2002 Buffalo Bills season

2002 Buffalo Bills season
2002 Buffalo Bills season
Owner	Ralph Wilson
General manager	Tom Donahoe
Head coach	Gregg Williams
Home field	Ralph Wilson Stadium
Results
Record	8–8
Division place	4th AFC East
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	QB Drew Bledsoe; RB Travis Henry; WR Eric Moulds; G Ruben Brown
AP All-Pros	WR Eric Moulds (2nd team); G Ruben Brown (2nd team)
	← 2001; Bills seasons; 2003 →;

The 2002 season was the Buffalo Bills' 43rd as a franchise and 33rd in the National Football League.

The Bills acquired veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe from the New England Patriots on draft weekend in exchange for Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2003 draft,^[1] (the Bills later gained a first-round pick via a sign-and-trade of receiver Peerless Price, coming off a breakout season, to the Atlanta Falcons for their first-round pick in the 2003 draft). Bledsoe brought instant credibility to Buffalo's inept passing game; the Bills' offense scored the sixth most points in the AFC in 2002, after having scored the fifth fewest in the entire league the previous season.

The season saw the Bills change their uniform, which lasted until 2011.^[2]^[3]

Offseason

Additions	Subtractions
QB Drew Bledsoe (Patriots)	QB Rob Johnson (Buccaneers)
LB London Fletcher (Rams)	LB Jay Foreman (Texans)
K Mike Hollis (Jaguars)	LB Sam Cowart (Jets)
TE Dave Moore (Buccaneers)	T John Fina (Cardinals)
DE Chidi Ahanotu (Rams)	CB Ken Irvin (Saints)
LB Eddie Robinson (Titans)
T Marcus Price (Saints)
C Trey Teague (Broncos)

Draft

The Bills infamously drafted Mike Williams, an offensive tackle from Texas with the #4 overall pick of the draft, with University of Miami offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie still available.^[4] Williams spent only four seasons with the team. Sporting News named Williams as the #4 biggest NFL draft bust from 1989–2008.^[5]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
2002 Buffalo Bills draft
1	4	Mike Williams	OT	Texas
2	36	Josh Reed	WR	LSU
2	61	Ryan Denney	DE	BYU
3	97	Coy Wire	S	Stanford
5	139	Justin Bannan	DT	Colorado
6	179	Kevin Thomas	CB	UNLV
7	215	Mike Pucillo	C	Auburn
7	249	Rodney Wright	WR	Fresno State
7	251	Jarrett Ferguson	RB	Virginia Tech
7	260	Dominique Stevenson	LB	Tennessee
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

2002 undrafted free agents of note
Player	Position	College
Ahmad Brooks	Cornerback	Texas
Joe Burns	Running back	Georgia Tech
David Priestley	Quarterback	Pittsburgh
Marc Samuel	Kicker	Georgetown
Greg Zolman	Quarterback	Vanderbilt

Personnel

**2002 Buffalo Bills staff**
	Front office Chairman – Ralph Wilson President/general manager – Tom Donahoe Assistant general manager – Tom Modrak Director of pro personnel – John Guy Head coaches Head coach – Gregg Williams Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Kevin Gilbride Quarterbacks – Steve Kragthorpe Running backs – Steve Fairchild Wide receivers – Fred Graves Tight ends – Dan Neal Offensive line – Ronnie Vinklarek Offensive assistant – Tommy Kaiser			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Jerry Gray Defensive line – John Levra Assistant defensive line – O’Neill Gilbert Linebackers – Miles Aldridge Defensive Backs (Cornerbacks) – Pat Thomas Third Down Specialist (Safeties) – Steve Jackson Defensive assistant – Chuck Lester Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – Danny Smith Special teams assistant – Tommy Kaiser Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning coordinator – Rusty Jones

