# NFL 1981

Die NFL-Saison 1981 war die 62. Saison im American Football in der National Football League (NFL). Die Regular Season begann am 5. September 1981 und endete am 21. Dezember 1981. Die Saison endete mit dem Pro Bowl am 31. Januar im Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

## Regular Season

AFC East :
| Team | S | N | U | SQ | P+ | P− | DIV | CONF |
| $^{(2)}$ Miami Dolphins | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0,719 | 345 | 275 | 5–2–1 | 8–3–1 |
| $^{(4)}$ New York Jets | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0,656 | 355 | 287 | 6–1–1 | 8–5–1 |
| $^{(5)}$ Buffalo Bills | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0,625 | 311 | 276 | 6–2 | 9–3 |
| Baltimore Colts | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0,125 | 259 | 533 | 2–6 | 2–10 |
| New England Patriots | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0,125 | 322 | 370 | 0–8 | 2–10 |
| AFC Central |||||||||
| Team | S | N | U | SQ | P+ | P− | DIV | CONF |
| $^{(1)}$ Cincinnati Bengals | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0,750 | 421 | 304 | 4–2 | 10–2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0,500 | 356 | 297 | 3–3 | 5–7 |
| Houston Oilers | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0,438 | 281 | 355 | 4–2 | 6–6 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0,313 | 276 | 375 | 1–5 | 2–10 |
| AFC West |||||||||
| Team | S | N | U | SQ | P+ | P− | DIV | CONF |
| $^{(3)}$ San Diego Chargers | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0,625 | 478 | 390 | 6–2 | 8–4 |
| Denver Broncos | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0,625 | 321 | 289 | 5–3 | 7–5 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0,563 | 343 | 290 | 5–3 | 7–5 |
| Oakland Raiders | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0,438 | 273 | 343 | 2–6 | 5–7 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0,375 | 322 | 388 | 2–6 | 6–8 |
NFC East :
| Team | S | N | U | SQ | P+ | P− | DIV | CONF |
| $^{(2)}$ Dallas Cowboys | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0,750 | 367 | 277 | 6–2 | 8–4 |
| $^{(4)}$ Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0,625 | 368 | 221 | 4–4 | 7–5 |
| $^{(5)}$ New York Giants | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0,563 | 295 | 257 | 5–3 | 8–6 |
| Washington Redskins | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0,500 | 347 | 349 | 3–5 | 6–6 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0,438 | 315 | 408 | 2–6 | 4–8 |
| NFC Central |||||||||
| Team | S | N | U | SQ | P+ | P− | DIV | CONF |
| $^{(3)}$ Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0,563 | 315 | 268 | 6–2 | 9–3 |
| Detroit Lions | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0,500 | 397 | 322 | 4–4 | 6–6 |
| Green Bay Packers | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0,500 | 324 | 361 | 4–4 | 7–7 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0,438 | 325 | 369 | 4–4 | 6–6 |
| Chicago Bears | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0,375 | 253 | 324 | 2–6 | 2–10 |
| NFC West |||||||||
| Team | S | N | U | SQ | P+ | P− | DIV | CONF |
| $^{(1)}$ San Francisco 49ers | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0,813 | 357 | 250 | 5–1 | 10–2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0,438 | 426 | 355 | 3–3 | 6–6 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0,375 | 303 | 351 | 2–4 | 5–7 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0,250 | 207 | 378 | 2–4 | 2–10 |
Legende:
| Siege | Niederlagen | Unentschieden | DIV Gewonnene / verlorene Spiele in der Division | SQ gewonnene Spiele (relativ) |
| P+ gemachte Punkte | P− gegnerische Punkte | Playoff-Teilnehmer | CONF Gewonnene / verlorene Spiele in der Conference |

