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2003 Atlanta Falcons season

{{short description|NFL team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Atlanta Falcons

| year = 2003

| record = 5–11

| division_place = 4th NFC South

| coach = Dan Reeves (fired December 10, 3-10 record)
Wade Phillips {{small|(interim, 2-1 record)}}

| owner = Arthur Blank

| stadium = Georgia Dome

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro_bowlers = TE Alge Crumpler
LB Keith Brooking

| shortnavlink = Falcons seasons

}}

The {{NFL year|2003}} Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 38th season in the National Football League (NFL). It is best remembered for the third preseason game, in which quarterback Michael Vick broke his leg and was done for most of the season. Atlanta had two other quarterbacks take over for a combined 2–10 record (Doug Johnson and Kurt Kittner). Vick returned in week 14 and ended the season with a 3–1 record.

After losing seven straight games, Dan Reeves was let go by Falcons management, and Wade Phillps took over for the rest of the season.

For the season, the Falcons sported a new logo and uniforms.{{cite web|title=Uniform History|url=http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/pdf/media-guides/ATL-Media-Guide.pdf#page=377|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|work=2019 Atlanta Falcons Media Guide|date=August 13, 2019|access-date=July 29, 2020|archive-date=September 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902001856/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/pdf/media-guides/ATL-Media-Guide.pdf#page=377|url-status=dead}}

Offseason

=NFL draft=

{{Main|2003 NFL draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 2003

| teamname = Atlanta Falcons

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 55

| player = Bryan Scott

| position = Safety

| college = Penn State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 4

| pick = 121

| player = Justin Griffith

| position = Fullback

| college = Mississippi State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 159

| player = Jon Olinger

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Cincinnati

| notes =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 6

| pick = 196

| player = LaTarence Dunbar

| position = Wide receiver

| college = TCU

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 6

| pick = 202

| player = Waine Bacon

| position = Cornerback

| college = Alabama

| notes =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 7

| pick = 238

| player = Demetrin Veal

| position = Defensive end

| college = Tennessee

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| hof = no

| probowl = no

}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2003_draft.htm |title=2003 Atlanta Falcons Draftees |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=December 17, 2013 }}

Personnel

=Staff=

{{NFL final staff

| year = 2003

| team = Atlanta Falcons

| front_office =

  • Owner/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_coach =

| offensive =

| defensive =

| special_teams =

| strength =

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

}}

=Roster=

{{NFL final roster

|Year=2003

|TeamName=Atlanta Falcons

|Active=53

|Inactive=10

|PS=4

|Quarterbacks=

{{NFLplayer|11|Doug Johnson|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|15|Kurt Kittner}}

{{NFLplayer| 7|Michael Vick}}

|Running Backs=

{{NFLplayer|45|T. J. Duckett}}

{{NFLplayer|33|Justin Griffith|rookie=y|FB}}

|Wide Receivers=

{{NFLplayer|80|Terrence Edwards|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Jimmy Farris}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Brian Finneran}}

{{NFLplayer|88|John Lewis|d=American football|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|81|Peerless Price}}

|Tight Ends=

{{NFLplayer|89|Sean Brewer}}

{{NFLplayer|83|Alge Crumpler}}

{{NFLplayer|85|Brian Kozlowski}}

{{NFLplayer|48|Derek Rackley|LS}}

|Offensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|64|Martin Bibla|G}}

{{NFLplayer|65|Kynan Forney|G}}

{{NFLplayer|72|Matt Knutson|T}}

{{NFLplayer|62|Todd McClure|C}}

{{NFLplayer|67|Michael Moore|d=offensive lineman|G}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Kevin Shaffer|T}}

{{NFLplayer|74|Todd Weiner|T}}

|Defensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|98|Travis Hall|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|93|Raymond House|d=American football|rookie=y|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|95|Ed Jasper|NT}}

{{NFLplayer|61|Ellis Johnson|d=defensive lineman|NT}}

{{NFLplayer|97|Patrick Kerney|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|51|Karon Riley|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|91|Brady Smith|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|99|Demetrin Veal|rookie=y|DE}}

|Linebackers=

{{NFLplayer|56|Keith Brooking|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|54|Chris Draft|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|53|Keith Newman|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|92|Terrence Robinson|rookie=y|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|55|Twan Russell|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|52|Matt Stewart|d=American football|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Artie Ulmer|OLB}}

|Defensive Backs=

{{NFLplayer|21|Juran Bolden|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|34|Ray Buchanan|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|29|Keion Carpenter|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|27|Cory Hall|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Kevin Mathis|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|32|Tod McBride|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Gerald McBurrows|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|47|Kevin McCadam|FS/SS}}

