2003 Minnesota Vikings season

The 2003 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 43rd in the National Football League. They finished second in the NFC North with a 9–7 record, but missed the playoffs for a third straight year. Despite gaining 6,294 yards of offense over their 16 games, by far the most in the league, the team managed just 416 points, the sixth-most in the NFL. The Vikings won their first six games of the 2003 season, then lost their next four games, after which they alternated wins and losses for the remainder of the season. Despite their 9–7 record, they finished second in the division behind the 10–6 Green Bay Packers. The Vikings were officially eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on the last play of their final game.

2003 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coachMike Tice
Home fieldHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Results
Record9–7
Division place2nd NFC North
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers
AP All-Pros

Wide receiver Randy Moss led the NFL with 17 touchdown receptions, the third time in his career that he led the league in that category. After two seasons of inconsistency, rejuvenated quarterback Daunte Culpepper was voted to play in the second Pro Bowl of his career at the end of the season.

Offseason

2003 Draft
Pro Bowler
2003 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order Player name Position College Notes
Round Overall
19Kevin WilliamsDefensive tackleOklahoma Statein lieu of #7 (time expired)[a]
240E. J. HendersonLinebackerMaryland
371Nate BurlesonWide receiverNevada
4105Onterrio SmithRunning backOregon
5142Traded to the Cleveland Browns[b]
6180Eddie JohnsonPunterIdaho State
190Mike NattielLinebackerFloridafrom Saints[c]
7221Keenan HowryWide receiverOregon
^[a] While attempting to agree a trade, the Vikings' time elapsed, allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to move up and select QB Byron Leftwich. The Carolina Panthers were also able to select OT Jordan Gross before the Vikings ultimately selected DT Kevin Williams.[1] Williams went on to become a mainstay in the Vikings team, missing only four games in his first 10 seasons in the NFL and making six Pro Bowls.
^[b] The Vikings traded their fifth-round selection (142nd overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Cleveland's 2002 seventh-round selection and defensive lineman Stalin Colinet.
^[c] The Vikings traded quarterback Todd Bouman to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for New Orleans' sixth-round selection (190th overall).

Preseason
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance[2]
1August 9Jacksonville JaguarsL 14–160–1Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome63,370
2August 16at Kansas City ChiefsL 16–260–2Arrowhead Stadium75,634
3August 22at Oakland RaidersW 21–61–2Network Associates Coliseum37,411
4August 28Arizona CardinalsL 27–311–3Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome63,473

Regular season

Schedule
WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1 September 7 at Green Bay Packers W 30–25 1–0 Lambeau Field 70,505
2 September 14 Chicago Bears W 24–13 2–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,144
3 September 21 at Detroit Lions W 23–13 3–0 Ford Field 60,865
4 September 28 San Francisco 49ers W 35–7 4–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,111
5 October 5 at Atlanta Falcons W 39–26 5–0 Georgia Dome 70,427
6 Bye week
7 October 19 Denver Broncos W 28–20 6–0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,381
8 October 26 New York Giants L 17–29 6–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,114
9 November 2 Green Bay Packers L 27–30 6–2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,482
10 November 9 at San Diego Chargers L 28–42 6–3 Qualcomm Stadium 64,738
11 November 16 at Oakland Raiders L 18–28 6–4 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 56,653
12 November 23 Detroit Lions W 24–14 7–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 63,946
13 November 30 at St. Louis Rams L 17–48 7–5 Edward Jones Dome 66,134
14 December 7 Seattle Seahawks W 34–7 8–5 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 63,968
15 December 14 at Chicago Bears L 10–13 8–6 Soldier Field 61,804
16 December 20 Kansas City Chiefs W 45–20 9–6 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,291
17 December 28 at Arizona Cardinals L 17–18 9–7 Sun Devil Stadium 52,734

Standings
NFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) Green Bay Packers 10 6 0 .625 4–2 7–5 442 307 W4
Minnesota Vikings 9 7 0 .563 4–2 7–5 416 353 L1
Chicago Bears 7 9 0 .438 2–4 4–8 283 346 L1
Detroit Lions 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 270 379 W1

Statistics

Team leaders
Category Player(s) Value
Passing yardsDaunte Culpepper3,479
Passing touchdownsDaunte Culpepper25
Rushing yardsMoe Williams745
Rushing touchdownsMoe Williams
Onterrio Smith		5
Receiving yardsRandy Moss1,632 *
Receiving touchdownsRandy Moss17
PointsRandy Moss
Aaron Elling		102
Kickoff return yardsOnterrio Smith588
Punt return yardsKeenan Howry247
TacklesBrian Russell95
SacksKevin Williams10.5
InterceptionsBrian Russell9
Forced fumblesKenny Mixon4

* Vikings single season record.

League rankings
Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 32)
Passing offense3,951246.94th
Rushing offense2,343146.44th
Total offense6,294393.41st
Passing defense3,477217.326th
Rushing defense1,879117.417th
Total defense5,356334.823rd


Staff
2003 Minnesota Vikings staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches
  • Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line – George O'Leary
  • Linebackers – Brian Baker
  • Secondary – Chuck Knox Jr.
  • Assistant Secondary – Kevin Ross
  • Defensive Assistant/Assistant Defensive Line – Pete Bercich
  • Defensive Quality Control – Jim Panagos

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and Conditioning – Steve Wetzel
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Daryl Lawrence

[3]

Roster
2003 Minnesota Vikings final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists
  • 33 John Avery RB (IR)
  • 42 Jack Brewer FS (IR)
  • 48 Steve Farmer TE (IR)


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 54 active, 3 inactive, 3 practice squad

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References
  1. Pasquarelli, Len (26 April 2003). "Slow on trigger, Vikings miss pick". ESPN. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  3. 2009 Minnesota Vikings Media Guide. p. 251. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
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