2003 Buffalo Bills season

2003 Buffalo Bills season
Head Coach	Gregg Williams
Home Field	Ralph Wilson Stadium
Results
Record	6–10
Place	3rd AFC East
Playoff Finish	did not qualify
Timeline
Previous season	Next season
2002	2004

The 2003 Buffalo Bills season was their 44th in the league. The team failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 8–8, instead finishing 6–10. The team missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

The Bills started the season strong, opening the season with a dominating 31–0 blowout of the New England Patriots (They would not win another game against the Patriots until 2011). It was their largest margin of victory in a season opener since 1992, and their first regular season shutout in four years. The Bills' second game was a convincing three-touchdown win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. But Buffalo lost seven of their next nine games, and finished the season with three consecutive losses. Ironically, the Bills' final game of the season was a 31–0 shutout loss to the New England Patriots – the reverse of the score by which the Bills beat New England in Week One.

Head coach Gregg Williams's contract was not renewed after the 2003 season, and he was replaced by Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey in 2004.

Van Miller, the team's longtime play-by-play announcer, announced his retirement after week 2 of the season; his retirement took effect at the end of the season.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 2003 NFL Draft

The Bills traded away their first pick in the 2003 draft (#14 overall) to the New England Patriots for Drew Bledsoe in the previous draft. They obtained their first pick (#23 overall) from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Peerless Price. Though he was not drafted, Buffalo acquired running back Fred Jackson out of Coe College in 2003; Jackson went on to lead the league in all-purpose yardage in 2009.

Round	Pick #	Player	Position	College
1	23	Willis McGahee	Running Back	Miami (Fl.)
2	48	Chris Kelsay	Defensive End	Nebraska
3	94	Angelo Crowell	Linebacker	Virginia
4	111	Terrence McGee	Cornerback	Northwestern State
4	127	Sam Aiken	Wide Receiver	North Carolina
5	151	Ben Sobieski	Guard	Iowa
6	187	Lauvale Sape	Defensive Tackle	Utah
7	228	Mario Haggan	Linebacker	Mississippi State

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	TV Time	Attendance
1	September 7, 2003	New England Patriots	W 31–0	CBS 1:00et	73,262
2	September 14, 2003	at Jacksonville Jaguars	W 38–17	CBS 1:00et	58,613
3	September 21, 2003	at Miami Dolphins	L 17–7	ESPN 8:30et	73,458
4	September 28, 2003	Philadelphia Eagles	L 23–13	FOX 1:00et	73,305
5	October 5, 2003	Cincinnati Bengals	W 22–16	CBS 1:00et	72,615
6	October 12, 2003	at New York Jets	L 30–3	CBS 4:15et	77,740
7	October 19, 2003	Washington Redskins	W 24–7	FOX 4:15et	73,149
8	October 26, 2003	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 38–5	ESPN 8:30et	78,689
9	Bye
10	November 9, 2003	at Dallas Cowboys	L 10–6	CBS 4:15et	63,770
11	November 16, 2003	Houston Texans	L 12–10	CBS 1:00et	72,677
12	November 23, 2003	Indianapolis Colts	L 17–14	CBS 1:00et	73,004
13	November 30, 2003	at New York Giants	W 24–7	CBS 1:00et	78,481
14	December 7, 2003	New York Jets	W 17–6	CBS 4:15et	72,791
15	December 14, 2003	at Tennessee Titans	L 28–26	CBS 1:00et	68,809
16	December 21, 2003	Miami Dolphins	L 20–3	CBS 1:00et	73,319
17	December 27, 2003	at New England Patriots	L 31–0	CBS 1:30et	68,436

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
New England Patriots	14	2	0	.875	5–1	11–1	348	238	W12
Miami Dolphins	10	6	0	.625	4–2	7–5	311	261	W2
New York Jets	6	10	0	.375	1–5	6–6	283	299	L2
Buffalo Bills	6	10	0	.375	2–4	4–8	243	279	L3