## Play-offs

Die Play-offs begannen am 27. Dezember und liefen bis zum 10. Januar 1982. Die San Francisco 49ers gewannen ihren ersten Super Bowl.
| | | | Divisional Playoffs | Divisional Playoffs | Divisional Playoffs | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 3. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 3. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | | | | | | | | |
| AFC Wild Card Game | AFC Wild Card Game | AFC Wild Card Game | 3. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 3. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 3. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | AFC Championship | AFC Championship | AFC Championship | | | | | | | |
| AFC Wild Card Game | AFC Wild Card Game | AFC Wild Card Game | 1 | Cincinnati | 28 | AFC Championship | AFC Championship | AFC Championship | | | | | |
| 27. Dezember – Shea Stadium | 27. Dezember – Shea Stadium | 27. Dezember – Shea Stadium | 1 | Cincinnati | 28 | 10. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 10. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 10. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | | | | | | | |
| 27. Dezember – Shea Stadium | 27. Dezember – Shea Stadium | 27. Dezember – Shea Stadium | 5 | Buffalo | 21 | 10. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 10. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | 10. Januar – Riverfront Stadium | | | | | |
| 4 | N.Y. Jets | 27 | 5 | Buffalo | 21 | 1 | Cincinnati | 27 | | | | | |
| 4 | N.Y. Jets | 27 | 2. Januar – Miami Orange Bowl | 2. Januar – Miami Orange Bowl | 2. Januar – Miami Orange Bowl | | | 1 | Cincinnati | 27 | | | | | |
| 5 | Buffalo | 31 | 2. Januar – Miami Orange Bowl | 2. Januar – Miami Orange Bowl | 2. Januar – Miami Orange Bowl | 3 | San Diego | 7 | | | Super Bowl XVI | Super Bowl XVI | Super Bowl XVI |
| 5 | Buffalo | 31 | 2 | Miami | 38 | 3 | San Diego | 7 | | | Super Bowl XVI | Super Bowl XVI | Super Bowl XVI |
| | | | 2 | Miami | 38 | | | | | | 24. Januar – Pontiac Silverdome | 24. Januar – Pontiac Silverdome | 24. Januar – Pontiac Silverdome |
| | | | 3 | San Diego (OT) | 41 | | | | | | 24. Januar – Pontiac Silverdome | 24. Januar – Pontiac Silverdome | 24. Januar – Pontiac Silverdome |
| | | | 3 | San Diego (OT) | 41 | | | | | | A1 | Cincinnati | 21 |
| | | | 3. Januar – Candlestick Park | 3. Januar – Candlestick Park | 3. Januar – Candlestick Park | | | | | | | | A1 | Cincinnati | 21 |
| NFC Wild Card Game | NFC Wild Card Game | NFC Wild Card Game | 3. Januar – Candlestick Park | 3. Januar – Candlestick Park | 3. Januar – Candlestick Park | NFC Championship | NFC Championship | NFC Championship | | | N1 | San Francisco | 26 |
| NFC Wild Card Game | NFC Wild Card Game | NFC Wild Card Game | 1 | San Francisco | 38 | NFC Championship | NFC Championship | NFC Championship | | | N1 | San Francisco | 26 |
| 27. Dezember – Veterans Stadium | 27. Dezember – Veterans Stadium | 27. Dezember – Veterans Stadium | 1 | San Francisco | 38 | 10. Januar – Candlestick Park | 10. Januar – Candlestick Park | 10. Januar – Candlestick Park | | | | | |
| 27. Dezember – Veterans Stadium | 27. Dezember – Veterans Stadium | 27. Dezember – Veterans Stadium | 5 | N.Y. Giants | 24 | 10. Januar – Candlestick Park | 10. Januar – Candlestick Park | 10. Januar – Candlestick Park | | | | | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | 21 | 5 | N.Y. Giants | 24 | 1 | San Francisco | 28 | | | | | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | 21 | 2. Januar – Texas Stadium | 2. Januar – Texas Stadium | 2. Januar – Texas Stadium | | | 1 | San Francisco | 28 | | | | | |
| 5 | N.Y. Giants | 27 | 2. Januar – Texas Stadium | 2. Januar – Texas Stadium | 2. Januar – Texas Stadium | 2 | Dallas | 27 | | | | | |
| 5 | N.Y. Giants | 27 | 2 | Dallas | 38 | 2 | Dallas | 27 | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Tampa Bay | 0 | | | | | | | | |

## Super Bowl XVI

Der 16. Super Bowl fand am 24. Januar 1982 im Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan statt. Im Finale trafen die San Francisco 49ers auf die Cincinnati Bengals.
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Gesamt |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 26 |

## Auszeichnungen

| Most Valuable Player | Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals |
| Coach of the Year | Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, New York Giants |
| Offensive Rookie of the Year | George Rogers, Runningback, New Orleans Saints |
| Defensive Rookie of the Year | Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, New York Giants |
| Comeback Player of the Year | Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals |
| Man of the Year | Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Super Bowl Most Valuable Player | Joe Montana, Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers |