobox NFL_season
team = Buffalo Bills
year = 2002
record = 8-8
division_place = 4th AFC East
coach = Gregg Williams
stadium = Ralph Wilson Stadium
playoffs = did not qualify
previous = 2001
next = 2003The 2002 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s forty-third season. The Bills acquired Drew Bledsoe in the offseason.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Regular Season

eason Standings

eason Schedule

* Week 1 Sep 8 L 37-31 vs New York Jets (OT)
* Week 2 Sep 15 W 45-39 at Minnesota Vikings (OT)
* Week 3 Sep 22 L 28-23 at Denver Broncos
* Week 4 Sep 29 W 33-27 vs Chicago Bears (OT)
* Week 5 Oct 6 L 49-31 vs Oakland Raiders
* Week 6 Oct 13 W 31-24 at Houston Texans
* Week 7 Oct 20 W 23-10 at Miami Dolphins
* Week 8 Oct 27 W 24-17 vs Detroit Lions
* Week 9 Nov 3 L 38-7 vs New England Patriots
* Week 10 Bye Week
* Week 11 Nov 17 L 17-16 at Kansas City Chiefs
* Week 12 Nov 24 L 31-13 at New York Jets
* Week 13 Dec 1 W 38-21 vs Miami Dolphins
* Week 14 Dec 8 L 27-17 at New England Patriots
* Week 15 Dec 15 W 20-13 vs San Diego Chargers
* Week 16 Dec 22 L 10-0 at Green Bay Packers
* Week 17 Dec 29 W 27-9 vs Cincinnati Bengals

Notable Games

*September 8 vs. New York Jets:
Drew Bledsoe debuted as Bills quarterback against the team that knocked him out of the 2001 season. Bledsoe led the Bills to a 10-0 lead in the second quarter but a 98-yard kick return by Chad Morton set off a Jets rally that tied the score at 17 at the half. The Jets snatched two Bledsoe INTs and took a 31-24 lead late in the fourth, but Bledsoe led the Bills down field and a 29-yard touchdown throw to Eric Moulds in the final half-minute forced overtime. Morton returned the opening kick of overtime 96 yards for the game-winning score and a 37-31 final for the Jets.

*September 15 @ Minnesota Vikings:Bledsoe threw for 463 yards in Buffalo's second straight overtime game. A huge kick return by D'Wayne Bates set up a two-yard Randy Moss touchdown in the third quarter, but this was immediately answered with a 90-yard Charlie Rogers kick return touchdown. A 29-yard Bates touchdown put the Vikings up 26-23, but Doug Brien missed the PAT, and did so again after a Derrick Alexander touchdown for the Vikings. The game lead tied or changed 12 times after Mo Williams ran in a touchdown with 30 seconds remaining; Bledsoe completed a pass to Peerless Price that set up a 54-yard Mike Hollis field goal on the final play of regulation. With the score tied at 39 Hollis missed another long FG try in the extra quarter, but the Bills defense forced a Vikings punt, and in the final five minutes of OT Bledsoe found Price at the Minnesota 30-yard line for a 48-yard touchdown and a 45-39 Bills win. Bledsoe became only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown in overtime in three games; ironically, he'd beaten the Vikings in 1994 on a touchdown in overtime while quarterbacking the Patriots.

Roster

Awards and Records

References

* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/2002.htm Buffalo Bills on Pro Football Reference]
* [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/results.nsf/Teams/2002-buf Buffalo Bills on jt-sw.com]