That – and a lot more -- was the NFL in 2003. 

"It’s such a crazy league," says Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING, who did his best to add to that craziness in 2003 with a historic 21-point, under-four-minutes-left comeback victory on a Monday night in October.

But do the surprises really surprise anyone?  This state of unpredictability has marked the NFL for years.  In the NFL, you never know what is going to happen, from year-to-year, week-to-week, game-to-game, half-to-half, moment-to-moment.

Take Week 17’s Arizona-Minnesota game in which Cardinals quarterback JOSH MC COWN flung a desperation, no-time-left, fourth-down 28-yard touchdown pass to NATE POOLE that knocked Minnesota out of the playoffs and put Green Bay in them.

The fans love that kind of action!  In a November ESPN poll, 62 percent of NFL fans said that games are evenly matched, resulting in more exciting games.

And what proves that out more than the "seven-point" numbers of 2003?  This year, almost half (48 percent) of games were decided by one touchdown or less.

"Every Sunday, you get great games," said San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator JIM MORA, JR. one night on the new NFL Network.  "Everything is so close.  It’s crazy to be involved in this."

How that craziness played out in the NFL in 2003

• Thirteen teams won at least 10 games, the most ever to do so in a season in NFL history.

 

• Scoring averaged 40.0 points per game (41.7) for the 10th consecutive season.

 

• Almost a quarter of the games (22 percent) were decided in the last two minutes of regulation or in overtime.

 

• Overtime games were prevalent again.  There were 23 this year, second-most all-time to last year (25).  There was at least one overtime game in 11 consecutive weeks from Weeks 2-12, the longest such streak in history.  The CAROLINA PANTHERS became the first team in history to win three OT games on the road in a season.

 

• Did somebody say DANTE HALL?  The rate of returns of kickoffs (88.7 percent) was the highest it has been in 24 years (89.2 in 1979).

 

• The rushing game played a gigantic role in the season.  There were 151 100-yard individual rushing games, the most in history.  There were six 1,500-yard rushers and four 1,600-yard rushers – the most ever in a season.  And for only the second time in history (1998), there were two 1,800-yard rushers (JAMAL LEWIS and AHMAN GREEN).

 

• Five players went over 2,000 scrimmage yards, the most ever in a season.

 

• The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES became the ninth club in history to win 12 games after starting 0-2.  The Eagles won four games in a row in which they overcame second-half deficits of at least three points in Weeks 7-10, tying for the longest such streak in history

 

• The CINCINNATI BENGALS became the fourth team since the 16-game schedule began in 1978 to improve from 14 losses to at least eight wins the following year

 

• Seven of the CAROLINA PANTHERS’ 10 victories came by three or fewer points (tying the 1998 Arizona Cardinals for the record in the category), and eight came in the final two minutes or overtime – thus the nickname "Cardiac Cats"

 

• The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12) and Eagles (9) combined for 21  consecutive wins, only the seventh time in history that two teams won at least a combined 20 games in a season.

 

• Week 7 (October 19-20) produced the most touchdowns of 65 yards or longer in history – 12.

 

• Games were "thisclose."  More than half of NFL games continued to be decided by eight points or less:

   

  POINTS	GAMES	PCT.
  8 or Less	130 of 256	51%
  7 or Less	123 of 256	48%
  3 or Less	59 of 256	23%

 

• Week 12 was a tight one.  All 16 games were decided by 13 points or less.  That was the most games with a less-than-two-touchdown margin in history.  Twelve of those games were decided by seven points or less.  That total tied the record for most such games in a week of December 11-13, 1993 (Week 15).

 

• Attendance set an all-time mark.  Paid attendance for regular-season games increased in 2003 to an all-time record of 66,329 per game.  The previous record was set in 2000 when an average of 66,078 tickets per game were sold for regular-season games. Last year, paid attendance averaged 65,755.  Total paid attendance for the 2003 regular season increased to 16,913,944, topping last year’s all-time mark of 16,833,310.

 

• The NFL Network cable and satellite channel debuted on November 4, bringing NFL programming to fans 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year round.

 

• On television, Week 17 games were the top-rated program in all 30 NFL markets – the first time NFL games led the ratings in all markets.  For the season, NFL games were the top-rated program in local markets a record 73 percent of the time, which compares to 69 percent last year and 55 percent in 2001.

 

• For the second year in a row, a record 90 percent of games were sold out in advance of the local 72-hour blackout deadline

 

• "Hot teams" made the playoffs:  Since Thanksgiving weekend, the unofficial kickoff to the playoff race, the 12 playoff clubs were a combined 42-18.  That’s a .700 winning clip……Almost every one of the 12 is on some sort of winning streak, led by New England at 12-0, Philadelphia 10-1, Tennessee 9-2, St. Louis 7-1, Green Bay 6-1 and Baltimore 5-1……Combined, the 12 compiled a 136-56 season record – a .708 winning percentage.

 

• The playoff teams have been consistently good:  Of the 12 teams, seven are winners of the past eight Super Bowls – every Super Bowl since 1995 except for Tampa Bay last year.  Those teams are: New England, Baltimore, St. Louis, Denver (twice), Green Bay and Dallas.

