2003 Green Bay Packers season


The 2003 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 85th season overall and their 83rd in the National Football League.
This season finished with an overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the 2004 playoffs, after the Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round in overtime off an interception return for a touchdown by Al Harris.
In the Week 16 Monday night game, Brett Favre threw four touchdowns in a 41-7 win over the Oakland Raiders, one night after his father died of a heart attack.
The Packers won the division on the last play of the season. Needing a win and a Minnesota Vikings loss to clinch the division, the Packers routed the Denver Broncos 31-3, while the Vikings lost 18-17 on a last second touchdown by the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals.

Offseason

The Packers were able to add Al Harris to their starting lineup from a trade with Philadelphia. They lost starters Terry Glenn to a trade and Vonnie Holliday to free agency.
AdditionsSubtractions
FB Nick Luchey LB Nate Wayne
LB Hannibal Navies S Matt Bowen
C Grey Ruegamer CB Tyrone Williams
DE Chukie Nwokorie CB Tod McBride
OT Reggie Coleman DE Vonnie Holliday
RB Lamar Smith WR Terry Glenn
OT Marcus Spriggs LB Hardy Nickerson
CB Al Harris

NFL Draft

RoundOverallPlayerPositionCollege
129Nick BarnettLBOregon State
379Kenny PetersonDEOhio State
4147James LeeOTOregon State
4166Hunter HillenmeyerLBVanderbilt
6212Brennan CurtinOTNotre Dame
7245Chris JohnsonCBLouisville
7253DeAndrew RubinWRSouth Florida
7256Carl FordWRToledo
7257Steve JosueLBCarson-Newman

Undrafted free agents

PlayerPositionCollege
Cullen JenkinsDefensive endCentral Michigan

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Preseason

Regular season

The Packers finished the season 10–6 and advanced to the Divisional round of the playoffs.
WeekDateOpponentResultGame siteTV Time Attendance
1September 7, 2003Minnesota VikingsL 25–30Lambeau FieldFOX 12:00pm
70,505
2September 14, 2003Detroit LionsW 31–6Lambeau FieldFOX 12:00pm
70,244
3September 21, 2003at Arizona CardinalsL 13–20Sun Devil StadiumFOX 3:15pm
58,784
4September 29, 2003at Chicago BearsW 38–23Soldier FieldABC 8:00pm
61,500
5October 5, 2003Seattle SeahawksW 35–13Lambeau FieldFOX 12:00pm
70,365
6October 12, 2003Kansas City ChiefsL 34–40 Lambeau FieldCBS 12:00pm
70,407
7October 19, 2003at St. Louis RamsL 24–34Edward Jones DomeFOX 12:00pm
66,201
8October 26, 2003Bye
9November 2, 2003at Minnesota VikingsW 30–27Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeESPN 7:30pm
64,482
10November 10, 2003Philadelphia EaglesL 14–17Lambeau FieldABC 8:00pm
70,291
11November 16, 2003at Tampa Bay BuccaneersW 20–13Raymond James StadiumFOX 3:15pm
65,614
12November 23, 2003San Francisco 49ersW 20–10Lambeau FieldFOX 12:00pm
70,250
13November 27, 2003at Detroit LionsL 14–22Ford FieldFOX 11:30am
62,123
14December 7, 2003Chicago BearsW 34–21Lambeau FieldFOX 12:00pm
70,458
15December 14, 2003at San Diego ChargersW 38–21Qualcomm StadiumFOX 3:15pm
64,978
16December 22, 2003at Oakland RaidersW 41–7Network Associates ColiseumABC 8:00pm
62,298
17December 28, 2003Denver BroncosW 31–3Lambeau FieldCBS 3:15pm
70,299

Addition of Grady Jackson

On November 5, 2003, the Packers claimed defensive tackle Grady Jackson off waivers from the New Orleans Saints. Jackson helped the Packers allow only 95.38 rushing yards per game over the final 8 games, after allowing over 117 yards per game in the first 8 games. Jackson signed a two-year contract extension on December 29, 2003.

Favre's Monday night performance

The day before the Week 16 game, Irvin Favre, father of Brett Favre, died suddenly of a heart attack. Favre elected to play and passed for four touchdowns in the first half, and 399 yards in a 41–7 defeat of the Raiders. Afterwards, Favre said, "I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play. I love him so much and I love this game. It's meant a great deal to me, to my dad, to my family, and I didn't expect this kind of performance. But I know he was watching tonight."

Playoffs

vs. Seattle Seahawks

Packers defensive back Al Harris returned an interception 52 yards for the game-winning touchdown 4:25 in overtime. The game was sent into overtime on Seahawk running back Shaun Alexander's third touchdown of the day. Ahman Green scored two touchdowns for Green Bay, and Bubba Franks caught a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The game is memorable for Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's ironic comment after winning the coin toss for the start of overtime, telling the referee "We want the ball and we're going to score." This game remains one of two times in NFL history that an NFL playoff game has ended with a defensive touchdown in OT. The other being the January 10, 2010 Wild Card game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers.
Packers quarterback Brett Favre completed 26 of 38 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown.

vs. Philadelphia Eagles

's franchise postseason record 156 rushing yards was not enough to lift the Packers to victory. Facing fourth down and 26 yards to go, with 1:12 left in the fourth quarter and the Packers leading 17–14, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb completed a 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on a famous play now known as "4th and 26". The play set up David Akers' 37-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. In the overtime Favre's deep pass was intercepted, and Akers then kicked a 31-yard field goal, giving the Eagles the victory.
McNabb had a spectacular performance in the game, completing 21 of 39 passes for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also rushing for 107 yards on 11 carries.

Standings

Awards and honors