Roster

**2002 Buffalo Bills roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 11 Drew Bledsoe 5 Travis Brown 10 Alex Van Pelt Running backs (RB) 35 Joe Burns 37 Larry Centers FB 41 Phil Crosby 20 Travis Henry 33 Sammy Morris 31 Charlie Rogers Wide receivers (WR) 89 Charles Johnson 80 Eric Moulds 81 Peerless Price 82 Josh Reed 87 Andre Rone Tight ends (TE) 48 Brady McDonnell LS 83 Dave Moore 85 Jay Riemersma		Offensive linemen (OL) 79 Ruben Brown G 63 Bill Conaty C 69 Mike Houghton G 75 Jonas Jennings T 73 Marcus Price T 61 Mike Pucillo G 74 Marques Sullivan G 70 Trey Teague C 68 Mike Williams T Defensive linemen (DL) 72 Chidi Ahanotu DE 97 Justin Bannan DT 92 Ryan Denney DE 98 Ron Edwards DT 96 Grant Irons DE 77 Kendrick Office DE 94 Aaron Schobel DE 93 Pat Williams DT		Linebackers (LB) 56 Anthony Denman OLB 54 Greg Favors OLB 59 London Fletcher MLB 51 DaShon Polk OLB 53 Keith Newman OLB 55 Eddie Robinson OLB 50 Dominique Stevenson MLB Defensive backs (DB) 47 Ahmad Brooks CB 22 Nate Clements CB 25 Tony Driver FS 30 Marcus Floyd CB 24 Billy Jenkins SS 23 Pierson Prioleau FS 28 Kevin Thomas CB 21 Chris Watson CB 26 Antoine Winfield CB 27 Coy Wire SS Special teams 1 Mike Hollis K 8 Brian Moorman P				Practice squad 14 Clarence Coleman WR 71 Joey Hollenbeck G 91 Omari Jordan DT 76 Richard Seals DT 19 Rodney Wright WR Reserve -- Reggie Allen WR (NF-Inj.) 29 Jason Bostic CB (IR) 38 Shawn Bryson RB (IR) 6 David Dinkins QB (NF-Ill.) -- Marcus Jones DE (IR) 58 Brandon Spoon LB (IR) Rookies in italics 53 active, 6 reserve, 5 practice squad

Regular season

Due to the Bills' 3–13 record the previous season, the NFL did not schedule any of their games in prime time (Sunday night or Monday night), and all but two of the Bills' games had 1:00 start times. However, due to the attention the Bills' free-agent acquisitions brought to the team, as well as the team being in the thick of the competitive AFC East race, several division games were aired nationally on CBS.

After a one-year absence, the NFL Primetime theme "Powersurge" returned as the Bills' theme song on the ESPN program. It was used for the show's Bills highlights for each game during the season except for the Bengals/Bills game in Week 17.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Attendance
1	September 8	New York Jets	L 31–37 (OT)	0–1	72,751
2	September 15	at Minnesota Vikings	W 45–39 (OT)	1–1	64,047
3	September 22	at Denver Broncos	L 23–28	1–2	75,359
4	September 29	Chicago Bears	W 33–27 (OT)	2–2	72,780
5	October 6	Oakland Raiders	L 31–49	2–3	73,038
6	October 13	at Houston Texans	W 31–24	3–3	70,120
7	October 20	at Miami Dolphins	W 23–10	4–3	73,180
8	October 27	Detroit Lions	W 24–17	5–3	72,710
9	November 3	New England Patriots	L 7–38	5–4	73,448
10	Bye
11	November 17	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 16–17	5–5	77,951
12	November 24	at New York Jets	L 13–31	5–6	78,745
13	December 1	Miami Dolphins	W 38–21	6–6	73,287
14	December 8	at New England Patriots	L 17–27	6–7	68,436
15	December 15	San Diego Chargers	W 20–13	7–7	61,838
16	December 22	at Green Bay Packers	L 0–10	7–8	64,106
17	December 29	Cincinnati Bengals	W 27–9	8–8	47,850
Note: Intra-divisional games are in bold text.

Standings

AFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽⁴⁾ New York Jets	9	7	0	.563	4–2	6–6	359	336	W2
New England Patriots	9	7	0	.563	4–2	6–6	381	346	W1
Miami Dolphins	9	7	0	.563	2–4	7–5	378	301	L2
Buffalo Bills	8	8	0	.500	2–4	5–7	379	397	W1

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. New York Jets

Week 1: New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Jets	0	17	3	11	6	37
Bills	3	14	7	7	0	31

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: September 8, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 84 °F or 28.9 °C
Game attendance: 72,751
Referee: Bob McElwee (95)
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, and Armen Keteyian
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 52-yard field goal, 9:04. Bills 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 5:56.

Second quarter

BUF – Travis Henry 5-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 12:25. Bills 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:31.
NYJ – Chad Morton 98-yard kickoff return (John Hall kick), 12:11. Bills 10–7. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14.
NYJ – Anthony Becht 1-yard pass from Vinny Testaverde (John Hall kick), 9:12. Jets 14–10. Drive: 3 plays, 19 yards, 1:36.
BUF – Travis Henry 3-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 2:37. Bills 17–14. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 6:35.
NYJ – John Hall 34-yard field goal, 0:05. Tied 17–17. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 2:32.

