2000 NFL season

2000 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration September 3 – December 25, 2000
Playoffs
Start date December 30, 2000
AFC Champions Baltimore Ravens
NFC Champions New York Giants
Super Bowl XXXV
Date January 28, 2001
Site Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Champions Baltimore Ravens
Pro Bowl
Date February 4, 2001
Site Aloha Stadium

The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants 34–7 at the Raymond James Stadium.

Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000. It would be the last NFL season to date to start on Labor Day weekend. It would also be the last time until 2015 that CBS televised the late night games in Week 1. This was because both Week 1 of the NFL season and CBS’ coverage of the U.S. Open tennis finals would take place on the same day beginning next season.

Major rule changes

  • In order to cut down on group celebrations, unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and fines will be assessed for celebrations by two or more players.
  • Anyone wearing an eligible number (1 to 49 or 80 to 89) can play quarterback without having to first report to the referee before a play.
    • This rule change resulted in the increase of trick plays teams can employ on offense.
  • The “Bert Emanuel” rule was implemented, stating that when making a catch and falling to the ground, the ball is allowed to touch the ground and still be considered a catch if the player maintains clear control of the ball.

Uniform and logo changes

  • New England Patriots – New uniforms. Shade of blue darkened considerably, blue pants introduced for road uniforms.
  • Baltimore Ravens – New Ravens Shield logo on sleeve ends.
  • Kansas City Chiefs – Red pants on road uniforms for first time since 1988.
  • New Orleans Saints – Updated logo and introduced alternative old gold logo. Returned to gold pants for road uniforms.
  • New York Giants – Re-adopted their 1960s logo. New uniforms; home uniforms feature blue jerseys with white block numbers while road jerseys feature red numbers with blue outlines (reversing previous design). Pants color changes to gray.
  • New York Jets & New York Giants – New grass field in Giants Stadium.
  • St. Louis Rams – New logo and new uniforms. Shades of blue and gold darkened to “New Century Blue” and “Millennium Gold.”

Coaching changes

Final regular season standings

Tiebreakers

  • Green Bay finished ahead of Detroit in the NFC Central based on better division record (5–3 to Lions’ 3–5).
  • New Orleans finished ahead of St. Louis in the NFC West based on better division record (7–1 to Rams’ 5–3).
  • Tampa Bay was the second NFC Wild Card based on head-to-head victory over St. Louis (1–0).

Playoffs

                                   
Dec. 31 – PSINet Stadium   Jan. 7 – Adelphia Coliseum          
 5  Denver  3
 4  Baltimore  24
 4  Baltimore  21     Jan. 14 – Network Associates Coliseum
 1  Tennessee  10  
AFC
Dec. 30 – Pro Player Stadium  4  Baltimore  16
Jan. 6 – Network Associates Coliseum
   2  Oakland  3  
 6  Indianapolis  17 AFC Championship
 3  Miami  0
 3  Miami  23*   Jan. 28 – Raymond James Stadium
 2  Oakland  27  
Wild card playoffs  
Divisional playoffs
Dec. 30 – Louisiana Superdome  A4  Baltimore  34
Jan. 6 – Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
   N1  NY Giants  7
 6  St. Louis  28 Super Bowl XXXV
 3  New Orleans  16
 3  New Orleans  31     Jan. 14 – Giants Stadium
 2  Minnesota  34  
NFC
Dec. 31 – Veterans Stadium  2  Minnesota  0
Jan. 7 – Giants Stadium
   1  NY Giants  41  
 5  Tampa Bay  3 NFC Championship
 4  Philadelphia  10
 4  Philadelphia  21  
 1  NY Giants  20  


* Indicates overtime victory
Home team in capitals

AFC

  • Wild-Card playoffs: Miami 23, Indianapolis 17 (OT); Baltimore 21, Denver 3
  • Divisional playoffs: Oakland 27, Miami 0; Baltimore 24, Tennessee 10
  • AFC Championship: Baltimore 16, Oakland 3 at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California, January 14, 2001