  Three of these teams – Green Bay, New England and St. Louis – also played in a second Super Bowl.  And Tennessee played in Super Bowl XXXIV.

  Put differently, seven of this year’s 12 playoff teams have had 11 of the 16 Super Bowl appearances of the past eight seasons.  Most of this season’s playoff teams have had consistently strong cumulative won-loss records in recent seasons, headed up by St. Louis and Tennessee – each with a 56-24 (.700) regular-season record over the past five years.
  

RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCES

Throughout the season, records kept falling

JAMAL LEWIS

The other Lewis on the Baltimore Ravens – running back JAMAL, not linebacker RAY – produced the second-greatest rushing season in history, and greatest rushing game in history.

In the final game of the season, on Sunday night, December 28, the Ravens’ four-year running back came within 40 yards of breaking the NFL season rushing mark of ERIC DICKERSON, who was watching on television from Los Angeles.

Dickerson ran for 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.  Lewis ran for 114 yards on 27 carries to finish the season with 2,066 – 40 yards short of breaking the record.

"I think second is good," said Lewis, who had 12 100-yard games in the season.  "I’ll settle for No. 2, but I’ll try for it again next year."

Primarily because of Lewis, Baltimore was the only club in the NFL this year to have more rushing yards (2,669) than passing yards (2,260). 

Lewis did, though, become only the fifth back in history to attain 2,000 yards in a season:

 

Running Back	Team	Year	Rushing Yards
Eric Dickerson	LA Rams	1984	2,105
Jamal Lewis	Baltimore	2003	2,066
Barry Sanders	Detroit	1997	2,053
Terrell Davis	Denver	1998	2,008
O.J. Simpson	Buffalo	1973	2,003

Cleveland Browns safety EARL LITTLE compares Lewis to a Pro Football Hall of Famer.  "Jamal is one of the biggest, most powerful backs in the league," says Little.  "Old school, like EARL CAMPBELL."

It was a Little teammate -- linebacker ANDRA DAVIS – to whom Lewis made a semi-prediction the week before the teams met in Baltimore on September 14 that he would break the NFL single-game rushing record.

"I guess the dude is Nostradamus," said Little after Lewis ran for 295 yards, topping the NFL mark of 278 yards set by Cincinnati’s COREY DILLON on October 22, 2000.

Lewis says that in his conversation with Davis that he did not precisely predict a record-breaker, but said that if he got the ball 30 times, he would have a "career day." 

That he did.  And then some.

Lewis primarily broke the record by compiling his yardage in huge chunks.  He gained 234 of his yards on runs of 82, 63, 48, 23 and 18 yards.  The other 61 yards came on another 25 carries.  He ended up averaging a whopping 9.8 yards on his 30 carries.  Two of his runs (the 82- and 63-yarder) were for touchdowns in Baltimore’s 33-13 victory.

After his second carry, Lewis already had 100 yards, and by the half, he was up to 180 yards.

"I was going in at halftime," said Lewis, "when (Ravens tackle) JONATHAN OGDEN said, ‘Let’s go get it.  We can get 300 yards.’"

With 7:40 left in the fourth quarter, Lewis gained three yards on a handoff over left guard to reach 280 yards to surpass Dillon’s record.  The Ravens’ total of 342 rushing yards was a team record.

After the game, blocker Ogden was like an admiring fan in the stands.  "Man, to be 240 pounds and that fast," he said.  "Beautiful.  Just beautiful."

 

The top five single-game rushing performances in NFL history:

PLAYER	DATE	OPPONENT	RUSHING YARDS
Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens	Sept. 14, 2003	vs. Cleveland Browns	295
Corey Dillon, Cincinnati Bengals	Oct. 22, 2000	vs. Denver Broncos	278
Walter Payton, Chicago Bears	Nov. 20, 1977	vs. Minnesota Vikings	275
O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills	Nov. 25, 1976	vs. Detroit Lions	273
Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks	Nov. 11, 2001	vs. Oakland Raiders	266

A little more than three months later against the Browns, on December 21 in Cleveland, it was a similar story as Lewis again broke the 200-yard rush level (205).  He thus became the first back to post two 200-yard games against one opponent in a season since O.J. Simpson performed the feat against New England in 1973 (250 and 219 yards).  He also accounted for the most rushing yards in history – 500 – against an opponent in a season. 

"You stop him, stop him, stop him," says the man Lewis made his promise to about his single-game feat in September, the Browns’ Andra Davis.  "Then, 80 yards."

PRIEST HOLMES

It must be something about wearing uniform No. 31.

Jamal Lewis does, and so does another 2003 record-setter, Kansas City Chiefs running back PRIEST HOLMES. 

The seven-year veteran this year rushed for 27 touchdowns, which set two records, and matched two other RBs in another singular record.

In the final game of the year on December 28 when the Chiefs hosted the Chicago Bears, Holmes first broke EMMITT SMITH’s single-season rushing TD mark of 25 in 1995 when he broke into the end zone on a one-yard run a minute into the second quarter for his 26th rushing score of the year.

With a minute left in the third quarter, MARSHALL FAULK’s total season TD mark of 26 in 2000 was history when Holmes vaulted over the goal line for his 27th touchdown of the season.   

