NFL 2002-03 Playoffs (Band Based)

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The NFL 2002 Postseason began on January 4, 2003 and concluded on January 26, 2003 when Opeth defeated Disturbed 35-24 in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Background and Participants
The 2002 season saw an exceptionally strong AFC, with Dream Theater rounding it out at the top of the conference with a franchise best 14-2 record. Opeth returned to the playoffs as a much stronger team and looking to avoid the continuation of their divisional round losing streak. Disturbed also had a franchise best 13-3 record. Here are the teams who qualified and played in the playoffs:

Wild Card Round
January 4, 2003

AFC: A7X 7, Mastodon 30 Game Time: 4:30pm EST/ 1:30pm PST

Weather: 75 F, Mostly Cloudy

A7X barely made the playoffs with an 8-8 record, and they were apart of the division with the worst stats during the 2002 season, Mastodon had been on a hot streak within the final 3 weeks leading into the postseason, and it carried through into this game since Mastodon accumulated 433 offensive yards with no turnovers. A7X turned over the ball 5 times.

NFC: Killswitch Engage 24, Meshuggah 14 Game Time: 8pm EST

Weather: 29 F, Overcast

IKillswitch Engage's first playoff game in four years went their way as they shutout Meshuggah in the second half. Meshuggah lost 4 turnovers overall and only had 208 offensive yards.

January 5, 2003

AFC: Coheed and Cambria 23, SOAD 16 Game Time: 1pm EST

Weather: 31 F, Overcast

Coheed and Cambria's 14 unanswered points third quarter was the key to ultimately winning their first playoff game in franchise history.

This game featured personal fouls and multiple ejections. This game has since became known as "The Foul Gridiron".

NFC: Korn 3, Mudvayne 9 Game Time: 4:30pm EST/ 1:30pm PST

Weather: 52 F, Scattered Clouds

In the first playof game without a touchdown since the 1995 AFC Championship game, Mudvayne's three field goals helped them to their first playoff victory in two years. Korn's offense struggled as they could only incur 219 offensive yards. Mudvayne didn't do much better as they had 240 offensive yards, but they made big plays on defense to eventually get their offense moving forward.

Divisional Round
January 11, 2003

AFC: Opeth 27, Coheed and Cambria 21 Game Time: 4:30pm EST

Weather: 17 F, Snow and Breezy Winds

In a cold game with wind chill values near zero fahrenheit and snow, Opeth held Coheed and Cambria in control until they attempted a comeback that fell short due to Claudio Sanchez throwing an interception to end the game.

Opeth had a 20-7 lead going into the final quarter. Coheed and Cambria then scored 14 unanswered points, but Opeth fired back with a touchdown to take a 27-21 lead late in the fourth quarter. Sanchez led his team down to the Opeth 34 yard line. On 3rd and 13, Sanchez threw to Chance Gibson, who was doubled covered. Gibson nearly caught the ball, but it slipped out of his hands and into an Opeth cornerback's hands for the third interception over for Sanchez. Opeth finally snapped their losing streak in the divisional round and sent themselves to the AFC Championship game for the first time in 6 years.

NFC: Disturbed 40, Mudvayne 6 Game Time: 8pm EST/ 7pm CST

Weather: 17 F, Breezy Winds and Partly Cloudy

In a playoff rematch from the 2000 NFC Divisional Round, (played on January 7, 2001), Disturbed gained revenge on Mudvayne by forcing 6 turnovers and only allowing 193 offensive yards.Chad Gray was sacked a playoff record 9 times. With this win, Disturbed advanced to their first ever NFC Championship game.

January 12, 2003

NFC: Linkin Park 13, Killswitch Engage 16 Game Time: 1pm EST/ 10am PST

Weather: 59 F, Mostly Clear

Linkin Park's comeback attempt failed as they went 4 and out twice in the final three minutes of the game. Killswitch Engage built a 13-3 lead after three quarters off of key defensive plays. With this win, Killswitch Engage went to their first ever NFC CHampionship game.

AFC: Dream Theater 38, Mastodon 29 Game Time: 4:30pm EST/ 1:30pm PST

Weather: 72 F, Clear

Mastodon had put Dream Theater to the test in the first half as they lead 16-14. When the second half began, Dream Theater turned the tide on Mastodon by forcing three turnovers and scoring 24 second half non-continuous points to send them to their first AFC Championship game in three years.

Conference Championship
January 19, 2003

NFC: Disturbed 25, Killswitch Engage 17 Game Time: 3pm EST/ 2pm CST

Weather: 20 F, Overcast, Breezy Winds and Light Snow

In both franchise's first ever NFC Championship game, it was Disturbed who made a wild touchdown with 2:17 left to send them to their first Super Bowl in team history. Disturbed quarterback David Draiman tossed a lateral to Phillip Bowers, and Bowers then threw a 29 yard TD pass to Stephen Fillmore. The play drew controversy due to criticism drawn towards the lateral pass. Draiman was being chased by two defensive players when he threw it to Bowers. Nonetheless, the game remained close as both team's defenses held each others offense down for limited offensive yardage. Disturbed failed the two point conversion, but they still ended up winning.

AFC: Dream Theater 45, Opeth 48 Game Time: 6:30pm EST/3:30pm PST

Weather: 75 F, Mostly Clear

Stats:

OPT - Mikael Akerfeldt: 36/54  419 yards  5 TD 1 INT

DT - James LaBrie: 29/42  315 Yards  4 TD 1 INT

In one of the greatest games in NFL playoff history, Opeth made one of the largest comebacks in postseason history by scoring 35 second half points after being down 28-13 at the half. This is the second highest scoring postseason game only behind the 1992 NFC Championship game in which Alice In Chains defeated Megadeth 52-50.

LaBrie threw three TD passes in the first half and kept the offense focused to jump to a 28-13 lead at the half. Opeth got off to an unusual slow start as Akerfeldt couldn't manage much on offense.

Things changed big time for Opeth in the second half as Akerfeldt threw five touchdown passes and lead his team to complete a massive comeback to win 48-45. Dream Theater's defense started to malfunction in the fourth quarter when they easily let Opeth take a 41-38 lead early in the final quarter. With this win, Opeth went to their first Super Bowl in six years.

This woul dbe james LaBrie's final game in his career as he announced his retirement the following day. He retired as Dream Theater's all time leading passer, and still is as of 2017.

Super Bowl XXXVII
at San Diego, California

Date: January 26, 2003