NFC

  • Wild-Card playoffs: New Orleans 31, St. Louis 28; Philadelphia 21, Tampa Bay 3
  • Divisional playoffs: Minnesota 34, New Orleans 16; N.Y. Giants 20, Philadelphia 10
  • NFC Championship: N.Y. Giants 41, Minnesota 0 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, January 14, 2001

Super Bowl

Milestones

The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:

Record Player/Team Date/Opponent Previous Record Holder[1]
Most Rushing Yards Gained, Game Corey Dillon, Cincinnati (278) October 22, vs. Denver Walter Payton, Chicago vs. Minnesota, November 20, 1977 (275)
Most Pass Receptions, Game Terrell Owens, San Francisco (20) December 17, vs. Chicago Tom Fears, L.A. Rams vs. Green Bay, December 3, 1950 (18)
Most Points, Career Gary Anderson, Minnesota October 22, vs. Buffalo George Blanda 1949–1975 (2,002)
Most Two-Point Conversions by a Team, Game St. Louis (4) October 15, vs. Atlanta Tied by 2 teams (3)
Most Yards Gained by a Team, Season St. Louis (7,075) N/A Miami, 1984 (6,936)
Most Passing Yards Gained by a Team, Season St. Louis (5,232) N/A Miami, 1984 (5,018)

Statistical leaders

Team

Points scoredSt. Louis Rams (540)
Total yards gainedSt. Louis Rams (7,075)
Yards rushingOakland Raiders (2,470)
Yards passingSt. Louis Rams (5,232)
Fewest points allowedBaltimore Ravens (165)
Fewest total yards allowedTennessee Titans (3,813)
Fewest rushing yards allowedBaltimore Ravens (970)
Fewest passing yards allowedTennessee Titans (2,423)

Individual

ScoringMarshall Faulk, St. Louis (160 points)
TouchdownsMarshall Faulk, St. Louis (26 TDs)
Most field goals madeMatt Stover, Baltimore (35 FGs)
RushingEdgerrin James, Indianapolis (1,709 yards)
PassingBrian Griese, Denver (102.9 rating)
Passing touchdownsDaunte Culpepper, Minnesota and Peyton Manning, Indianapolis (33 TDs)
Pass receivingMarvin Harrison, Indianapolis and Muhsin Muhammad, Carolina (102 catches)
Pass receiving yardsTorry Holt, St. Louis (1,635)
Pass receiving touchdownsRandy Moss, Minnesota (15 touchdowns)
Punt returnsJermaine Lewis, Baltimore (16.1 average yards)
Kickoff returnsDarrick Vaughn, Atlanta (27.7 average yards)
InterceptionsDarren Sharper, Green Bay (9)
PuntingDarren Bennett, San Diego (46.2 average yards)
SacksLa'Roi Glover, New Orleans (17)

Awards

Most Valuable PlayerMarshall Faulk, Running back, St. Louis
Coach of the YearJim Haslett, New Orleans
Offensive Player of the YearMarshall Faulk, Running back, St. Louis
Defensive Player of the YearRay Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore
Offensive Rookie of the YearMike Anderson, Running Back, Denver
Defensive Rookie of the YearBrian Urlacher, Linebacker, Chicago
NFL Comeback Player of the YearJoe Johnson, Defensive End, New Orleans
Walter Payton NFL Man of the YearJim Flanigan, Defensive Tackle, Chicago and Derrick Brooks, Linebacker, Tampa Bay
Super Bowl Most Valuable PlayerRay Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore

Draft

The 2000 NFL Draft was held from April 15 to 16, 2000 at New York City's Theater at Madison Square Garden. With the first pick, the Cleveland Browns selected defensive end Courtney Brown from Pennsylvania State University.

Coaches

American Football Conference

National Football Conference

Notes

  1. ↑ "Records". 2005 NFL Record and Fact Book. NFL. 2005. ISBN 978-1-932994-36-0.

References

  • NFL Record and Fact Book ( ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
  • NFL History 1991–2000 (Last accessed October 17, 2005)
  • Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League ( ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
  • Steelers Fever – History of NFL Rules (Last accessed October 17, 2005)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.