Third quarter

NYJ – John Hall 45-yard field goal, 10:50. Jets 20–17. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 4:10.
BUF – Travis Henry 2-yard run, 0:58. Bills 24–20. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 3:26.

Fourth quarter

NYJ – John Hall 33-yard field goal, 9:25. Bills 24–23. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:30.
NYJ – Wayne Chrebet 18-yard pass from Vinny Testaverde (Vinny Testaverde–Anthony Becht pass), 4:47. Jets 31–24. Drive: 4 plays, 60 yards, 1:35.
BUF – Eric Moulds 29-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 0:26. Tied 31–31. Drive: 14 plays, 76 yards, 4:21.

Overtime

NYJ – Chad Morton 96-yard kickoff return, 14:46. Jets 37–31. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14.

Top passers

NYJ – Vinny Testaverde – 24/30, 210 yards, 2 TD
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 26/39, 271 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

NYJ – LaMont Jordan – 7 rushes, 32 yards
BUF – Travis Henry – 31 rushes, 149 yards, 3 TD

Top receivers

NYJ – Wayne Chrebet – 5 receptions, 58 yards, TD
BUF – Eric Moulds – 8 receptions, 112 yards, TD

Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 2: Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Bills	6	7	10	16	6	45
Vikings	3	10	13	13	0	39

at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Date: September 15, 2002
Game time: 4:15 p.m. EDT, 3:15 p.m. CDT
Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
Game attendance: 64,047
Referee: Ron Winter (14)
TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

MIN – Doug Brien 29-yard field goal, 7:32. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 53 yards, 4:30..
BUF – Mike Hollis 52-yard field goal, 3:56. Tied 3–3. Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 3:36..
BUF – Mike Hollis 20-yard field goal, 0:30. Bills 6–3. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 2:25..

Second quarter

MIN – Daunte Culpepper 2-yard run (Doug Brien kick), 8:54. Vikings 10–6. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 6:36..
MIN – Doug Brien 22-yard field goal, 2:13. Vikings 13–6. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 4:54..
BUF – Josh Reed 9-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 1:06. Tied 13–13. Drive: 6 plays, 82 yards, 1:07..

Third quarter

MIN – Randy Moss 2-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper (Doug Brien kick), 13:36. Vikings 20–13. Drive: 2 plays, 3 yards, 0:40..
BUF – Charlie Rogers 90-yard kickoff return (Mike Hollis kick), 13:24. Tied 20–20. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12..
BUF – Mike Hollis 20-yard field goal, 6:14. Bills 23–20. Drive: 8 plays, 33 yards, 4:45..
MIN – D'Wayne Bates 29-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper (kick failed, wide left), 1:30. Vikings 26–23. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 4:44..

Fourth quarter

BUF – Ron Edwards fumble recovery in the end zone (Mike Hollis kick), 14:01. Bills 30–26.
MIN – Derrick Alexander 5-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper (kick failed), 7:27. Vikings 32–30. Drive: 13 plays, 82 yards, 6:34..
BUF – Peerless Price 3-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (pass failed), 3:08. Bills 36–32. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:19..
MIN – Moe Williams 2-yard run (Doug Brien kick), 0:26. Vikings 39–36. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 2:42..
BUF – Mike Hollis 54-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 39–39. Drive: 4 plays, 29 yards, 0:26..

Overtime

BUF – Peerless Price 48-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe, 4:48. Bills 45–39. Drive: 2 plays, 76 yards, 0:40..

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 35/49, 463 yards, 3 TD
MIN – Daunte Culpepper – 25/45, 281 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 12 rushes, 30 yards
MIN – Moe Williams – 17 rushes, 102 yards, TD

Top receivers

BUF – Peerless Price – 13 receptions, 185 yards, 2 TD
MIN – Randy Moss – 11 receptions, 111 yards, TD

Week 3: at Denver Broncos

Week 3: Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	0	7	3	13	23
Broncos	7	7	7	7	28

at Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Date: September 22, 2002
Game time: 4:05 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 59 °F or 15 °C
Game attendance: 75,359
Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross and Beasley Reece
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

DEN – Chester McGlockton 24-yard fumble return (Jason Elam kick), 4:40. Broncos 7–0.

Second quarter

DEN – Clinton Portis 1-yard run (Jason Elam kick), 9:51. Broncos 14–0. Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 5:09.
BUF – Travis Henry 1-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 2:54. Broncos 14–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:59.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 38-yard field goal, 10:02. Broncos 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 5:02.
DEN – Dwayne Carswell 1-yard pass from Brian Griese (Jason Elam kick), 2:00. Broncos 21–10. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:22.

