2000 Oakland Raiders season
The Oakland Raiders season was the franchise's 31st season in the National Football League, the 41st overall, their sixth season of their second stint in Oakland, and the third season under head coach Jon Gruden. The Raiders finished the season 12–4, winning the AFC West and advancing to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 1990. They returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1993, when the team was still in Los Angeles. The Divisional Round playoff game versus the Miami Dolphins would be their first home playoff game in Oakland since defeating the Houston Oilers in the 1980 AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
This was the first of three consecutive AFC West titles for the Raiders. As the No. 2 seed in the AFC, the Raiders received a bye into the divisional round of the playoffs. Their four regular season losses were by a combined 16 points. The Raiders held the Miami Dolphins scoreless, winning 27–0. The following week against the eventual Super Bowl champion [2000 2000 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens] in the AFC Championship, starting quarterback Rich Gannon sustained a shoulder injury after being hit by Baltimore's Tony Siragusa early in the second quarter. The loss of Gannon was too steep to overcome as the Raiders lost 16–3. Siragusa was later fined $10,000 for the hit. This was the NFL-record ninth playoff loss in Raiders history with a Super Bowl berth at stake. The Raiders set a still-standing franchise record for most points scored in the regular season, with 479.
The season was also the first for kicker Sebastian Janikowski. He would play 276 games in the regular season and playoffs as a Raider, a franchise record.
Roster
Rookies in italicsRegular season
Season summary
Week 2: at Indianapolis Colts
This was the first time the Raiders had ever visited Indianapolis. Their previous regular season away game against the Colts occurred as far back as 1975 in [1975 1975 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore], although they also played in Baltimore during the 1977 postseason. This anomaly was due to old NFL scheduling formulas in place prior to 2002, whereby teams had no rotating schedule opposing members of other divisions within their own conference, but instead played interdivisional conference games according to position within a season's table.Playoffs
AFC Divisional Playoff Game
Raiders go to the AFC Championship Game but lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens 16-3.AFC Championship Game
Raiders lost and in 2001 finished 10-6. Win to the New York Jets in the AFC Wild Card Round 38-24. But lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots in the Tuck Rule game 16-13.Awards and records
- Led NFL, Net Yards Gained, Rushing
- Led NFL, First Downs, Rushing
- Led NFL, Rushing Offense
- Eric Allen, AFC Defensive Player of the Month, December
- Rich Gannon, Bert Bell Award
- Rich Gannon, All-Pro selection
- Rich Gannon, AFC Pro Bowl Selection
- Rich Gannon, PFW/PFWA All-Pro Team
- Rich Gannon, Pro Bowl MVP Award
- Shane Lechler, Single Season Record, Highest Punting Average in One Season, 45.9 Yards
- Shane Lechler, All-NFL Team
- Shane Lechler, PFW/PFWA All-Rookie Team
Pro Bowl selections
- Rich Gannon, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,
- Lincoln Kennedy, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,
- Steve Wisniewski, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,
- Charles Woodson, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,
Team leaders
- Scoring – Sebastian Janikowski, 112 Points
- Rushing – Tyrone Wheatley, 1,046 Yards
- Passing – Rich Gannon, 3,430 Yards
- Receiving – Tim Brown, 1,128 Yards
- Receptions – Tim Brown, 76
- Interceptions – Eric Allen, William Thomas, 6 each
- Sacks – Grady Jackson,8.0