FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-185          12/31/02

2003 OPPONENTS DETERMINED

The opponents for all 2003 regular-season games have been determined and a complete list of each team’s home and away matchups was issued today by the NFL.

With the addition of the Houston Texans in 2002, the NFL realigned for the first time since 1970 -- into eight divisions of four teams each – and a new scheduling formula guaranteed for the first time that all teams would play each other on a regular, rotating basis. 

Under the new NFL scheduling formula that went into effect in 2002, every team within a division plays 16 games as follows:

·         Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games).

·         The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games).

·         The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games).

·         Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (2 games).  These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season.  The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year. 

The format takes each team through a cycle of games – home and away – against every other team in the league.  Every team will play every other team at least twice – once home and once away -- between 2002 and 2009.  After the 2009 season, a decision will be made on whether to continue with the same rotation or modify it.

The scheduling format includes the following elements:

·         There is an increased common-opponent emphasis with every team in a division playing against 14 common opponents.

·         All teams play each other on a regular basis, home and away, for a more consistent presentation of attractive games, eliminating the many schedule aberrations of the past.

·         Teams are guaranteed to play all non-division opponents in their conference at least once every three years, and at home at least once every six years.

·         Every AFC team plays every NFC team once every four years, and at home once every eight years.

·         A team’s record from the previous year has less of a bearing on its schedule, with only two (rather than four) opponents being based on the previous year’s standing.  Thus, the so-called “easy” fifth-place schedules are eliminated.

·         The division in which a team resides is less of a factor in a team’s won-loss record with 10 of 16 games each year being against non-division teams.

The official 2003 schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced in the spring.

NFL Kickoff 2003 Weekend will be on September 7-8, and the regular season will conclude on December 29. 

Wild Card Weekend will be Saturday and Sunday, January 3-4; Divisional Playoff games on the weekend of January 10-11; and the AFC and NFC Championship Games on Sunday, January 18.

Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas will be played on Sunday, February 1.

The Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, featuring the AFC and NFC All-Stars, is set for Sunday, February 8.
 

2003 SCHEDULING ROTATION BY DIVISION

2003 OPPONENTS

AFC EAST

1.  New York Jets                               Home:   Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

                                                           Away:   Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

2.  New England Patriots                     Home:  Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

                                                           Away:   Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

3.  Miami Dolphins                             Home:   Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

                                                           Away:   Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
 

4.  Buffalo Bills                                   Home:   Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

                                                          Away:    Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

AFC NORTH

1.  Pittsburgh Steelers                        Home:   Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

                                                           Away:   Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

2.  Cleveland Browns                         Home:   Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

                                                           Away:   Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

3.  Baltimore Ravens                          Home:   Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

                                                           Away:   Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

4.  Cincinnati Bengals                        Home:   Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

                                                           Away:    Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

AFC SOUTH

1.  Tennessee Titans                           Home:   Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

                                                           Away:   Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

2.  Indianapolis Colts                          Home:   Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

                                                           Away:   Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3.  Jacksonville Jaguars                    Home:    Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

                                                          Away:     Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

4.  Houston Texans                           Home:     Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

                                                         Away:     Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AFC WEST

1.  Oakland Raiders                         Home:      Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

                                                        Away:      Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

2.  Denver Broncos                          Home:      Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

                                                        Away:      Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

3.  San Diego Chargers                   Home:      Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

                                                       Away:       Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

4.  Kansas City Chiefs                     Home:       Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

                                                       Away:       Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

NFC EAST

1.  Philadelphia Eagles                  Home:       Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, New York Jets

                                                       Away:       Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

2.  New York Giants                       Home:        Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

                                                      Away:        Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets

3.  Washington Redskins               Home:        Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, New York Jets

                                                      Away:        Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

4.  Dallas Cowboys                        Home:        New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

                                                      Away:        New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New York Jets

NFC NORTH

1.  Green Bay Packers                   Home:        Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

                                                      Away:        Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

2.  Minnesota Vikings                    Home:        Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

                                                      Away:        Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

3.  Chicago Bears                          Home:        Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

                                                      Away:        Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

4.  Detroit Lions                             Home:        Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

                                                      Away:        Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

NFC SOUTH

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers             Home:        Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

                                                      Away:        Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

2.  Atlanta Falcons                         Home:       Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

                                                      Away:        Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

3.  New Orleans Saints                  Home:        Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

                                                      Away:        Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

4.  Carolina Panthers                    Home:         Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

                                                      Away:        Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

NFC WEST

1.  San Francisco 49ers                 Home:         Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

                                                     Away:          Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

2.  St. Louis Rams                         Home:         Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

                                                      Away:        Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

3.  Seattle Seahawks                     Home:        Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

                                                      Away:        Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

4.  Arizona Cardinals                     Home:        St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

                                                      Away:        St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers