2002 Chicago Bears season | |
---|---|
Owner | The McCaskey Family |
General manager | Jerry Angelo |
Head coach | Dick Jauron |
Home field | Memorial Stadium (Champaign, Illinois) |
Results | |
Record | 4–12 |
Division place | 3rd NFC North |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | Marty Booker Olin Kreutz Brian Urlacher[1] |
AP All-Pros | LB Brian Urlacher (1st team) |
The 2002 season was the Chicago Bears' 83rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their fourth under head coach Dick Jauron.
The team had hopes of returning to the playoffs after an unexpected 13–3 season the previous year, However, the team failed to improve on that record and finished with a 4–12 record and missed the postseason for the second time in three years. The Bears had problems on both sides of the ball, finishing 27th in the league in points scored and 23rd in points allowed.[1] The Bears began the season 2–0, but things quickly fell apart as the team fell into an eight-game losing streak, including a loss at home to the New England Patriots where, despite having a 27–6 lead at some point, the Patriots came back and won the game late in the fourth quarter. After this, the Bears never recovered, finishing 4–12 and in third place in their division, the newly aligned NFC North.
With Soldier Field being rebuilt, the Bears opted to play all of their home games Downstate in Champaign, at Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois.[2] The arrangement was similar to the one made by the newly-relocated Tennessee Oilers five years earlier, in that the Bears continued to be based in Chicago and travelled to Champaign (a two-hour drive to the southwest) only for games, essentially consigning themselves to playing sixteen games on the road.
While (unlike the 1997 Oilers) the venture was reasonably successful at the box office, with the Bears drawing more than 50,000 fans to every game in Champaign and more than 60,000 to all but two games, the Bears never seemed to get used to their "new" home field. Injuries piled up as the season went on for both offense and defense. Starting quarterback Jim Miller was injured throughout the year, leaving the team no choice but to use backup Chris Chandler and rookie third-string quarterback Henry Burris for both spot relief and as starters. 2001 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Anthony Thomas suffered a broken right index finger in Week 15 against the Green Bay Packers.[3] These injuries and the league's 23rd worst turnover differential contributed to the team's franchise record-tying eight-game losing streak and their poor record.[4]
Signings | Departures |
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QB Chris Chandler (Falcons) | QB Shane Matthews (Redskins) |
DB Damon Moore (Eagles) | RB James Allen (Texans) |
LB Mike Caldwell (Eagles) | WR D'Wayne Bates (Vikings) |
DT Christian Peter (Colts) | T Blake Brockermeyer (Broncos) |
CB Walt Harris (Colts) | |
FS Tony Parrish (49ers) |
Main article: 2002 NFL expansion draft |
Round | Overall | Name | Position | Expansion Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
— | 17 | Danny Wuerffel | Quarterback | Houston Texans |
Main article: 2002 NFL Draft |
Round | Overall pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 29 | Marc Colombo | Offensive tackle | Boston College |
3 | 72 | Roosevelt Williams | Cornerback | Tuskegee |
3 | 93 | Terrence Metcalf | Guard | Ole Miss |
4 | 104 | Alex Brown | Defensive end | Florida |
5 | 140 | Bobby Gray | Safety | Louisiana Tech |
5 | 165 | Bryan Knight | Linebacker | Pittsburgh |
6 | 199 | Adrian Peterson | Running back | Georgia Southern |
6 | 203 | Jamin Elliott | Wide receiver | Delaware |
6 | 210 | Bryan Fletcher | Tight end | UCLA |
Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|
Luke Butkus | Center | Illinois |
Travis Coleman | Defensive back | Hampton |
Eric McCoo | Running back | Penn State |
Edell Shepherd | Wide receiver | San Jose State |
2002 marked the first Bears Training Camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois, after practicing at University of Wisconsin–Platteville from 1984 to 2001. Other candidates in the selection process included universities like Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Illinois State in Normal, Millikin in Decatur, Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Southern Illinois Carbondale and Edwardsville, and Urbana–Champaign; smaller schools like Knox College in Galesburg, Monmouth College in Monmouth, and Rockford College in Rockford; and the Chanute Air Force Base near Rantoul, where the Illinois Fighting Illini held their offseason camps.[6]
The list was eventually narrowed to Eastern Illinois, Millikin, Northern Illinois, and Olivet Nazarene. On July 17, 2001, the Bears announced Olivet Nazarene as the new Training Camp site on a two-year deal.[7]
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 | NFL.com recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 10 | Denver Broncos | L 3–27 | 0–1 | Memorial Stadium | Summary |
2 | August 16 | St. Louis Rams | W 19–17 | 1–1 | Edward Jones Dome | Summary |
3 | August 23 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 16–24 | 1–2 | Memorial Stadium | Summary |
4 | August 29 | Miami Dolphins | L 22–24 | 1–3 | Pro Player Stadium | Summary |
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 3 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
Bears | 7 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
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|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Falcons | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saints | 0 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 29 |
Bears | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 27 |
Bills | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 33 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Packers | 14 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
Bears | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
Lions | 0 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Vikings | 0 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 25 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 19 |
Bears | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 0 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 33 |
Bears | 0 | 6 | 21 | 3 | 30 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
Rams | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lions | 0 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Bears | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 20 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
Packers | 3 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 30 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 13 |
Bears | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Panthers | 0 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buccaneers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 15 |
Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
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NFC North | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(3) Green Bay Packers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 398 | 328 | L1 |
Minnesota Vikings | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4–2 | 5–7 | 390 | 442 | W3 |
Chicago Bears | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | 281 | 379 | L2 |
Detroit Lions | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 306 | 451 | L8 |
# | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division leaders | ||||||||||
1[a] | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 11–1 | .469 | .432 |
2[a][b] | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .482 | .432 |
3[a][b] | Green Bay Packers | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .451 | .414 |
4 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .504 | .450 |
Wild Cards | ||||||||||
5 | New York Giants | East | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .482 | .450 |
6 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .494 | .429 |
Did not qualify for the postseason | ||||||||||
7 | New Orleans Saints | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .498 | .566 |
8[c] | St. Louis Rams | West | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 5–7 | .508 | .446 |
9[c] | Seattle Seahawks | West | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .506 | .433 |
10[d] | Washington Redskins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .527 | .438 |
11[d] | Carolina Panthers | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .486 | .357 |
12 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4–2 | 5–7 | .498 | .417 |
13[e] | Arizona Cardinals | West | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .500 | .400 |
14[e] | Dallas Cowboys | East | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .500 | .475 |
15 | Chicago Bears | North | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .521 | .430 |
16 | Detroit Lions | North | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .494 | .375 |
Tiebreakers[f] | ||||||||||
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