1981 Cincinnati Bengals season Schedule Schedule

| Week | Date_ | Opponent | Result_ | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6, 1981 | Seattle Seahawks | W 27–21 | 41177 |
| 2 | September 13, 1981 | at New York Jets | W 31–30 | 49454 |
| 3 | September 20, 1981 | Cleveland Browns | L 20–17 | 52170 |
| 4 | September 27, 1981 | Buffalo Bills | W 27–24 | 46418 |
| 5 | October 4, 1981 | at Houston Oilers | L 17–10 | 44350 |
| 6 | October 11, 1981 | at Baltimore Colts | W 41–19 | 33060 |
| 7 | October 18, 1981 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 34–7 | 57090 |
| 8 | October 25, 1981 | at New Orleans Saints | L 17–7 | 46336 |
| 9 | November 1, 1981 | Houston Oilers | W 34–21 | 54736 |
| 10 | November 8, 1981 | at San Diego Chargers | W 40–17 | 51259 |