2003 Kansas City Chiefs: A Turf Sequel

2003 Kansas City Chiefs: A Turf Sequel

2003 Kansas City Chiefs: Sequel to the Greatest Show on Turf

In 1999, Dick Vermeil was the architect of one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history. “The Greatest Show on Turf” was led by Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. Vermeil left the Rams and ended up in Kansas City, where he would once again pull the strings for another historic offense.

A Loaded Offense in Kansas City

The 2003 Kansas City Chiefs didn’t have any flashy nicknames, but they had tremendous talent on the offensive side of the ball. After losing his starting job in St. Louis to Kurt Warner, Trent Green had another opportunity to be the lead pivot for a Dick Vermeil-coached team. Priest Holmes was a talented running back with big-play potential, and Tony Gonzalez was a future Hall of Fame tight end.

Vermeil harnessed the talent of his roster to the tune of 30.3 points per game, and the Chiefs led the NFL in scoring with 484 points, according to Pro Football Reference. Trent Green completed 63% of his passes for 4,039 yards and 24 touchdowns. Tony Gonzalez had 71 receptions for 916 yards and 10 touchdowns. Eddie Kennison added 853 yards and five touchdowns. Kick returner Dante Hall electrified crowds at Arrowhead Stadium with his amazing returns, taking two punts and two kickoffs back for touchdowns in 2003. Gonzalez and Hall earned spots in the Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors for their spectacular seasons, but their feats were overshadowed by Priest Holmes.

Priest Holmes’ Record-Breaking Season

Priest Holmes had shown flashes of his brilliance in years past, rushing for 1,555 yards in 2001 and 1,615 yards in 2002. In addition to being a tremendous runner, he was also an accomplished pass catcher out of the backfield, recording 132 receptions for 1,286 receiving yards across 2001 and 2002. He gave a preview of what was to come in 2003 by scoring 21 rushing touchdowns in 2002. It looked as if there was no more room to improve, but Holmes shattered those expectations. He posted fewer rushing yards in 2003, but he scored an astonishing 27 rushing touchdowns. He continued his great receiving, catching 74 passes for 690 yards, and his combined rushing and receiving yards surpassed 2,000. Holmes earned a place in the Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro accolades, but he took a back seat in MVP voting to Peyton Manning and Steve McNair.

Perfect at Home and Division Champions

The 2003 Kansas City Chiefs rode their high-octane offense to a perfect 8-0 record at home. They started the season with nine consecutive victories before finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record. The Chiefs won their first AFC West title since 1997 and earned a first-round bye. They faced the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round.

A Playoff Shootout With the Colts

It was a matchup between the two highest-scoring offenses in the league, and they did not disappoint. The offensive powerhouses put their punters on ice and let their offenses go to work. The Colts took a 14-3 lead into the second quarter before Dante Hall caught a 9-yard pass from Trent Green to trim the lead to four points. The Colts scored another touchdown in the second quarter to take a 21-10 lead into halftime.

Priest Holmes continued his inspired play from the regular season by rushing for 176 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown came in the third quarter and cut the Colts’ lead to seven points. Peyton Manning answered with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne before Dante Hall’s 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown brought the deficit back to seven points.

Edgerrin James scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to push the Colts’ lead to 14, and it proved to be the game-winning score. Priest Holmes scored his second touchdown of the day, but it wasn’t enough. Kansas City ran into an equally formidable offense and failed to win the shootout.