Two records tumbled, and were his teammates thrilled.  "It’s an honor just to be blocking for the guy," says Chiefs guard BRIAN WATERS.  "Twenty years from now I’ll be able to tell my kids, ‘Daddy was out there.’"

On top of these two records, Holmes reached another milestone in 2003.  He joined Smith (25 in 1995) and TERRY ALLEN (21 in 1996) as the only players in history to single-handedly score more rushing TDs than any team in the same season. 

"I still don’t think people understand just how good a player Priest Holmes is," says Waters.  "He runs, he catches, he blocks, he does it all.  If you ask around the league, though, they know.  They know that nobody is better."

Holmes and the top five teams below him in rushing TDs in 2003:

 

Player/Team	Rush TD
Priest Holmes, Kansas City Chiefs	27
Philadelphia Eagles	23
Denver Broncos	20
St. Louis Rams	19
Baltimore Ravens	18
Green Bay Packers	18

BRUCE SMITH

It was a move he had done so many times before – "I have a good inside move," he says – but with 8:33 left in the Washington Redskins’ December 7 game at the New York Giants, defensive end BRUCE SMITH used his deft inside quickness to make history – his 199th career sack, the most in NFL history.

With that move and the subsequent sack of quarterback JESSE PALMER for a seven-yard loss, Smith broke his tie (198) with REGGIE WHITE for the all-time NFL sack leadership 

"I beat the tackle inside and the quarterback was sitting right there," said Smith.  "When he went down, I thought he threw the ball, and then when I saw him and he had the ball in his hand, I knew it was done.  It was a special moment."

At the start of the season, Smith’s tailor gave him a box to be opened when the record was broken.  In the locker room after the game, Smith did just that and found a burgundy (the Redskins’ color) robe.  On the front was written in script, "All-Time," and on the back was a Redskins logo.  Smith modeled it for cheering teammates. 

"I love the way he plays," says Washington defensive end REGAN UPSHAW.  "He knows exactly what he wants to do, and he knows what the offensive lineman wants to do before the lineman knows himself.  He’s talked about this record.  He came back this season because he had unfinished business."

Not anymore.  After 19 years in the NFL (1985-99, Buffalo; 2000-03, Washington), Bruce Smith says he will retire.

THESE GUYS HAD GREAT YEARS

DANTE HALL

If a Most Valuable Player Award was given for the first half of the season, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver-kick returner DANTE HALL would have won it hands down.

It is hard to remember a player who so captivated, so dominated the NFL for such a good portion of a season as Hall did for the first half of 2003.  Suddenly, quotes were urgently sought from special teams coaches on how to stop this "human highlight reel," as Chiefs teammate ERIC HICKS called Hall.

The week leading up to the Chiefs’ October 12 game in Green Bay was a big one for Packers special teams coach JOHN BONAMEGO.  He was quoted all over America on what the Packers’ plans were to stop Hall, who came into the game having set an NFL record with kick-return touchdowns in four consecutive games, which also tied the NFL season record for such runbacks.  The last two of his returns were game-winners. 

Hall had totaled seven special teams scores in the Chiefs’ last 10 games dating back to 2002 – an NFL record for a 10-game span.  If his two receiving touchdowns of December 2002 were added to the mix, Hall had nine scores in his last 10 games, a blistering pace.

"He’s a very elusive guy," said Bonamego the week of the game.  "He’s built low to the ground.  He has great balance.  He has acceleration and quickness.  He doesn’t go down easily.  He’s not a large man, but he is very powerful.  What’s more dangerous, a hurricane or a tornado?  If you’re in the middle of it, you’re not going to know any different."

Alas, it was a punter who put a stop to Hall’s hot pace.  In the second quarter, Hall had one more man left to beat on a punt return – Packers punter JOSH BIDWELL -- who just managed to trip up the speed demon with a shoestring tackle to finally douse the touchdown streak.

"I did not get tackled by the punter," Hall kidded afterwards.  "It was the ghost of VINCE LOMBARDI that tripped me."

Perhaps the most spectacular of Hall’s runbacks was the one the week before the Packers’ game, against Denver at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.  With the Chiefs trailing 23-17 halfway through the fourth quarter, Hall fielded a punt from MICAH KNORR inside the 10-yard line.  He then changed directions three times, at one point retreating towards the goal line in trying to elude defenders who were closing in from both sides. 

"I got dumber and dumber and dumber," the NFL Europe League grad (Scotland, 2001) said afterwards. 

Hall finally straightened himself out, cut left and darted up the left sideline for a 93-yard return for the go-ahead score. 

"He’s probably one of the best returners ever," says Denver wide receiver CHRIS COLE, a teammate of Hall at Texas A&M.  "One guy is not going to tackle him.  You have to put 11 hats on him.  You can’t have a letdown."

Other highlights of the year for the "Human Joy Stick," as one radio commentator calls Dante Hall:

 

• Has averaged 79.8 yards on his 11 career touchdowns – the longest of any player in history with at least 10 TDs.

• Won four consecutive Player of the Week Awards (Special Teams), the first time this has happened since the honor was instituted in 1984. 

• His 100-yard kickoff-return TD on September 14 against Pittsburgh was the second-longest such return in Chiefs history, second only to NOLAND SMITH’s 106-yard return on December 17, 1967 against Denver – still tied for the NFL record.  

