CINCINNATI BENGALS HISTORY: 1981
1981 FINAL RESULTS
Record: 12-4-0 (1st in AFC Central); 6-2 at home, 6-2 on road Head Coach: Forrest Gregg |
| Date | Opponent | W-L | Score | Att. | Stadium |
|---|
| September 6 | Seattle | W | 27-21 | 41,177 | Riverfront |
| September 13 | at NY Jets | W | 31-30 | 49,454 | Shea |
| September 20 | Cleveland | L | 17-20 | 52,170 | Riverfront |
| September 27 | Buffalo | W | 27-24 (OT) | 46,418 | Riverfront |
| October 4 | at Houston | L | 10-17 | 44,350 | Astrodome |
| October 11 | at Baltimore | W | 41-19 | 33,060 | Memorial |
| October 18 | Pittsburgh | W | 34-7 | 57,090 | Riverfront |
| October 25 | at New Orleans | L | 7-17 | 46,336 | Louisiana Superdome |
| November 1 | Houston | W | 34-21 | 54,736 | Riverfront |
| November 8 | at San Diego | W | 40-17 | 51,259 | San Diego Jack Murphy |
| November 15 | LA Rams | W | 24-10 | 56,836 | Riverfront |
| November 22 | Denver | W | 38-21 | 57,207 | Riverfront |
| November 29 | at Cleveland | W | 41-21 | 75,186 | Cleveland |
| December 6 | San Francisco | L | 3-21 | 56,796 | Riverfront |
| December 13 | at Pittsburgh | W | 17-10 | 50,623 | Three Rivers |
| December 20 | at Atlanta | W | 30-28 | 35,972 | Atlanta-Fulton County |
| AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS |
| January 3 | Buffalo | W | 28-21 | 55,420 | Riverfront |
| AFC CHAMPIONSHIP |
| January 10 | San Diego | W | 27-7 | 46,302 | Riverfront |
| SUPER BOWL XVI IN PONTIAC, MICHIGAN |
| January 24 | San Francisco | L | 21-26 | 81,270 | Pontiac Silverdome |
Bengals 1981 Summary
The Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants. They had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season and, on Dec. 13, Ken Anderson threw two touchdown passes as the Bengals clinched the division with a 17-10 win over the Steelers. Anderson led the NFL in passing with a 98.5 rating. On Jan. 3, the Bengals beat Buffalo, 28-21, in an AFC Divisional Playoff game. A week later, playing in their first AFC Championship Game, the Bengals defeated San Diego, 27-7, at Riverfront Stadium in a temperature of nine degrees below zero with a wind-chill factor of minus 59. In Super Bowl XVI on Jan. 24 in Pontiac, Mich., the Bengals trailed 20-0 at halftime and lost to San Francisco, 26-21.
1981: A CLOSER LOOK
PRO BOWL PLAYERS
- QB Ken Anderson
- WR Cris Collinsworth
- FB Pete Johnson
- P Pat McInally
- T Anthony Muñoz
1981 SEASON LEADERS
- Passing: Ken Anderson (479 Att, 300 Comp, 3754 Yds, 62.6 Pct, 29 TD, 10 Int, 98.4 Rating)
- Rushing: Pete Johnson (274 Att, 1077 Yds, 3.9 Avg, 39 Long, 12 TD)
- Receiving: Cris Collinsworth (67 Rec, 1009 Yds, 15.1 Avg, 74 Long, 8 TD)
- Scoring: Jim Breech, 115 points (22 FG; 49 PAT)
1981 NEWS AND NOTES
- The Bengals' best-ever road record came in their AFC Championship season of 1981, when they went 6-2. Cincinnati won its last four away from home after splitting the first four.
STADIUM
- Riverfront Stadium
Helmet/Uniform
1981 Logo
T Anthony Munoz
