# 2002 Oakland Raiders season

The 2002 season was the Oakland Raiders' 33rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd overall, their eighth since returning to Oakland and their first under head coach Bill Callahan. The Raiders played their home games at Network Associates Coliseum as members of the AFC West. The Raiders had essentially traded their head coach Jon Gruden following the 2001 season. The Raiders hired Callahan, the offensive coordinator under Gruden, to serve as their new head coach.
Despite their talent, the Raiders struggled in the first half of the season. A 4–0 start was followed by four consecutive losses; the team's 4–4 record stunned many onlookers. The team, however, redeemed itself by winning seven of its final eight contests. In the third quarter of Oakland's 26–20 win on Monday Night Football over the Jets, Tim Brown became the third player in NFL history with 1,000 career catches. Finishing 11–5 in a conference where twelve teams obtained .500 or better records and nine were above .500, the Raiders won the AFC West for the third consecutive season, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the AFC's playoffs as the top seed. They routed the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans in the playoffs, by a combined score of 71–34 and +4 in the turnover differential; in doing so, they advanced to their first Super Bowl since 1984. Their opponent was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by their former coach Jon Gruden.
The Raiders entered Super Bowl XXXVII as slight favorites; many predicted a hard-fought showdown between Oakland's top-ranked offense and Tampa Bay's top-ranked defense. The resulting game, however, ended in disaster for the Raiders. An early three-point lead (courtesy of a Sebastian Janikowski field goal) evaporated as the Buccaneers scored 34 unanswered points. The Buccaneers' defense, aided by Gruden's knowledge of the Raider offense and Raiders' failure to change many of the terms for their offense, intercepted Rich Gannon three times during this scoring surge. Many times, Buccaneer safety John Lynch was able to determine what play was coming based on audibles called by Raider quarterback Rich Gannon. A furious Raider rally cut the score to an almost-competitive 34–21 in the fourth quarter. However, two more Gannon interceptions sealed the Raiders' fate in a 48–21 bludgeoning.
The years following the Super Bowl loss marked a period of decline and futility for the Raiders, earning neither a winning record nor a playoff trip until 2016. As of 2024, this represents the most recent AFC West title and postseason win for the Raiders.
The last remaining active member of the 2002 Oakland Raiders was kicker Sebastian Janikowski, who played his final NFL game in the 2018 season, although he missed the 2017 season.

## Offseason

| Signings | Departures |
| DT Sam Adams (Ravens) | CB Eric Allen (retirement) |
| QB Rick Mirer (49ers) | LB Greg Biekert (Vikings) |
| DT John Parrella (Chargers) | QB Rodney Peete (Panthers) |
| LB Bill Romanowski (Broncos) | |
| FS Rod Woodson (Ravens) | |

### NFL Draft

2002 Oakland Raiders draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 17 | Phillip Buchanon | CB | Miami | from Atlanta |
| 1 | 23 | Napoleon Harris | LB | Northwestern | |
| 2 | 53 | Langston Walker | T | California | from Tampa Bay |
| 2 | 55 | Doug Jolley | TE | BYU | |
| 5 | 147 | Kenyon Coleman | DE | UCLA | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## Background

The 2002 season, due mainly to the aforementioned Super Bowl run, ranks among the most important in franchise history. The aging Raiders' controversial elimination from the prior year's playoffs set the stage for a concerted championship push. Owner Al Davis traded then-head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shortly after the Raiders' 2001 playoff loss; in doing so, he received two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and cash considerations from Tampa Bay. Davis, despite team salary cap troubles, also managed to acquire veteran stars Sam Adams, Rod Woodson, and Bill Romanowski during the 2002 offseason.
The Raiders entered the season with a hugely talented, albeit aging roster of players. The offense was led by quarterback Rich Gannon, who would be named MVP for the season. The team's receiving corps of Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, and Jerry Porter ranked among the league's best; additionally, running back Charlie Garner posted 1,903 all-purpose yards. The offensive line, moreover, was anchored by pro-bowlers Lincoln Kennedy and Barret Robbins. The Raiders' offense, all told, led the league in total yardage; Gannon additionally led all NFL quarterbacks in passing with 4,689 yards. The defense, while less vaunted, nonetheless ranked among the NFL's finest; the contributions of Rod Woodson, Bill Romanowski, Charles Woodson, and Trace Armstrong aided the Raiders' cause greatly.