Fourth quarter

BUF – Josh Reed 4-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (2 Pt failed), 7:40. Broncos 21–16. Drive: 3 plays, 12 yards, 0:43.
DEN – Rod Smith 26-yard pass from Brian Griese (Jason Elam kick), 2:45. Broncos 28–16. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:56.
BUF – Eric Moulds 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis Kick), 1:40. Broncos 28–23. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 1:27.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 27/41, 283 yards, 2 TD
DEN – Brian Griese – 19/31, 211 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 12 rushes, 35 yards, TD
DEN – Clinton Portis – 18 rushes, 103 yards, TD

Top receivers

BUF – Eric Moulds – 9 receptions, 96 yards, TD
DEN – Rod Smith – 7 receptions, 94 yards, TD

Week 4: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 4: Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Bears	7	7	3	10	0	27
Bills	7	10	3	7	6	33

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: September 29, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 66 °F or 18.9 °C
Game attendance: 72,780
Referee: Tom White (123)
TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Tim Green and Bob Trimble
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

BUF – Peerless Price 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 10:55. Bills 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:12.
CHI – Mike Brown 62-yard fumble return (Paul Edinger kick), 3:00. Tied 7–7.

Second quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 48-yard field goal, 13:05. Bills 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 41 yards, 4:24.
BUF – Eric Moulds 4-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 5:55. Bills 17–7. Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards, 4:59.
CHI – David Terrell 5-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick), 0:34. Bills 17–14. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:08.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 49-yard field goal, 11:30. Bills 20–14. Drive: 5 plays, 13 yards, 2:13.
CHI – Paul Edinger 46-yard field goal, 6:55. Bills 20–17. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:45.

Fourth quarter

CHI – Paul Edinger 24-yard field goal, 12:51. Tied 20–20. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:42.
BUF – Dave Moore 1-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 9:30. Bills 27–20. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:44.
CHI – John Davis 4-yard pass from Jim Miller (Paul Edinger kick), 3:39. Tied 27–27. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 6:09.

Overtime

BUF – Travis Henry 26-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe, 13:15. Bills 33–27. Drive: 2 plays, 56 yards, 0:53.

Top passers

CHI – Jim Miller – 19/31, 188 yards, 2 TD
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 28/36, 328 yards, 4 TD

Top rushers

CHI – Anthony Thomas – 23 rushes, 48 yards
BUF – Travis Henry – 12 rushes, 68 yards

Top receivers

CHI – Marty Booker – 4 receptions, 82 yards
BUF – Eric Moulds – 8 receptions, 124 yards, TD

Week 5: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week 5: Oakland Raiders at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Raiders	7	14	7	21	49
Bills	0	21	10	0	31

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: October 6, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 64 °F or 17.8 °C
Game attendance: 73,038
Referee: Bernie Kukar (86)
TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross and Beasley Reece
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

OAK – Jerry Porter 29-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 0:39. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:25.

Second quarter

BUF – Peerless Price 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 9:48. Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:51.
OAK – Rich Gannon 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 8:11. Raiders 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 1:37.
BUF – Dave Moore 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 6:42. Tied 14–14. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:29.
OAK – Charlie Garner 36-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:38. Raiders 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:04.
BUF – Larry Centers 5-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 0:40. Tied 21–21. Drive: 5 plays, 98 yards, 0:52.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 30-yard field goal, 10:10. Bills 24–21. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:50.
OAK – Zack Crockett 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 6:17. Raiders 28–24. Drive: 4 plays, 32 yards, 2:12.
BUF – Travis Henry 2-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 2:19. Bills 31–28. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:58.

Fourth quarter

OAK – Charlie Garner 69-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 11:18. Raiders 35–31. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:34.
OAK – Phillip Buchanon 81-yard interception return (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 8:02. Raiders 42–31.
OAK – Jerry Rice 20-yard pass from Rich Gannon (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:20. Raiders 49–31. Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 2:12.

Top passers

OAK – Rich Gannon – 23/38, 357 yards, 3 TD
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 32/53, 417 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT

Top rushers

OAK – Charlie Garner – 8 rushes, 94 yards, TD
BUF – Travis Henry – 15 rushes, 58 yards, TD

Top receivers

OAK – Jerry Porter – 7 receptions, 117 yards, TD
BUF – Peerless Price – 7 receptions, 126 yards, TD

Week 6: at Houston Texans

Week 6: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	3	7	7	14	31
Texans	3	14	0	7	24

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

Date: October 13, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: None (indoor stadium) (roof closed)
Game attendance: 70,120
Referee: Ed Hochuli
TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
Recap Box Score

Game information

First quarter

HOU – Kris Brown 26-yard field goal, 10:26 Texans 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards, 2:19.
BUF – Mike Hollis 33-yard field goal, 5:00 Tied 3–3. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 5:26.