• After the Bidwell trip-up, had two more one-man-to-beat near-TD returns.  On November 9 against Cleveland, rookie safety CHRIS CROCKER ankle-tackled Hall to stop him on a 77-yard kickoff return.  And on December 14, Detroit kicker JASON HANSON managed to stop him after a 46-yard return. 

• Appeared on Late Night with David Letterman on October 30.

• Was featured racing with actor DON CHEADLE in the NFL’s "This Is What It’s All About" playoff preview TV campaign.

• Dante Hall holds the NFL record for posting four return TDs in a season in the fewest games:

MOST KICK-PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWNS IN A SEASON

PLAYER	TEAM	YEAR	TDs	# of Games
Dante Hall	Kansas City Chiefs	2003	4 (p-2, k-2)	4
Rick Upchurch	Denver Broncos	1976	4 (p-4)	7
Jack Christiansen	Detroit Lions	1951	4 (p-4)	9
Billy Johnson	Houston Oilers	1975	4 (p-3, k-1)	9
Travis Williams	Green Bay Packers	1967	4 (k-4)	11
Emlen Tunnell	New York Giants	1951	4 (p-3, k-1)	12
Cecil Turner	Chicago Bears	1970	4 (k-4)	12
Gale Sayers	Chicago Bears	1967	4 (p-1, k-3)	13

PEYTON MANNING

No matter the category – TD passes, comebacks, yards, or perfect passer ratings, Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING seemed to be in total control in 2003.  "In Charge," as Sports Illustrated headlined a cover story on Manning on December 22.

Was the six-year NFL veteran ever! 

"If you give me a job as a coach or a general manager and say, ‘Who do you want?’ I’ll pick Peyton Manning," says Pro Football Hall of Fame coach MARV LEVY.  "I really feel he’s the best quarterback in the league."

Perhaps Manning’s best – certainly most exciting – game of the year came on Monday night, October 6 in Tampa.  

With the Colts down by three touchdowns against the NFL’s stingiest defense with four minutes left, Manning engineered a stunning comeback to lead Indianapolis to a 38-35 overtime win.  It was the first time in NFL history that a team won a game after trailing by at least 21 points with fewer than four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

With Indianapolis down 35-14 after Tampa Bay’s RONDE BARBER returned an interception for a score, Manning started his comeback.

He engineered a four-play, 12-yard, 1:32 TD drive.  The Colts then recovered an onsides kick.  Manning then directed a six-play, 58-yard, 1:08 TD drive to make the score 35-28.  Another onsides kick failed, but Tampa Bay is forced to punt.  Manning then directs a five-play, 85-yard, 1:06 drive to tie the game at 35 and force overtime.  After the Bucs punt again, Manning then controls a 15-play, 76-yard drive that takes 6:46 before MIKE VANDERJAGT kicks the game-winning 29-yard field goal.

"It’s the old cliché – 60 minutes," says Manning.

No matter in which category you looked at in 2003, Peyton Manning excelled:

 

• Passing Statistics:  He led the league in completions (379), completion percentage (67.0) and yards (4,267), and finished second in attempts (566) and touchdowns (29).

 

• Passer Rating:  Posted his third career perfect passer rating – 158.3 – on September 28, the most by a quarterback since the rating system was established in 1973.

 

• Touchdowns:  Became the fifth quarterback since 1970 to throw at least five touchdown passes in a game twice in a season.  He threw six against New Orleans on September 28 (with his father ARCHIE, a former NFL quarterback, watching in the stands), one less than the NFL game record shared by five players.  "It was fun," said Manning.  "Anytime you throw six, sure that’s fun."  He then threw for five TDs against Atlanta on December 14. 

  The last quarterback to throw for six TDs in a game was Washington’s MARK RYPIEN against Atlanta on November 10, 1991.  The five-TD breakdown:    

  FIVE TD PASSES TWICE IN A SEASON (Since 1970)

   

  QUARTERBACK	TEAM	SEASON	5-TD GAMES
  Dan Fouts	San Diego	1982	2
  Dan Marino	Miami	1986	2
  Warren Moon	Houston	1980	2
  Jim Kelly	Buffalo	1991	2
  Peyton Manning	Indianapolis	2003	2

 

• Manning threw at least 25 TD passes (29) for the sixth consecutive season, breaking his tie in the category with DAN MARINO (1984-88) and BRETT FAVRE (1994-98). 

 

• Yards:  He passed for 3,000 yards (4,267) for the sixth consecutive season, the only QB in history to do so in each of his first six seasons.  Became the first quarterback in history to throw for 4,000 yards in five consecutive seasons.

 

• Starts:  On December 7, made his 93rd consecutive start, breaking his tie with JOHNNY UNITAS in the category for the most in Colts history.

 

• 20-Game Swings:  Became only the third quarterback since 1970 -- after STEVE YOUNG and TROY AIKMAN – to engineer a 20-game swing between being at least 10 games below .500 to 10 games above .500.  At one point, Manning was -10 in wins-losses (5-15). He finished the season at +12 (54-42). 