## Roster

Rookies in italics

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | September 8, 2002 | Seattle Seahawks | W 31–17 | 1–0 | 53,260 |
| 2 | September 15, 2002 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 30–17 | 2–0 | 62,260 |
| 3 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 4 | September 29, 2002 | Tennessee Titans | W 52–25 | 3–0 | 58,719 |
| 5 | October 6, 2002 | at Buffalo Bills | W 49–31 | 4–0 | 73,038 |
| 6 | October 13, 2002 | at St. Louis Rams | L 13–28 | 4–1 | 66,070 |
| 7 | October 20, 2002 | San Diego Chargers | L 21–27 (OT) | 4–2 | 60,974 |
| 8 | October 27, 2002 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 10–20 | 4–3 | 78,685 |
| 9 | November 3, 2002 | San Francisco 49ers | L 20–23 (OT) | 4–4 | 62,660 |
| 10 | November 11, 2002 | at Denver Broncos | W 34–10 | 5–4 | 76,643 |
| 11 | November 17, 2002 | New England Patriots | W 27–20 | 6–4 | 62,552 |
| 12 | November 24, 2002 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 41–20 | 7–4 | 58,814 |
| 13 | December 2, 2002 | New York Jets | W 26–20 | 8–4 | 62,257 |
| 14 | December 8, 2002 | at San Diego Chargers | W 27–7 | 9–4 | 67,968 |
| 15 | December 15, 2002 | at Miami Dolphins | L 17–23 | 9–5 | 73,572 |
| 16 | December 22, 2002 | Denver Broncos | W 28–16 | 10–5 | 62,592 |
| 17 | December 28, 2002 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 24–0 | 11–5 | 62,078 |

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Raiders | 7 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: September 8
* Game time: 1:17pm local
* Game weather: clear, 70 °F (21 °C), 47% humidity, wind W 7 miles per hour (11 km/h)
* Game attendance: 53,260
* Referee: Larry Nemmers
* TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, Dave Krieg, and Brian Webber
* Gamecenter, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Tim Brown 8-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 10:47 (OAK 7–0)
SEA – Itula Mili 1-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Rian Lindell kick), 6:53 (Tied 7–7)
Second quarter
OAK – Charlie Garner 20-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 13:51 (OAK 14–7)
OAK – Charlie Garner 26-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 9:38 (OAK 21–7)
OAK – Randy Jordan 12-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 3:17 (OAK 28–7)
Third quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 27-yard field goal, 9:02 (OAK 31–7)
Fourth quarter
SEA – Rian Lindell 19-yard field goal, 14:57 (OAK 31–10)
SEA – Shaun Alexander 11-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Rian Lindell kick), 5:44 (OAK 31–17)
Top passers
SEA – Matt Hasselbeck: 23/32, 155 yds, 2 TD
OAK – Rich Gannon: 19/28, 214 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Top rushers
SEA – Shaun Alexander: 13 car, 36 yds
OAK – Charlie Garner: 15 car, 127 yds, 1 TD
Top receivers
SEA – Koren Robinson: 5 rec, 39 yds
OAK – Charlie Garner: 5 rec, 64 yds, 1 TD
Team – pass – rush – total – to
SEA – 143 – 43 – 186 – 0
OAK – 202 – 221 – 423 – 2 :

#### Week 5: at Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders | 7 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 49 |
| Bills | 0 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
* Date: October 6, 2002
* Game time: 1:00 pm
* Game weather: Sunny, 64 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 73,038
* Referee: Bernie Kukar (86)
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross and Beasley Reece
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Jerry Porter 29-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 0:39 Raiders 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:25.
Second quarter
BUF – Peerless Price 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 9:48 Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:51.
OAK – Rich Gannon 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 8:11 Raiders 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 1:37.
BUF – Dave Moore 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 6:42 Tied 14–14. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:29.
OAK – Charlie Garner 36-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:38 Raiders 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:04.
BUF – Larry Centers 5-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 0:40 Tied 21–21. Drive: 5 plays, 98 yards, 0:52.
Third quarter
BUF – Mike Hollis 30-yard field goal, 10:10 Bills 24–21. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:50.
OAK – Zack Crockett 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 6:17 Raiders 28–24. Drive: 4 plays, 32 yards, 2:12.
BUF – Travis Henry 2-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 2:19 Bills 31–28. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:58.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Charlie Garner 69-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 11:18 Raiders 35–31. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:34.
OAK – Phillip Buchanon 81-yard interception return (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 8:02 Raiders 42–31
OAK – Jerry Rice 20-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:20 Raiders 49–31. Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 2:12.
Top passers
OAK – Rich Gannon – 23/38, 357 yards, 3 TD
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 32/53, 417 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
OAK – Charlie Garner – 8 rushes, 94 yards, TD
BUF – Travis Henry – 15 rushes, 58 yards, TD
Top receivers
OAK – Jerry Porter – 7 receptions, 117 yards, TD
BUF – Peerless Price – 7 receptions, 126 yards, TD :