Second quarter

HOU – Jabar Gaffney 26-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 10:31 Texans 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:34.
HOU – David Carr 17-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 5:04 Texans 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 4:04.
BUF – Travis Henry 1-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 0:54 Texans 17–10. Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 4:10.

Third quarter

BUF – Travis Henry 23-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 6:32 Tied 17–17. Drive: 11 plays, 95 yards, 5:10.

Fourth quarter

HOU – Billy Miller 5-yard pass from James Allen (Kris Brown kick), 14:10 Texans 24–17. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:24.
BUF – Eric Moulds 23-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 10:39 Tied 24–24. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 3:31.
BUF – Peerless Price 26-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 3:55 Bills 31–24. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:30.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 19/33, 254 yards, 2 TD
HOU – David Carr – 12/23, 218 yards, TD

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 28 rushes, 159 yards, 2 TD
HOU – Jonathan Wells – 12 rushes, 70 yards

Top receivers

BUF – Peerless Price – 8 receptions, 121 yards, TD
HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 126 yards

Week 7: at Miami Dolphins

Week 7: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	3	14	3	3	23
Dolphins	7	3	0	0	10

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Date: October 20, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 85 °F or 29.4 °C
Game attendance: 73,180
Referee: Johnny Grier (23)
TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf, and Bonnie Bernstein
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

MIA – Randy McMichael 4-yard pass from Ray Lucas (Olindo Mare kick), 8:30. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 3:56.
BUF – Mike Hollis 46-yard field goal, 1:39. Dolphins 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 34 yards, 5:23.

Second quarter

BUF – Eric Moulds 70-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 12:40. Bills 10–7. Drive: 2 plays, 76 yards, 0:47.
MIA – Olindo Mare 42-yard field goal, 4:57. Tied 10–10. Drive: 13 plays, 46 yards, 7:43.
BUF – Nate Clements 29-yard interception return (Mike Hollis kick), 2:23. Bills 17–10.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 26-yard field goal, 4:16. Bills 20–10. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 3:32.

Fourth quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 44-yard field goal, 1:12. Bills 23–10. Drive: 9 plays, 23 yards, 4:07.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 15/31, 182 yards, TD
MIA – Ray Lucas – 13/33, 165 yards, TD, 4 INT

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 22 rushes, 132 yards
MIA – Ricky Williams – 25 rushes, 97 yards

Top receivers

BUF – Larry Centers – 5 receptions, 51 yards
MIA – James McKnight – 3 receptions, 42 yards

Week 8: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 8: Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	14	0	3	17
Bills	7	7	10	0	24

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: October 27, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Cloudy, 47 °F or 8.3 °C
Game attendance: 72,710
Referee: Jeff Triplette (42)
TV announcers (FOX): Ron Pitts, Tim Green and Bob Trimble
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

BUF – Travis Henry 5-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 3:40. Bills 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 47 yards, 0:45.

Second quarter

DET – Az-Zahir Hakim 23-yard pass from Joey Harrington (Jason Hanson kick), 5:03. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:02.
DET – James Stewart 2-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), 3:00. Lions 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 2:03.
BUF – Peerless Price 59-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 1:04. Tied 14–14. Drive: 5 plays, 73 yards, 1:56.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 33-yard field goal, 11:09. Bills 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 2:44.
BUF – Travis Henry 5-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 2:02. Bills 24–14. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 4:38.

Fourth quarter

DET – Jason Hanson 35-yard field goal, 3:07. Bills 24–17. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 2:54.

Top passers

DET – Joey Harrington – 20/42, 199 yards, TD, INT
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 21/36, 302 yards, TD

Top rushers

DET – James Stewart – 24 rushes, 83 yards, TD
BUF – Travis Henry – 19 rushes, 64 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

DET – James Stewart – 8 receptions, 53 yards
BUF – Eric Moulds – 9 receptions, 123 yards

Week 9: vs. New England Patriots

Week 9: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Patriots	7	10	14	7	38
Bills	0	7	0	0	7

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: November 3, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Cloudy, 40 °F or 4.4 °C
Game attendance: 73,448
Referee: Dick Hantak (105)
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms and Armen Keteyian
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

NE – Christian Fauria 5-yard pass from Tom Brady (Adam Vinatieri kick), 10:27. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 4:33.

