2003 Minnesota Vikings season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Mike Tice |
Home field | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
Results | |
Record | 9–7 |
Division place | 2nd NFC North |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | 4
|
AP All-Pros | 2
|
Uniform | |
The 2003 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 43rd in the National Football League (NFL). They finished second in the NFC North with a 9–7 record, behind the 10–6 Green Bay Packers, but missed the playoffs for a third straight year. Despite gaining 6,294 yards of offense over their 16 games, by far the most in the league, the team managed just 416 points, the sixth-most in the NFL. The Vikings won their first six games of the 2003 season, then lost their next four games, after which they alternated wins and losses for the remainder of the season. The Vikings were officially eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on the last play of their final game.
Wide receiver Randy Moss led the NFL with 17 touchdown receptions, the third time in his career that he led the league in that category. After two seasons of inconsistency, rejuvenated quarterback Daunte Culpepper was voted to play in the second Pro Bowl of his career at the end of the season.
Additions | Subtractions |
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QB Gus Frerotte (Bengals) | QB Todd Bouman (Saints) |
T Mike Rosenthal (Giants) | DE Lorenzo Bromell (Raiders) |
LB Chris Claiborne (Lions) | CB Tyrone Carter (Jets) |
CB Ken Irvin (Saints) | FB Harold Morrow (Ravens) |
CB Denard Walker (Broncos) |
Main article: 2003 NFL Draft |
Pro Bowler |
2003 Minnesota Vikings draft | |||||
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Draft order | Player name | Position | College | Notes | |
Round | Overall | ||||
1 | 9 | Kevin Williams | Defensive tackle | Oklahoma State | in lieu of #7 (time expired)[a] |
2 | 40 | E. J. Henderson | Linebacker | Maryland | |
3 | 71 | Nate Burleson | Wide receiver | Nevada | |
4 | 105 | Onterrio Smith | Running back | Oregon | |
5 | 142 | Traded to the Cleveland Browns[b] | |||
6 | 180 | Eddie Johnson | Punter | Idaho State | |
190 | Mike Nattiel | Linebacker | Florida | from Saints[c] | |
7 | 221 | Keenan Howry | Wide receiver | Oregon |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | NFL.com recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 14–16 | 0–1 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 63,370 | Recap |
2 | August 16 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 16–26 | 0–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 75,634 | Recap |
3 | August 22 | at Oakland Raiders | W 21–6 | 1–2 | Network Associates Coliseum | 37,411 | Recap |
4 | August 28 | Arizona Cardinals | L 27–31 | 1–3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 63,473 | Recap |
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaguars | 0 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
Vikings | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
Chiefs | 3 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Raiders | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Cardinals | 3 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
Vikings | 3 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
Packers | 0 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 25 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bears | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
Vikings | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 0 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 23 |
Lions | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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49ers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Vikings | 14 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 35 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 0 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 39 |
Falcons | 6 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 26 |
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Broncos | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 20 |
Vikings | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Giants | 7 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 29 |
Vikings | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Packers | 6 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 30 |
Vikings | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 27 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
Chargers | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 18 |
Raiders | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Lions | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Vikings | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 24 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Rams | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 48 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Seahawks | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Vikings | 0 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 34 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Bears | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 20 |
Vikings | 7 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
Cardinals | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 18 |
at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
Game information | ||
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Despite still having a chance to make the playoffs by winning the NFC North, the Vikings squandered a 17–6 fourth-quarter lead in the final two minutes and lost to the 3–12 Arizona Cardinals after Josh McCown threw a 28-yard pass to Nate Poole for the game-winning touchdown with no time left, and with the Packers' win over the Broncos, giving them the NFC North title, and ending the Vikings season.
NFC North | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(4) Green Bay Packers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 442 | 307 | W4 |
Minnesota Vikings | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 416 | 353 | L1 |
Chicago Bears | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 283 | 346 | L1 |
Detroit Lions | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 270 | 379 | W1 |
Category | Player(s) | Value |
---|---|---|
Passing yards | Daunte Culpepper | 3,479 |
Passing touchdowns | Daunte Culpepper | 25 |
Rushing yards | Moe Williams | 745 |
Rushing touchdowns | Moe Williams Onterrio Smith |
5 |
Receiving yards | Randy Moss | 1,632 * |
Receiving touchdowns | Randy Moss | 17 |
Points | Randy Moss Aaron Elling |
102 |
Kickoff return yards | Onterrio Smith | 588 |
Punt return yards | Keenan Howry | 247 |
Tackles | Brian Russell | 95 |
Sacks | Kevin Williams | 10.5 |
Interceptions | Brian Russell | 9 |
Forced fumbles | Kenny Mixon | 4 |
* Vikings single season record
Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
---|---|---|---|
Passing offense | 3,951 | 246.9 | 4th |
Rushing offense | 2,343 | 146.4 | 4th |
Total offense | 6,294 | 393.4 | 1st |
Passing defense | 3,477 | 217.3 | 26th |
Rushing defense | 1,879 | 117.4 | 17th |
Total defense | 5,356 | 334.8 | 23rd |