#### Week 11: vs. New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
| Raiders | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: November 17, 2002
* Game time: 8:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Clear, 61 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 62,552
* Referee: Ed Hochuli (85)
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, and Suzy Kolber
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Adam Vinatieri 36-yard field goal, 9:09. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 5:51.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 39-yard field goal, 0:51. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:13.
Second quarter
OAK – Zack Crockett 2-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 9:58. Raiders 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:02.
NE – Adam Vinatieri 31-yard field goal, 4:16. Raiders 10–6. Drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 5:42.
OAK – Rich Gannon 2-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 0:52. Raiders 17–6. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:44.
Third quarter
OAK – Zack Crockett 2-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 5:18. Raiders 24–6. Drive: 15 plays, 85 yards, 9:42.
NE – Tedy Bruschi 48-yard interception return (Adam Vinatieri kick), 1:27. Raiders 24–13.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 28-yard field goal, 1:13. Raiders 27–13. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 2:28.
NE – Kevin Faulk 86-yard kickoff return (Adam Vinatieri kick), 0:59. Raiders 27–20. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14.
Top passers
NE – Tom Brady – 18/30, 172 yards
OAK – Rich Gannon – 26/38, 297 yards, INT
Top rushers
NE – Antowain Smith – 15 rushes, 49 yards
OAK – Charlie Garner – 15 rushes, 57 yards
Top receivers
NE – Troy Brown – 5 receptions, 55 yards
OAK – Tim Brown – 5 receptions, 71 yards :

#### Week 13: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Raiders | 3 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 26 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: December 2, 2002
* Game time: 9:00 pm
* Game weather: Clear, 57 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 62,257
* Referee: Bernie Kukar (86)
* TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, John Madden and Melissa Stark
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 23-yard field goal, 8:10. Raiders 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 4:48.
Second quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 48-yard field goal, 9:05. Raiders 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 35 yards, 4:24.
NYJ – Jerald Sowell 6-yard pass from Chad Pennington (John Hall kick), 2:05. Jets 7–6. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 2:03.
NYJ – John Hall 36-yard field goal, 0:06. Jets 10–6. Drive: 4 plays, 11 yards, 0:37.
Third quarter
OAK – Jerry Rice 26-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 11:06. Raiders 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 4:01.
OAK – Zack Crockett 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 3:00. Raiders 20–10. Drive: 4 plays, 12 yards, 2:03.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – John Hall 45-yard field goal, 13:35. Raiders 20–13. Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 5:18.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 36-yard field goal, 7:48. Raiders 23–13. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 4:30.
NYJ – Wayne Chrebet 13-yard pass from Chad Pennington (John Hall kick), 5:56. Raiders 23–20. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 2:12.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 29-yard field goal, 2:00. Raiders 26–20. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:20.
Top passers
NYJ – Chad Pennington – 22/34, 265 yards, 2 TD, INT
OAK – Rich Gannon – 31/42, 342 yards, TD
Top rushers
NYJ – Curtis Martin – 11 rushes, 26 yards
OAK – Charlie Garner – 12 rushes, 52 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Laveranues Coles – 10 receptions, 158 yards
OAK – Tim Brown – 8 receptions, 90 yards :

#### Week 15: at Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 15, 2002
* Game time: 1:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Sunny, 66 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 73,572
* Referee: Terry McAulay (77)
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, and Armen Keteyian
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Olindo Mare 25-yard field goal, 10:24. Dolphins 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 49 yards, 2:24.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 26-yard field goal, 6:27. Tied 3–3. Drive: 6 plays, 5 yards, 2:35.
MIA – Cris Carter 5-yard pass from Jay Fiedler (Olindo Mare kick), 4:01. Dolphins 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 2:26.
Second quarter
MIA – Travis Minor 4-yard run (Olindo Mare kick), 5:01. Dolphins 17–3. Drive: 13 plays, 97 yards, 7:53.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 38-yard field goal, 0:45. Dolphins 17–6. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 4:16.
Third quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 45-yard field goal, 11:13. Dolphins 17–9. Drive: 9 plays, 32 yards, 2:37.
MIA – Olindo Mare 27-yard field goal, 3:38. Dolphins 20–9. Drive: 14 plays, 57 yards, 7:35.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Jerry Porter 20-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Rich Gannon–Jerry Porter pass), 14:52. Dolphins 20–17. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:46.
MIA – Olindo Mare 41-yard field goal, 2:28. Dolphins 23–17. Drive: 5 plays, 16 yards, 2:18.
Top passers
OAK – Rich Gannon – 17/31, 204 yards, TD, INT
MIA – Jay Fiedler – 21/32, 237 yards, TD
Top rushers
OAK – Tyrone Wheatley – 4 rushes, 33 yards
MIA – Ricky Williams – 27 rushes, 101 yards
Top receivers
OAK – Doug Jolley – 3 receptions, 62 yards
MIA – Chris Chambers – 7 receptions, 138 yards :