Second quarter

NE – Antowain Smith 13-yard pass from Tom Brady (Adam Vinatieri kick), 12:54. Patriots 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 4:49.
NE – Adam Vinatieri 46-yard field goal, 3:49. Patriots 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 3:48.
BUF – Peerless Price 1-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 0:10. Patriots 17–7. Drive: 16 plays, 80 yards, 3:39.

Third quarter

NE – Kevin Faulk 45-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 7:33. Patriots 24–7. Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 4:08.
NE – Antowain Smith 2-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 0:54. Patriots 31–7. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 5:28.

Fourth quarter

NE – Antowain Smith 14-yard pass from Tom Brady (Adam Vinatieri kick), 6:52. Patriots 38–7. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 5:09.

Top passers

NE – Tom Brady – 22/26, 265 yards, 3 TD
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 28/45, 302 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

NE – Antowain Smith – 29 rushes, 111 yards, TD
BUF – Travis Henry – 11 rushes, 53 yards

Top receivers

NE – David Patten – 6 receptions, 88 yards
BUF – Peerless Price – 9 receptions, 98 yards, TD

Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 11: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	0	13	3	0	16
Chiefs	7	3	0	7	17

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: November 17, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 48 °F or 8.9 °C
Game attendance: 77,951
Referee: Terry McAulay (77)
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms and Armen Keteyian
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Priest Holmes 4-yard run (Morten Andersen kick), 3:02. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 2:51.

Second quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 23-yard field goal, 11:34. Chiefs 7–3. Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 6:28.
BUF – Mike Hollis 33-yard field goal, 8:42. Chiefs 7–6. Drive: 6 plays, 36 yards, 2:52.
KC – Morten Andersen 38-yard field goal, 6:40. Chiefs 10–6. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 2:02
BUF – Eric Moulds 7-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 0:32. Bills 13–10. Drive: 15 plays, 85 yards, 6:08.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 27-yard field goal, 2:29. Bills 16–10. Drive: 15 plays, 71 yards, 8:14.

Fourth quarter

KC – Trent Green 9-yard run (Morten Andersen kick), 4:53. Chiefs 17–16. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 5:23.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 24/36, 225 yards, TD, INT
KC – Trent Green – 12/20, 197 yards

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 24 rushes, 126 yards
KC – Priest Holmes – 31 rushes, 104 yards, TD

Top receivers

BUF – Josh Reed – 4 receptions, 44 yards
KC – Eddie Kennison – 3 receptions, 93 yards

Week 12: at New York Jets

Week 12: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	3	0	10	0	13
Jets	3	14	7	7	31

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Date: November 24, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Sunny, 50 °F or 10 °C
Game attendance: 78,745
Referee: Ron Blum (7)
TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf and Bonnie Bernstein
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 43-yard field goal, 8:31. Bills 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 55 yards, 6:34.
NYJ – John Hall 23-yard field goal, 3:20. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 5:32.

Second quarter

NYJ – LaMont Jordan 1-yard run (John Hall kick), 11:20. Jets 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 4:24.
NYJ – Curtis Martin 9-yard run (John Hall kick), 2:59. Jets 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 3:40.

Third quarter

NYJ – Laveranues Coles 11-yard pass from Chad Pennington (John Hall kick), 13:05. Jets 24–3. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 2:07.
BUF – Travis Henry 1-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 8:05. Jets 24–10. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 5:00.
BUF – Mike Hollis 40-yard field goal, 1:41. Jets 24–13. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:44.

Fourth quarter

NYJ – Chad Pennington 1-yard run (John Hall kick), 9:55. Jets 31–13. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 6:52.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 21/33, 181 yards, 2 INT
NYJ – Chad Pennington – 15/24, 178 yards, TD

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 17 rushes, 83 yards, TD
NYJ – Curtis Martin – 21 rushes, 120 yards, TD

Top receivers

BUF – Peerless Price – 6 receptions, 49 yards
NYJ – Laveranues Coles – 7 receptions, 78 yards, TD

Week 13: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week 13: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	14	0	7	0	21
Bills	3	14	14	7	38

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: December 1, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Snow, 25 °F or −3.9 °C
Game attendance: 73,287
Referee: Bill Carollo (63)
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, and Armen Keteyian
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

MIA – Ricky Williams 45-yard run (Olindo Mare kick), 11:11. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 45 yards, 0:09.
BUF – Mike Hollis 39-yard field goal, 6:01. Dolphins 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:10.
MIA – Jed Weaver 1-yard pass from Ray Lucas (Olindo Mare kick), 0:06. Dolphins 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:55.

