The 1981 Green Bay Packers season was their 63rd season overall and their 61st in the National Football League. The team posted an 8–8 record under coach Bart Starr, earning them a third-place finish in the NFC Central division. Led by the defense the Packers were number one in turnovers forced and number 9th overall. The offense did improve but still finished in the bottom half of the league. They still had a possibility at a wildcard on the last regular-season game but were defeated by the Jets 28 - 3. The Packers managed only 84 total yards against the Jets.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Undrafted free agents
Personnel
Staff
1981 Green Bay Packers staff
|
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
|
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
|
[1]
Roster
1981 Green Bay Packers final roster
|
|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
|
Reserve lists
Practice squad
Rookies in italics
00 active, 0 inactive, 0 practice squad
|
Regular season
Schedule
Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
1
|
September 6, 1981
|
at Chicago Bears
|
W 16–9
|
Soldier Field
|
62,411
|
2
|
September 13, 1981
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
L 31–17
|
Lambeau Field
|
55,382
|
3
|
September 20, 1981
|
at Los Angeles Rams
|
L 35–23
|
Anaheim Stadium
|
61,286
|
4
|
September 27, 1981
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
L 30–13
|
Milwaukee County Stadium
|
55,012
|
5
|
October 4, 1981
|
at New York Giants
|
W 27–14
|
Giants Stadium
|
73,684
|
6
|
October 11, 1981
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
L 21–10
|
Lambeau Field
|
55,264
|
7
|
October 18, 1981
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
L 13–3
|
Milwaukee County Stadium
|
50,171
|
8
|
October 25, 1981
|
at Detroit Lions
|
L 31–27
|
Pontiac Silverdome
|
76,063
|
9
|
November 1, 1981
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
W 34–24
|
Lambeau Field
|
49,467
|
10
|
November 8, 1981
|
New York Giants
|
W 26–24
|
Milwaukee County Stadium
|
54,138
|
11
|
November 15, 1981
|
Chicago Bears
|
W 21–17
|
Lambeau Field
|
55,338
|
12
|
November 22, 1981
|
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
L 37–3
|
Tampa Stadium
|
63,251
|
13
|
November 29, 1981
|
at Minnesota Vikings
|
W 35–23
|
Metropolitan Stadium
|
46,025
|
14
|
December 6, 1981
|
Detroit Lions
|
W 31–17
|
Lambeau Field
|
54,481
|
15
|
December 13, 1981
|
at New Orleans Saints
|
W 35–7
|
Louisiana Superdome
|
45,518
|
16
|
December 20, 1981
|
at New York Jets
|
L 28–3
|
Shea Stadium
|
56,340
|
Game summaries
Week 1
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
• Packers |
7 |
6 | 0 | 3 |
16 |
Bears |
0 |
0 | 6 | 3 |
9 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
| Q1 | | GB | Ivery 2-yard run (Wingo pass from Stachowicz | GB 8–0 |
| Q2 | | GB | Ellis 5-yard run (kick blocked) | GB 13–0 |
| Q3 | | CHI | Payton 11-yard run (kick failed) | GB 13–6 |
| Q4 | | GB | Stenerud 33-yard field goal | GB 16–6 |
| Q4 | 3:57 | CHI | Thomas 25-yard field goal | GB 16–9 |
|
[2]
Week 7: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Game information
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Game information
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Dan Doornink 12-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efren Herrera kick), 11:03 (SEA 14–7)
- GB – David Whitehurst 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 5:19 (Tied 14–14)
- GB – James Lofton 8-yard pass from David Whitehurst (Jan Stenerud kick), 4:18 (GB 21–14)
- SEA – Dan Doornink 14-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efren Herrera kick), 0:24 (Tied 21–21)
Third quarter
- SEA – Efren Herrera 54-yard field goal, 5:54 (SEA 24–21)
- GB – James Lofton 38-yard pass from David Whitehurst (Jan Stenerud kick), 1:02 (GB 28–24)
Fourth quarter
- GB – Jan Stenerud 19-yard field goal, 1:58 (GB 31–24)
- GB – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal, 0:45 (GB 34–24)
|
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 102 – 119 – 221 – 3
- GB – 195 – 182 – 337 – 3
|
|
Week 11
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
Bears |
10 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
• Packers |
7 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
21 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
| Q1 | | CHI | Roveto 36-yard field goal | CHI 3–0 |
| Q1 | | GB | Huckleby 1-yard pass from Whitehurst (Stenerud kick) | GB 7–3 |
| Q1 | | CHI | Suhey 1-yard run (Roveto kick) | CHI 10–7 |
| Q2 | | GB | Huckleby 39-yard pass from Whitehurst (Stenerud kick) | GB 14–10 |
| Q2 | | GB | Middleton 2-yard pass from Whitehurst (Stenerud kick) | GB 21—10 |
| Q4 | | CHI | Payton 2-yard run (Roveto kick) | GB 21–17 |
|
[3]
Standings
NFC Central
|
|
|
Franchise | |
---|
Records | |
---|
Stadiums | |
---|
Training facilities | |
---|
Culture | |
---|
Lore | |
---|
Rivalries | |
---|
Division championships (20) | |
---|
Conference championships (9) | |
---|
League championships (13†) | |
---|
Media | |
---|
Current league affiliations | |
---|
Seasons (100) Championship seasons in bold | |
---|
† does not include 1966 or 1967 NFL championships |