### Standings
#### Division

AFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Oakland Raiders | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 450 | 304 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 392 | 344 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 333 | 367 | L4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 467 | 399 | L1 |

#### Conference

AFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV |
| Division leaders |||||||||||
| 1 | Oakland Raiders | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .529 | .531 |
| 2 | Tennessee Titans | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 6–0 | 9–3 | .479 | .474 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 6–0 | 8–4 | .486 | .451 |
| 4 | New York Jets | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .500 | .500 |
| Wild Cards |||||||||||
| 5 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .479 | .400 |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | North | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .486 | .413 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason |||||||||||
| 7 | Denver Broncos | West | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .527 | .486 |
| 8 | New England Patriots | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .525 | .455 |
| 9 | Miami Dolphins | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .508 | .486 |
| 10 | Buffalo Bills | East | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .473 | .352 |
| 11 | San Diego Chargers | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .492 | .453 |
| 12 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .527 | .516 |
| 13 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .506 | .384 |
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .506 | .438 |
| 15 | Houston Texans | South | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 2–10 | .518 | .492 |
| 16 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .537 | .406 |
| Tiebreakers |||||||||||
| 1 2 Oakland finished ahead of Tennessee based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 3 N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games (8–4 to 7–5) and Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4). 1 2 3 Cleveland finished ahead of Denver and New England based on conference record (7–5 vs 5–7/6–6) 1 2 Denver finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 New England finished ahead of Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4). 1 2 Buffalo finished ahead of San Diego based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 San Diego finished ahead of Kansas City based on division record (3–3 to 2–4). ↑ 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. |||||||||||

## Playoffs
### AFC Divisional Playoff Game: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Raiders | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: January 12, 2003
* Game time: 4:30 pm
* Game weather: Overcast, 61 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 62,207
* Referee: Dick Hantak (105)
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms and Armen Keteyian
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – John Hall 38-yard field goal, 11:07. Jets 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 4:02.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 29-yard field goal, 6:12. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 5:10.
Second quarter
OAK – Zack Crockett 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 13:49. Raiders 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 27 yards, 2:41.
NYJ – Jerald Sowell 1-yard pass from Chad Pennington (John Hall kick), 0:37. Tied 10–10. Drive: 16 plays, 81 yards, 7:46.
Third quarter
OAK – Jerry Porter 29-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:30. Raiders 17–10. Drive: 2 plays, 45 yards, 0:30.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Jerry Rice 9-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 14:50. Raiders 24–10. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 2:03.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 34-yard field goal, 8:07. Raiders 27–10. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:27.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 31-yard field goal, 3:00. Raiders 30–10. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 4:28.
Top passers
NYJ – Chad Pennington – 21/47, 183 yards, TD, 2 INT
OAK – Rich Gannon – 20/30, 283 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
NYJ – Curtis Martin – 16 rushes, 74 yards
OAK – Charlie Garner – 21 rushes, 93 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Santana Moss – 4 receptions, 45 yards
OAK – Jerry Porter – 6 receptions, 123 yards, TD :

### AFC Championship Game

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Titans | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Raiders | 14 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 41 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Clear, 52 °F (11 °C)
* Game attendance: 62,544
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian, and Bonnie Bernstein
The Raiders defeated the Titans and advanced to their first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XVIII, when they were based in Los Angeles. As of 2025, this was the last time Raiders won a playoff game as they would not return to the playoffs again until 2016 and would be the last playoff game to be held at the Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders were approved to relocate to Las Vegas and played their inaugural Las Vegas season in 2020.
Heavy Metal band Metallica performed an unannounced pregame concert prior to kickoff and the game's national Anthem was performed by Joe Satriani.
Until the 2019–20 NFL playoffs, this was the last AFC championship game which did not include the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers.

### Super Bowl XXXVII

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders (AFC) | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 21 |
| Buccaneers (NFC) | 3 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 48 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: January 26, 2003
* Game time: 3:26 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)
* Referee: Bill Carollo
* Recap

## Awards and honors

* Rich Gannon, Bert Bell Award
* Rich Gannon, NFL MVP