MARVIN HARRISON & PEYTON MANNING

Separately, and together, the Colts duo excel.  "Defenses are designed to try to take Harrison away," says Colts head coach TONY DUNGY.  "But Manning and Harrison just feel like if they do what they’re supposed to do, it doesn’t matter what the defense does; they’re going to have an answer for it."

Some of the answers that Manning-Harrison had in 2003:

 

• Became the third most prolific touchdown combination in NFL annals.  On November 30 against New England, they hooked up for their 66th TD pass together, passing JIM KELLY and ANDRE REED in third place all-time.  Finishing the season with 10 TD hookups, Manning and Harrison now rank in history behind only STEVE YOUNG-JERRY RICE (85) and DAN MARINO-MARK CLAYTON (79).

 

• On December 7 at Tennessee, they hooked up for their 600th reception together, making them only the second duo in history with 600 completions and 8,000 yards, along with Buffalo’s Kelly and Reed. 

 

• Harrison finished the season with 10,072 career yards, bypassing Pro Football Hall of Famer RAYMOND BERRY (9,275) for the most receiving yards in club history.

 

• Harrison caught his 700th career pass on October 12 against Carolina, becoming the player in NFL history to reach that level in the fewest games (112).   

 

• He now has 759 career receptions, the most in a player’s first eight seasons.

BRETT FAVRE

Exuberance.  That’s the one word that comes to mind when you think about BRETT FAVRE.  He still plays like it’s his first Pop Warner game, his first game in the NFL.

And the good news is that the 34-year-old quarterback is not thinking of retirement as he was last year at this time.

"I’ll be back," says the Kid from Kiln.  "I see no reason why I shouldn’t come back and play.  It’s a young team with a good future.  I still feel I can play with the best of them."

He proved that, and much more, on Monday night, December 22 in Oakland when he produced one of the most thrilling performances in NFL history by excelling on the field the day after his father IRV died of a heart attack at home in Mississippi.

Favre passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns while completing 22 of 30 attempts in a 41-7 victory.

"I do not wish this on anyone," said Favre.  "My dad has been to every one of my games from fifth grade, and he coached me in high school.  He was so instrumental not only in football, but in life."

The records and milestones that Brett Favre achieved this year:

 

• Wins:  Passed JOHNNY UNITAS (119) on November 16 for the fourth-most quarterback wins in history, and finished the season with 125, tied with FRAN TARKENTON, and behind JOHN ELWAY (148) and DAN MARINO (147).

 

• Touchdowns:  The most important stat next to wins. 

  Favre finished the year with 346 career TD passes, moving him past Tarkenton (342) for the second-most in history behind Marino (420).

  For the 10h consecutive season, Favre threw for 20 TDs (32), tying Marino’s NFL record in the category. 

 

• Yards:  On Monday night, September 29 in Chicago, Favre passed DAN FOUTS (43,040) for the fifth-most passing yards in history.  He had 179 yards on the night to finish the game with 43,089 yards.  Favre ended the season with 45,646 yards, ranking all-time behind Marino (61,361), Elway (51,475), WARREN MOON (49,325) and Tarkenton (47,003).     

  Finished the season with 3,361 yards, upping his NFL record to 12 for the most consecutive 3,000-yard seasons (1992-03), and tying Elway at 12 for the second-most career 3,000-yard seasons behind Marino (13).   

 

• Completions:  He moved up on this list, too.  On September 14 against Detroit, he passed Tarkenton (3,686) for fourth place on the career completions list.  Favre finished the year with 3,960, behind Marino (4,967), Elway (4,123) and Moon (3,988).

 

• Un-Bearable:  At least for the Chicago Bears it is.  On December 7, Favre threw a touchdown pass against the Bears for the 24th game in a row, tying Marino’s NFL record (since 1970) against the New York Jets for the longest such streak against a single opponent. 

 

• Besting Cecil:  The next week, on December 14 at San Diego, Favre threw a TD pass for his 23rd consecutive game, breaking his tie with CECIL ISBELL (1941-42) for the club mark in the category.

  Asked on October 5 after being defeated 35-13 by Favre and the Pack what it is like top face the man he understudied from 1999-2000, Seattle Seahawks quarterback MATT HASSELBECK summed up Brett Favre perfectly:  "It is tough to win when Brett Favre is having a Brett Favre day."
  

A HEAVY RUSHING YEAR

All facets of football are important, from throwing touchdowns to directional punting.  But as the introductory section of this season review covers, the rushing game this year seemed to produce, week after week, guys who unmercifully pounded the ball and helped their team win the old-fashioned way – on the ground.  With all the great quarterbacks and swift receivers, the RBs seemed to say, hey, we’re still the bread and butter!  

A rundown of some of the RBs – in addition to JAMAL LEWIS and PRIEST HOLMES (above) -- who made their presence – and then some – known in 2003:

CLINTON PORTIS

The 2002 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year who finished last season with 11 touchdowns in his last six games came within one rushing TD on December 7 of tying the NFL single-game record in the category.

Portis ran for a team-record five TDs against Kansas City of 11, 1, 59, 28 and 53 yards, and finished with 218 yards in all – tied for the third-highest rushing yardage total of the year.  

