2000 NFL season
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2000_NFL_season".

The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.

Major rule changes

• In order to cut down on group celebrations, unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and fines will be assessed for celebrations by two or more players.
• Anyone wearing an eligible number (1-49 and 80-89) can play at quarterback without having to first report to the referee before a play.
  • This rule change resulted in the increase of trick plays teams can employ on offense.
• The "Bert Emanuel" rule was implemented. A receiver has to have possession of the ball and control of the ball. If when making a catch and falling to the ground, the ball is allowed to touch the ground and still be considered a catch if the player maintains clear control of the ball.

Final regular season standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in green

Tiebreakers

• Green Bay finished ahead of Detroit in the NFC Central based on better division record (5-3 to Lions' 3-5).
• New Orleans finished ahead of St. Louis in the NFC West based on better division record (7-1 to Rams' 5-3).
• Tampa Bay was the second NFC Wild Card based on head-to-head victory over St. Louis (1-0).

Playoffs

Main article: NFL playoffs, 2000-01

Home team in capitals

AFC

• Wild-Card playoffs: MIAMI 23, Indianapolis 17 (OT); BALTIMORE 21, Denver 3
• Divisional playoffs: OAKLAND 27, Miami 0; Baltimore 24, TENNESSEE 10
• AFC Championship: Baltimore 16, OAKLAND 3 at Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California, January 14, 2001

NFC

• Wild-Card playoffs: NEW ORLEANS 31, St. Louis 28; PHILADELPHIA 21, Tampa Bay 3
• Divisional playoffs: MINNESOTA 34, New Orleans 16; N.Y. GIANTS 20, Philadelphia 10
• NFC Championship: N.Y. GIANTS 41, Minnesota 0 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, January 14, 2001

Super Bowl

• Super Bowl XXXV: Baltimore (AFC) 34, N.Y. Giants (NFC) 7 at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida, January 28, 2001

Milestones

The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:

Statistical leaders

Team

Individual

Awards

Notes

References

• NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
• NFL History 1991-2000 (Last accessed October 17, 2005)
• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
• Steelers Fever - History of NFL Rules (Last accessed October 17, 2005)