{{NFLplayer|25|Derek Ross|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|20|Allen Rossum|CB|KR/PR}}

{{NFLplayer|24|Bryan Scott|rookie=y|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|39|Siddeeq Shabazz|rookie=y|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|26|Brandon Williams|d=cornerback, born 1980|rookie=y|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|37|Tyrone Williams|d=cornerback|CB}}

|Special Teams=

{{NFLplayer| 4|Jay Feely|K}}

{{NFLplayer|13|Chris Mohr|P}}

|Reserve Lists=

{{NFLplayer|71|Travis Claridge|G|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|82|LaTarence Dunbar|rookie=y|WR|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|28|Warrick Dunn|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|63|Roberto Garza|G|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|36|Travis Jervey|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|38|George Layne|FB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|73|Dwayne Morgan|d=American football|T|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|90|Will Overstreet|LB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Sam Rogers|d=linebacker|LB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|70|Bob Whitfield|T|IR}}

|Practice Squad=

{{NFLplayer|35|Jeremy Allen|d=American football|FB}}

{{NFLplayer|77|Charles Alston|d=gridiron football|rookie=y|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|17|Brian Guthrie|d=American football|rookie=y|SS|}}{{NFLplayer|16|Willie Quinnie|rookie=y|WR}}}}

Regular season

=Schedule=

In the 2003 regular season, the Falcons’ non-divisional, conference opponents were primarily from the NFC East, although they also played the Minnesota Vikings from the NFC North, and the St. Louis Rams from the NFC West. Their non-conference opponents were from the AFC South. This was the first occasion when the Falcons played the Washington Redskins since 1994,Urena, Ivan; Pro Football Schedules: A Complete Historical Guide from 1933 to the Present, p. 221 {{ISBN|0786473517}} due to old NFL scheduling formulas in place prior to 2002, whereby teams had no rotating schedule opposing members of other divisions within their own conference, but instead played interdivisional conference games according to position within a season’s table.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=521 |title=History of the NFL's Structure and Formats, Part Two |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=2018-09-25 |archive-date=2018-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622033031/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=521 |url-status=dead }}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=2003|border=2}}"| Week

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=2003|border=2}}"| Date

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=2003|border=2}}"| Opponent

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=2003|border=2}}"| Result

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=2003|border=2}}"| Record

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=2003|border=2}}"| Venue

style="background:#cfc"

! 1

| September 7

| at Dallas Cowboys

| W 27–13

| 1–0

| Texas Stadium

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 14

| Washington Redskins

| L 31–33

| 1–1

| Georgia Dome

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

| September 21

| Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| L 10–31

| 1–2

| Georgia Dome

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| September 28

| at Carolina Panthers

| L 3–23

| 1–3

| Ericsson Stadium

style="background:#fcc"

! 5

| October 5

| Minnesota Vikings

| L 26–39

| 1–4

| Georgia Dome

style="background:#fcc"

! 6

| {{dow tooltip|October 13, 2003}}

| at St. Louis Rams

| L 0–36

| 1–5

| Edward Jones Dome

style="background:#fcc

! 7

| October 19

| New Orleans Saints

| L 17–45

| 1–6

| Georgia Dome

8

!colspan="6"| Bye

style="background:#fcc"

! 9

| November 2

| Philadelphia Eagles

| L 16–23

| 1–7

| Georgia Dome

style="background:#cfc"

! 10

| November 9

| at New York Giants

| W 27–7

| 2–7

| Giants Stadium

style="background:#fcc"

! 11

| November 16

| at New Orleans Saints

| L 20–23

| 2–8

| Louisiana Superdome

style="background:#fcc"

! 12

| November 23

| Tennessee Titans

| L 31–38

| 2–9

| Georgia Dome

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| November 30

| at Houston Texans

| L 13–17

| 2–10

| Reliant Stadium

style="background:#cfc"

! 14

| December 7

| Carolina Panthers

| W 20–14 (OT)

| 3–10

| Georgia Dome

style="background:#fcc"

! 15

| December 14

| at Indianapolis Colts

| L 7–38

| 3–11

| RCA Dome

style="background:#cfc"

! 16

| {{dow tooltip|December 20, 2003}}

| at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| W 30–28

| 4–11

| Raymond James Stadium

style="background:#cfc"

! 17

| December 28

| Jacksonville Jaguars

| W 21–14

| 5–11

| Georgia Dome

colspan="7" |Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

=Standings=

{{2003 NFC South standings}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Atlanta Falcons}}

{{Atlanta Falcons seasons}}

{{2003 NFL season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2003 Atlanta Falcons Season}}

Atlanta Falcons

Category:Atlanta Falcons seasons

Atlanta

Category:2003 in Atlanta

{{Americanfootball-season-stub}}