Only ERNIE NEVERS of the Chicago Cardinals on November 28, 1929 – which ties with Nevers’ 40 points in that game for the oldest record on the NFL books – scored more rushing TDs in a game, six.

Portis’ output tied JIMMY CONZELMAN (10/15/22), JIM BROWN (11/1/59), COOKIE GILCHRIST (12/8/63) and JAMES STEWART (10/12/97) for the second-most rush TDs in a game.

After Portis scored his fourth TD early in the fourth quarter, Broncos quarterback JAKE PLUMMER wanted to run out the clock by methodically moving it on the ground.  But wide receiver ROD SMITH had other ideas. 

"Jake was like, ‘Just protect the ball, let’s move the ball and we can run out the clock,’" said Portis.  "Rod was like, ‘Just score!’  And I did.  I need to stop taking Jake’s advice and listen to Rod more often."

The next week, on December 14 against Cleveland, Portis ran for 132 yards, thus becoming only the third RB in history to rush for 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons, after ERIC DICKERSON (1983-84) and EDGERRIN JAMES (1999-00). 

Portis finished 2003 with 1,591 yards.  Added to the 1,508 he ran for as a rookie, his two-year total of 3,099 yards ranks him No. 4 all-time in most rush yards in a back’s first-two seasons:

PLAYER	TEAM	YARDS
Eric Dickerson	Los Angeles Rams	3,913
Edgerrin James	Indianapolis Colts	3,262
Earl Campbell	Houston Oilers	3,147
Clinton Portis	Denver Broncos	3,099
Ottis Anderson	St. Louis Cardinals	2,957

MARSHALL FAULK

He came back with a vengeance.

After missing five games in October with hand and knee injuries, St. Louis Rams running back MARSHALL FAULK returned like a man invigorated from vacation.  The only player in history to gain 2,000 scrimmage yards in four successive seasons (1998-01), Faulk ran for 702 yards and nine touchdowns in his first nine games back. 

His performance on November 30 against Minnesota moved him up the career TD ladder and also prompted one of the year’s funniest quotes from a head coach.

Faulk ran for three touchdowns (and 108 yards) to give him 127 lifetime.  The production vaulted him past WALTER PAYTON and JIM BROWN into fifth place all-time behind JERRY RICE (205), EMMITT SMITH (166), MARCUS ALLEN (145) and CRIS CARTER (131). 

"That’s pretty good," enthused Faulk.  "Those are huge names, guys that I idolized, of course."

Faulk’s head coach MIKE MARTZ was much more to the point in his postgame press conference.  "I can’t wait to get home," said Martz, "to hear (CHRIS BERMAN) say, ‘Marshall! Marshall! Marshall!’ on TV."

And – surprise! -- that’s exactly what Berman did that night.

On November 16 in Chicago, Faulk capitalized on his second specialty, receiving (for 21 yards) to move past RONNIE HARMON into second place all-time in receiving yards by a running back (6,274), behind LARRY CENTERS (6,797). 

STEPHEN DAVIS

A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, STEPHEN DAVIS returned to the Carolinas this year by signing with the Carolina Panthers after seven seasons with the Washington Redskins.

And did he ever make an immediate impact.  The 29-year-old became the first player in history to begin his career with a second team by rushing for 100 yards in each of his first four games. 

"That’s a weird record," said the understated Davis.  "Who ever thought of that?"

His four-game total of 565 rushing yards was also the most ever by a veteran RB over that span with a new team.

Davis finished as the NFC’s third-leading rusher with 1,444 yards, helping the Panthers to their first division title since 1996.

DEUCE McALLISTER & LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON

Two backs in their third year who both had explosive years.

It seemed like every time the highlight reels were shown, these two were launched on breakaway runs.

The New Orleans Saints’ DEUCE MC ALLISTER, who combines size (6-1) and speed, became on November 30 at Washington the fifth player in NFL history to rush for at least nine consecutive 100-yard games.  He joined BARRY SANDERS (14), MARCUS ALLEN (11), WALTER PAYTON (9) and FRED TAYLOR (9) in the feat.  

"Deuce has great vision," says Saints head coach JIM HASLETT.  "Great running backs usually get on a roll and stay on a roll, like Barry Sanders and Walter Payton.  The good teams ride them."

The NFL scrimmage-yard leader for 2003 (2,370), the San Diego Chargers’ LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON had similar breakout games in 2003. 

On October 19 at Cleveland, he rushed for 200 yards, one of only six 200-yard games in the league this year.  Two games before that, on September 28 at Oakland, Tomlinson came within 13 yards (187) of another 200-yarder.

On December 7 against Detroit, Tomlinson produced a double-highlight game.  He caught nine passes for 148 yards – a season high for a running back.  He also rushed 25 times for 88 yards, surpassing 200 yards of offense (236 yards) for the fourth time this year.

With 1:54 left in the second quarter, Tomlinson took a short pass from quarterback DOUG FLUTIE, darted past a linebacker, broke through the secondary and was off on a picture-book, 73-yard TD gallop. 

It was Tomlinson’s second TD of the game, raising San Diego’s record to 8-1 when he scores at least twice.

The next week against Green Bay, he became the first player this season to reach 2,000 scrimmage yards with a 51-yard rushing, 144-yard receiving day.

