Today in 2002 - Houston Texans vs Jacksonville Jaguars

October 27, 2002 – Today in 2002 the Houston Texans went to Alltel Stadium to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in a Week 7 meeting.

After a scoreless first quarter, Jimmy Smith caught a 25 yard touchdown pass from Mark Brunell to put the Jaguars on the board first, 7-0.  The Texans answered with a Jonathan Wells 2 yard touchdown rush and the game was tied.  Jacksonville got a safety and led at halftime 9-7.

In the third quarter, Kris Brown kicked a 43 yard field goal, which gave Houston the lead.  But Jacksonville answered with a 34 yard Tim Seder field goal and retook the lead.  At the end of the quarter, the Jaguars led 12-10.

Houston started off the fourth quarter with a 1 yard touchdown pass from David Carr to Billy Miller.  They made the 2-point conversion on a Carr pass to Jabar Gaffney.  Jacksonville responded with a 2 yard Stacey Mack touchdown run, but Brown kicked a 45 yard field goal to win the game.  The Houston Texans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 21-19.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell passed 16-34 for 202 yards and a touchdown.  Fred Taylor had 25 rushes for 84 yards.  He also had 3 catches for 22 yards.  Jimmy Smith had 4 receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.  Danny Clark, John Henderson, Marlon McCree, and Wali Rainer each had a sack.

For the Texans, David Carr passed 11-18 for 184 yards and a touchdown.  Billy Miller had 3 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown.  Kailee Wong had 2 sacks.  Jeff Posey, Jason Simmons, and Kenny Wright each had a sack.

Jacksonville went to 3-4 and finished the season at 6-10, 3^rd in the AFC South.  Houston went to 2-5 and finished their inaugural season at 4-12, last in the AFC South.

Trivia

• This was the first time these two teams ever played each other.  Houston wasn’t so fortunate in their rematch at home on November 17.  Houston trailed and came back, but fell short at the end of the game.  Jacksonville won 24-21.
  
• Obviously, this was Dom Capers’ first season coaching the Texans.  He coached the team from 2002-05.  He coached another expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, from 1995-98 and led the Panthers to the NFC Championship game in 1996.
  
• This was Tom Coughlin’s sixth season coaching the Jaguars.  He was the team’s first head coach and coached the team from 1995-2002.  Like Capers, he led the Jaguars to the AFC Championship game in 1996.  It’s the only time two expansion teams ever made it to their respective conference championship games in their second year of existence in the same year.
  
• Coughlin is now the head coach of the New York Giants and has coached the team since 2004.
  
• Jaguars’ tight ends coach is Miami’s head coach Tony Sporano.
  
• Texans’ offensive coordinator Chris Palmer was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1999-2000.

Here are some historical scores on this day for teams facing each other this week, on October 27,

1946 – San Francisco 34 – Cleveland 20

2008 – Indianapolis 31 – Tennessee 21

Game stats can be found on Pro-Football-Reference.com at Houston Texans vs Jacksonville Jaguars - October 27, 2002.

Today in 1994 - Green Bay vs Minnesota

October 20, 1994 – Today in 1994, the Minnesota Vikings hosted their NFC Central rival Green Bay Packers at the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome in a Week 7 contest.

Anthony Parker scored for the Vikings’ defense with a fumble recovery for the touchdown, which was the only score in the first quarter.  In the second quarter, Chris Jacke got the Packers on the board with a 50 yard field goal.  Backup quarterback Mark Brunell scored on a 5 yard touchdown run and Green Bay led at halftime 10-7.

After a scoreless third quarter, Fuad Reveiz kicked a 29 yard field goal to tie the game in the fourth quarter.  At the end of regulation, the score was 10-10 and the game went to overtime.

In the overtime period, Minnesota drove to Green Bay’s 20 yard line and set up a field goal attempt by Reveiz.  The field goal was good and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 13-10.

For the Packers, Brett Farve passed 6-10 for 32 yards and an interception.  Mark Brunell passed 11-24 for 79 yards.  He had 4 rushing attempts for 9 yards and a touchdown.  For the Vikings, Warren Moon passed 31-50 for 271 yards and two interceptions.  Cris Carter had 10 receptions for 68 yards.  Jake Reed had 8 receptions for 95 yards.

Sean Jones got 2 sacks for the Packers.  Reggie White and Steve McMichael each had a sack.  James Willis and Terrell Buckley had a pick for Green Bay.  James Harris and Ed McDaniel each had half a sack for the Vikings, and John Randle had 2 sacks.  Harris also had an interception.

The Packers fell to 3-4 with the loss.  They finished the season at 9-7 and lost to the Dallas Cowboys in a divisional playoff game.  The Vikings went to 5-2 and finished the season at 10-6, winning the NFC Central division.  They lost to the Chicago Bears in a wild card playoff game.

Trivia

• There were 4 Hall of Famers present: Warren Moon, Randall McDaniel, and John Randle for the Vikings, and Reggie White for the Packers.
• This was Mike Holmgren’s third season coaching the Packers.  He coached the team from 1992-98 and led them to two Super Bowl appearances, one of them a championship.  He never had a losing season with Green Bay.
• This was also Dennis Green’s third season coaching the Vikings.  He coached the team from 1992-2001.  He only had one losing season with the team, in 2001.
• There were two future head coaches on Green’s staff.  Brian Billick coached the Baltimore Ravens from 1999-2007 and led them to a Super Bowl victory.  Tony Dungy coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1998-2001 and the Indianapolis Colts from 2002-09.  Dungy led the Colts to a Super Bowl championship.
• There were four future head coaches on Holmgren’s staff.  Dick Jauron coached the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills.  Steve Mariucci coached the San Francisco 49ers from 1997-2002 and Detroit from 2003-05.  Jon Gruden coached the Oakland Raiders from 1998-2001 and took over for Dungy in Tampa Bay from 2002-08.  He led the Bucs to a Super Bowl title over his former team the Raiders.  Andy Reid is the only one of the four who is still coaching.  He has been the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles since 1999 and led them to a Super Bowl appearance.
• Minnesota linebacker Jack Del Rio is now the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars and has coached the team since 2003.
• Tony Dungy and Dick Jauron were divisional opponents as players in 1978.  Jauron played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Dungy played for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here are some historical scores on this day for teams facing each other this week, on October 20,

1968 – Kansas City 24 – Oakland 10

1985 – Pittsburgh 23 – St. Louis Cardinals 10

2002 – Baltimore 17 – Jacksonville 10

2003 – Kansas City 17 – Oakland 10

Game stats can be found on Pro-Football-Reference.com at Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings - October 20, 1994.