Second quarter

BUF – Drew Bledsoe 2-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 3:37. Dolphins 14–10. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 4:24.
BUF – Peerless Price 20-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 0:11. Bills 17–14. Drive: 4 plays, 31 yards, 0:27.

Third quarter

MIA – Ricky Williams 55-yard run (Olindo Mare kick), 5:33. Dolphins 21–17. Drive: 3 plays, 64 yards, 1:28.
BUF – Peerless Price 73-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 4:35. Bills 24–21. Drive: 2 plays, 76 yards, 0;58.
BUF – Eric Moulds 57-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 2:01. Bills 31–21. Drive: 1 play, 57 yards, 0:09.

Fourth quarter

BUF – Travis Henry 1-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 10:30. Bills 38–21. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 4:19.

Top passers

MIA – Ray Lucas – 6/11, 40 yards, TD
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 15/27, 306 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

MIA – Ricky Williams – 27 carries, 228 yards, 2 TD
BUF – Travis Henry – 35 carries, 151 yards, TD

Top receivers

MIA – Jed Weaver – 2 receptions, 18 yards, TD
BUF – Eric Moulds – 5 receptions, 130 yards, TD

Week 14: at New England Patriots

Week 14: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	0	0	10	7	17
Patriots	17	3	0	7	27

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Date: December 8, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Partly cloudy, 44 °F or 6.7 °C
Game attendance: 68,436
Referee: Jeff Triplette (42)
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms and Armen Keteyian
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

NE – Adam Vinatieri 39-yard field goal, 11:16. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 3:44.
NE – David Patten 10-yard pass from Tom Brady (Adam Vinatieri kick), 3:35. Patriots 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 4:31.
NE – Donald Hayes 9-yard pass from Tom Brady (Adam Vinatieri kick), 3:14. Patriots 17–0. Drive: 2 plays, 9 yards, 0:08.

Second quarter

NE – Adam Vinatieri 46-yard field goal, 2:31. Patriots 20–0. Drive: 12 plays, 52 yards, 7:49.

Third quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 26-yard field goal, 7:46. Patriots 20–3. 13 plays, 72 yards, 7:14.
BUF – Eric Moulds 12-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 4:15. Patriots 20–10. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 1:53.

Fourth quarter

NE – Antowain Smith 4-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 10:06. Patriots 27–10. Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 3:17.
BUF – Eric Moulds 4-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 1:05. Patriots 27–17. Drive: 18 plays, 88 yards, 4:43.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 32/51, 328 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT
NE – Tom Brady – 15/27, 183 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 15 rushes, 60 yards
NE – Antowain Smith – 17 rushes, 68 yards, TD

Top receivers

BUF – Peerless Price – 9 receptions, 105 yards
NE – Deion Branch – 1 reception, 41 yards

Week 15: vs. San Diego Chargers

Week 15: San Diego Chargers at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	3	7	0	3	13
Bills	7	6	0	7	20

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: December 15, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Light rain, 37 °F or 2.8 °C
Game attendance: 61,838
Referee: Gerald Austin (34)
TV announcers (CBS (Blacked out locally)): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

SD – Steve Christie 39-yard field goal, 6:49. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:31.
BUF – Travis Henry 4-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 3:13. Bills 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:36.

Second quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 42-yard field goal, 9:05. Bills 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 2:57.
SD – LaDainian Tomlinson 2-yard run (Steve Christie kick), 3:21. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 5:44.
BUF – Mike Hollis 36-yard field goal, 1:08. Bills 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 17 yards, 2:13.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

SD – Steve Christie 53-yard field goal, 5:45. Tied 13–13. Drive: 5 plays, 53 yards, 2:38.
BUF – Travis Henry 26-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 0:52. Bills 20–13. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 2:12.

Top passers

SD – Drew Brees – 13/24, 148 yards
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 11/33, 107 yards

Top rushers

SD – LaDainian Tomlinson – 28 rushes, 110 yards, TD
BUF – Travis Henry – 22 rushes, 144 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

SD – Tim Dwight – 5 receptions, 81 yards
BUF – Eric Moulds – 5 receptions, 61 yards

Week 16: at Green Bay Packers

Week 16: Buffalo Bills at Green Bay Packers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	0	0	0	0	0
Packers	0	3	0	7	10

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Date: December 22, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Snow flurries, 27 °F or −2.8 °C
Game attendance: 64,106
Referee: Tom White (123)
TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Randy Cross and Beasley Reece
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

No scoring plays.

Second quarter

GB – Ryan Longwell 33-yard field goal, 3:57. Packers 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 37 yards, 4:15.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

GB – Donald Driver 11-yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick), 7:23. Packers 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:30.