Finally, in the last game of the season, Tomlinson rushed 31 times for a career-high 243 yards and two touchdowns.  His fourth career 200-yard game ties him with JIM BROWN, EARL CAMPBELL and BARRY SANDERS for the most such games behind O.J. SIMPSON (6).

Tomlinson became the first player in history to rush for 1,000 yards and also post 100 receptions. 

"Just when you’ve got him figured out, got your sights set on him, that’s when he gives you a little move here, a little step here, and he’s gone," says Chargers tackle VAUGHN PARKER.  "He’s a back you want to block for."

JEROME BETTIS

"The Bus" rolled back towards the end of the year.  Rushing for 496 yards in his final six games (after having only 220 at midseason), the Pittsburgh Steelers running back passed, in order, THURMAN THOMAS, FRANCO HARRIS, MARCUS ALLEN and JIM BROWN to finish the year with 12,353 career yards, good for sixth place in all-time rushing yards. 

"I just think it shows that I can still do it," said Bettis of his late-season spurt.

CURTIS MARTIN

He is not flashy -- he is consistent.  And that’s why New York Jets running back CURTIS MARTIN keeps moving up in the NFL record books.

On December 14, he became only the second player in history (after BARRY SANDERS, 10 seasons) to rush for 1,000 yards in the first nine years of a career. 

"It’s something I feel good about," said Martin.  "I’m not big on statistics and individual goals, but this one is special to me.  I’m only the second person in the world to do this."

Martin also moved up on the career rushing list, finishing the year with 11,669 yards for 11th place on the all-time list. 

"He’s probably drinking some water that we all should drink," says Jets head coach HERMAN EDWARDS of his star RB’s longtime productivity.   

MANY MILESTONES IN ’03

MC NAIR HAS THE FLAIR:  He’s always injured, yet he always plays!  And this September 21, Tennessee Titans quarterback STEVE MC NAIR became only the fifth QB in history to throw for 20,000 yards and rush for 3,000.  Already with 3,000 yards rushing, McNair needed 171 passing yards against New Orleans to reach the milestone.  He threw for 252 yards to join FRAN TARKENTON, JOHN ELWAY, RANDALL CUNNINGHAM and STEVE YOUNG in the category.

 

TESTAVERDE: 40 & 40,000:  New York Jets quarterback VINNY TESTAVERDE, who turned 40 on November 13, entered a level on September 14 that only eight QBs in history have reached – 40,000 career passing yards.  He finished with 373 yards against Miami to give him 40,036 career yards, behind DAN MARINO (61,361), JOHN ELWAY (51,475), WARREN MOON (49,325), FRAN TARKENTON (47,003), BRETT FAVRE (45,646), DAN FOUTS (43,040), JOE MONTANA (40,551) and JOHNNY UNITAS (40,339).  He finished the year with 40,943 yards, for seventh place all-time.   

Two weeks later, Testaverde overtook Fouts for fifth place with 3,301 career completions.  And on October 19 at Houston, he threw his 250th career TD pass.  Only 10 other quarterbacks have ever reached that number.

 

JAKE SHAKED & BAKED:  New Denver Broncos quarterback JAKE PLUMMER became the second QB in the last 50 years with a new team to win his first three starts, with his club scoring at least 30 points in each game.  Last to do so was JIM PLUNKETT in 1980 with the Oakland Raiders.


 

BRADY’S BUNCH:  New England Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY, the leader of the NFL’s longest 2003 winning streak (12 games), finished the season with 241 pass attempts at home without an interception – the most attempts in a season without a pickoff since 1970. 

Brady is the only quarterback since ’70 to finish the season by winning his final 12 games.


 

A BIRTH TO REMEMBER:  It’s a sure thing that Baltimore Ravens quarterback ANTHONY WRIGHT will not soon forget the birthday of his second child, daughter TRINITY.  On November 23 in only his second start in two years, Wright engineered the greatest comeback victory in Ravens history – a 44-41 overtime win against Seattle.  Less than three hours after the pulsating game ended, Wright was alongside his wife NICOLE, who later that evening gave birth to Trinity. 

Wright threw a team-record four touchdown passes to his college teammate MARCUS ROBINSON (South Carolina) – all in the second half – to help erase a 41-24 deficit with 14:24 left in regulation.  

"This is something that you dream of," said Wright after the game.  "This is something that you write in books.  This is a thing that you think would never happen to you."

Who got a game ball?  Wife Nicole.  The Ravens awarded her one for holding off the birth so Anthony could play in the game, and then race to the hospital.      

 

AND IN MORE BABY NEWS:  Seattle Seahawks running back SHAUN ALEXANDER missed the first quarter of his team’s home game against St. Louis on September 21 due to his wife VALERIE giving birth to the couple’s first child, daughter HEAVEN.  At 12:37 PM, Alexander jumped into a car accompanied with a police escort, rushed to Seahawks Stadium and finished with 58 yards rushing on 14 carries in the Seahawks’ 24-23 win.

 

SAN FRANCISCO TREAT:  Both San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks reached notable milestones this season.

