The 1981 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1980. The team posted an 8–8 record, but missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. This was Joe Gibbs' first season as head coach. The team slumped early, losing its first 5 games before upsetting the Chicago Bears 24-7 in Chicago before losing to the Dolphins to sit at 1-6. The Redskins would do better in the second half, as they would win their next 4 games to sit at 5-6 and looking like they were going to reach the playoffs. However, losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills eliminated the Redskins from any hopes at reaching the playoffs. The team would win its final 3 games of the season to end the season 8-8.
Personnel
Staff
1981 Washington Redskins staff |
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
- Special Teams – Wayne Sevier
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[2]
Roster
1981 Washington Redskins roster |
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
{{{reserve_lists}}}
Rookies in italics
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[3]
Regular season
Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Attendance |
1 |
September 6, 1981 |
Dallas Cowboys |
L 10-26 |
55,045 |
2 |
September 13, 1981 |
New York Giants |
L 7-17 |
53,343 |
3 |
September 20, 1981 |
at St. Louis Cardinals |
L 30-40 |
47,592 |
4 |
September 27, 1981 |
at Philadelphia Eagles |
L 13-36 |
70,664 |
5 |
October 4, 1981 |
San Francisco 49ers |
L 17-30 |
51,843 |
6 |
October 11, 1981 |
at Chicago Bears |
W 24–7 |
57,683 |
7 |
October 18, 1981 |
at Miami Dolphins |
L 10-13 |
47,367 |
8 |
October 25, 1981 |
New England Patriots |
W 24–22 |
50,394 |
9 |
November 1, 1981 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
W 42–21 |
50,643 |
10 |
November 8, 1981 |
Detroit Lions |
W 33–31 |
52,096 |
11 |
November 15, 1981 |
at New York Giants |
W 30–27 |
63,133 |
12 |
November 22, 1981 |
at Dallas Cowboys |
L 10-24 |
64,587 |
13 |
November 29, 1981 |
at Buffalo Bills |
L 14-21 |
59,624 |
14 |
December 6, 1981 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
W 15–13 |
52,206 |
15 |
December 13, 1981 |
Baltimore Colts |
W 38–14 |
46,706 |
16 |
December 20, 1981 |
at Los Angeles Rams |
W 30–7 |
52,224 |
External links
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Franchise | |
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Stadiums | |
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Culture | |
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Lore | |
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Rivalries | |
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Division championships (14) | |
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Conference championships (5) | |
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League championships (5) | |
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Hall of Fame players | |
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All-time leaders | |
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Current league affiliations | |
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Seasons (87) | |
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Championship seasons in bold |