Top passers

BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 18/36, 179 yards, 2 INT
GB – Brett Favre – 15/33, 114 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

BUF – Travis Henry – 20 rushes, 46 yards
GB – Ahman Green – 26 rushes, 116 yards

Top receivers

BUF – Eric Moulds – 5 receptions, 45 yards
GB – Donald Driver – 5 receptions, 52 yards, TD

Week 17: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 17: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	0	3	0	6	9
Bills	6	14	7	0	27

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

Date: December 29, 2002
Game time: 1:00 pm
Game weather: Cloudy, 35 °F or 1.7 °C
Game attendance: 47,850
Referee: Mike Carey (94)
TV announcers (CBS (Blacked out locally)): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

BUF – Mike Hollis 32-yard field goal, 8:36. Bills 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:15.
BUF – Mike Hollis 25-yard field goal, 1:12. Bills 6–0. Drive: 4 plays, 4, yards, 1:32.

Second quarter

BUF – Drew Bledsoe 7-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 10:25. Bills 13–0. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 4:15.
BUF – Eric Moulds 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 2:41. Bills 20–0. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 5:12.
CIN – Neil Rackers 19-yard field goal, 0:24. Bills 20–3. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 2:17.

Third quarter

BUF – Larry Centers 4-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 1:37. Bills 27–3. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 4:11.

Fourth quarter

CIN – Jon Kitna 6-yard run (run failed), 8:05. Bills 27–9. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 2:49.

Top passers

CIN – Jon Kitna – 19/35, 241 yards, 2 INT
BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 23/31, 231 yards, TD

Top rushers

CIN – Corey Dillon – 13 rushes, 53 yards
BUF – Travis Henry – 30 rushes, 80 yards

Top receivers

CIN – Chad Johnson – 6 receptions, 123 yards
BUF – Eric Moulds – 9 receptions, 75 yards, TD

References

^ "Bledsoe shuffles off to Buffalo". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 22, 2002. p. C1.
^ "A look back at Bills uniform changes". BuffaloBills.com. NFL Enterprises. November 11, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ "Bills Unveil New Uniforms". BuffaloBills.com (Press release). NFL Enterprises. June 8, 2002. Archived from the original on August 15, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
^ 10-Pack: 10 biggest first-round draft busts of the last 20 years

External links

Buffalo Bills on Pro Football Reference

[shufbuf-1] "Bledsoe shuffles off to Buffalo". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 22, 2002. p. C1.

[2] "A look back at Bills uniform changes". BuffaloBills.com. NFL Enterprises. November 11, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[3] "Bills Unveil New Uniforms". BuffaloBills.com (Press release). NFL Enterprises. June 8, 2002. Archived from the original on August 15, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2020.

[4] "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.

[5] 10-Pack: 10 biggest first-round draft busts of the last 20 years

[1]

v t e Buffalo Bills
Founded in 1960 Based and headquartered in Orchard Park, New York
Franchise	Franchise History All-time roster Seasons Pro Bowl selections First-round draft picks Starting quarterbacks Coaches NFL in Toronto
Stadiums	War Memorial Stadium Highmark Stadium Rogers Centre (Bills Toronto Series) New Highmark Stadium (set to open in 2026)
Culture	Ralph Wilson Billy Buffalo Buffalo Jills Bills Mafia Ken "Pinto Ron" Johnson Tim Russert Buffalo '66 Second String Flutie Flakes "Shout" song "Mr. Brightside" "3 Acts of God" Elway to Marino Four Falls of Buffalo Zubaz "No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills!"
Lore	Electric Company Wide Right No Punt Game The Comeback Music City Miracle Snowvertime Hail Murray 13 Seconds
Rivalries	Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets Tennessee Titans
Division championships (15)	1964 1965 1966 1980 1988 1989 1990 1991 1993 1995 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Conference championships (4)	1990 1991 1992 1993
League championships (2)	1964 1965
Wall of Fame	Simpson Kemp McGroder Sestak Shaw Wilson 12th Man Dubenion Stratton Ferguson Levy DeLamielleure James Abramoski Kalsu Saimes Kelly Smerlas Hull Talley Ritcher Thomas Reed Tasker Smith Edgerson Hansen Polian Miller Saban Gilchrist
Media	Broadcasters Radio Radio Network WGR 550 Television MSG Western New York Personalities: Chris Brown Van Miller Eric Wood Steve Tasker
Owners	Ralph Wilson Pegula family Terry Kim
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League (1970–present) Conference: American Football Conference Division: East Division
Former league affiliation	League: American Football League (1960–1969)
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