TIM RATTAY became only the fourth quarterback since 1970 to produce 100.0-plus passer ratings in his first two career starts, after DAN MARINO (Miami, 1983), SCOTT MITCHELL (Miami, 1993) and CHAD PENNINGTON (NY Jets, 2002).  Rattay compiled at 110.7 rating in a win against St. Louis on November 2, and a 130.6 mark on November 17 in a victory over Pittsburgh.

JEFF GARCIA on December 7 became only the third quarterback in NFL history with four touchdown passes and two TD runs in a single game in a 50-14 victory over Arizona. 

Kansas City quarterback BILL KENNEY performed the feat on November 27, 1983 against Seattle, and Detroit’s ERIC HIPPLE duplicated it against Chicago Bears on October 19, 1981.

 

VICK THE QUICK IS BACK!:  A broken leg in preseason shortchanged his and his team’s season, but when Atlanta Falcons quarterback MICHAEL VICK returned to action as a starter on December 7, he once again showed the promise and excitement he exhibited in the team’s playoff season of 2002.

In his first start of the season, against Carolina, the 23-year-old, 2001 No. 1 overall draft choice accounted for 320 of the Falcons’ 380 yards of offense with his typical catch-me-if-you-can style whether passing or running the ball.  He took the Falcons to a 20-14 overtime victory by throwing for 179 yards and rushing for another 141.  It was the third-highest QB rushing total in history (with No. 1 being his 173-yard total on December 1, 2002 at Minnesota).

"It was a blast to be back," said Vick afterwards.  "It feels like we won the Super Bowl."    

 

TORRY HOLT -- RAMMING IT HOME:  TORRY HOLT – who can be seen these days catching passes fired by RICH EISEN from a Juggs machine in an NFL Network TV spot – posted quite a year in 2003.

The 27-year-old Holt led the league in catches (117) and reception yards (1,696), and tied for the second-most 100-yard receiving games in a season in history – one behind MICHAEL IRVIN’s 11 in 1995.  Indianapolis’ MARVIN HARRISON performed the same feat last season.  Holt now has 27 100-yard performances in his first five years, tying LANCE ALWORTH and CHARLEY HENNIGAN for second place in the category behind RANDY MOSS (30).    

Holt’s 10 100-yard games this year set a club record in the category long held by Pro Football Hall of Famer ELROY "CRAZYLEGS" HIRSCH with nine in 1951.  The five receivers with the most 100-yard games in a season:

 

Receiver	Team	Year	100-Yard Games
Michael Irvin	Dallas	1995	11
Charley Hennigan	Houston	1961	10
Herman Moore	Detroit	1995	10
Marvin Harrison	Indianapolis	2002	10
Torry Holt	St. Louis	2003	10

 

DEFINITELY GATHERING NO MOSS:  Finishing right behind Torry Holt in most NFL catches and receiving yards was RANDY MOSS of the Minnesota Vikings.  The six-year veteran led the league in TD receptions with 17.  Second to him in the category was Holt with 12.

Moss, with his speed and ability to make wondrous off-balance catches, continues to add to his singular career totals.  He finished 2003 as the only receiver in history to post 1,000-yard seasons in each of the first six years of a career.  And it is the amount of those yards that makes him stick out even more.  No one has topped his six-year totals.  Even JERRY RICE.  The receiving yards leaders for the first six years of a career:      

 

Receiver	Seasons	Receiving Yards
Randy Moss	1998-2003	8,375
Jerry Rice	1986-1991	7,866
Marvin Harrison	1996-2001	7,078
Sterling Sharpe	1988-1993	7,015
Lance Alworth	1962-1967	6,661

 

SHANNON’S STILL SHARPE!:  He’s talking about retirement, but SHANNON SHARPE talks about a lot of things.

On the field, though, the Denver Broncos 14-year tight end definitely backs them up.  And then some, especially this year.  Already the leading tight end in career catches (815) and receiving yards (10,060), in 2003, Sharpe:

*  Passed JAMES LOFTON and HENRY ELLARD to move into ninth place in career receptions with 815.  That’s for all receivers, not just tight ends. 

*  On November 16, passed JERRY SMITH for the most career touchdown catches by a tight end – 61.  He ended the season with 62.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame asked for and received the cleats wore on November 16.  They join Sharpe’s Baltimore Ravens jersey he wore on November 18, 2001 when he broke OZZIE NEWSOME’s career tight-end record for catches.

*  On December 7, caught six passes against Kansas City to become the first tight end in history with 800 career catches.   

* On December 14, in what could be his final home game, became history’s first tight end to eclipse 10,000 career yards.  

"I think I played about 13 years longer than I thought I would," says Sharpe, "with about 750 catches more than I thought I’d get.  So anything that came after that was gravy.  Sometimes I still can’t believe that this has happened to a kid from Glennville, Georgia."    

 

RECEPTION CENTER:  Throughout the season, stellar receivers reached milestones:

*  Oakland’s JERRY RICE became the first receiver with 1,500 catches.

*  Tennessee’s FRANK WYCHECK became the fourth tight end in history with 500 career catches.

*  Kansas City’s TONY GONZALEZ became the third tight end in history to lead a team in career receptions.  Gonzalez has 468.  The other team TE leaders – OZZIE NEWSOME, Cleveland, 662, and SHANNON SHARPE, Denver 675.

*  Washington’s <