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1981 Philadelphia Eagles season

NFL team season

Field	Value
team	Philadelphia Eagles
year	1981
record	10–6
division_place	2nd NFC East
coach	Dick Vermeil
owner	Leonard Tose
general manager	Jim Murray
stadium	Veterans Stadium
playoffs	Lost [Wild Card Playoffs](1981-82-nfl-playoffs)
(vs. [Giants](1981-new-york-giants-season)) 21–27
shortnavlink	Eagles seasons

(vs. Giants) 21–27 The 1981 season was the Philadelphia Eagles' 49th in the National Football League (NFL). They made the postseason for the fourth straight season (the first time in franchise history the Eagles made the postseason four straight times). The team was coming off a loss to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV the previous season. Because they made the Super Bowl in 1980, the Eagles were picked by many not only to reach the Super Bowl, but to win it as well. The Eagles began the 1981 season with 6 straight wins, their best ever start to a season at the time. They won 3 of their next 5 games for a record of 9–2. Then they lost their next 4 games in a row to slip to 9–6 but clinched a playoff spot for the fourth straight season prior to the final week of the regular season due to owning a tiebreaker with the Packers and not finishing last had the Eagles, Giants, and Packers finished 9–7.

The next week, they hammered the St. Louis Cardinals 38–0 to clinch the Wild Card Game would be held in Philadelphia. In the playoffs, they met their arch rivals the New York Giants. It was New York's first playoff appearance in 18 years. The Giants stunned the Eagles 27–21, ending the Eagles' season as well as hopes for a second straight Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles would not make the playoffs again until 1988. They wouldn't reach the Super Bowl again until 2004.

Offseason

NFL draft

After going 12–4, winning the NFC title and losing in Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in the 1980 season, the Eagles were slotted to pick next to last in the 12 rounds of the 1981 NFL draft.

The NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981. ESPN covered all 12 rounds live for the first time. ESPN then showed a replay later that night. This was over a period of two days.

The Eagles had the 27th pick in each of the 12 rounds of the draft except for the 5th, 6th, and 8th rounds; they had no picks for these rounds because of draft-day trades. Instead, they had two picks in the 7th round: the 8th and 27th picks. The Eagles drafted a total of 10 players.

Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"
Leonard Mitchell	DE	Houston
Dean Miraldi	G	Utah
Greg LaFleur	TE	LSU
Calvin Murray	RB	Ohio State
Traded to [NY Giants](1981-new-york-giants-season)
Alan Duncan	K	Tennessee
Doak Field	LB	Baylor
Traded to [Baltimore](1981-baltimore-colts-season)
Chuck Commiskey	OL	Ole Miss
Hubert Oliver	RB	Arizona
Gail Davis	DT	Virginia Union
Ray Ellis	DB	Ohio State

Personnel

Staff

Owner – Leonard Tose
General manager – Jim Murray
Director of player personnel – Carl Peterson
Head coach – Dick Vermeil
Running backs – John Becker
Receivers – Dick Coury
Tight ends – Lynn Stiles
Offensive line – Ken Iman
Offensive line – Jerry Wampfler
Defensive coordinator – Marion Campbell
Defensive line – Chuck Clausen
Linebackers – George Hill
Defensive backs – Fred Bruney
Special teams – Lynn Stiles

Roster

Regular season

The 1981 season schedule was set by how the Eagles finished in 1980, 1st in NFC East. The way it was laid out, 4 of the 5 teams in the same 5 team division could end up having 10 to 14 common opponents during the 1981 season. Also, when the last regular season game is over you know who you play the following year.

A home and away series vs Dallas, New York Giants, St. Louis and Washington = 8 games
The top four teams in the NFC East play the top four teams in the AFC East from the 1980 season = 4 games
The 1st and 4th place teams in NFC Central and NFC West in the 1980 season

Schedule

Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"	Week
September 6, 1981	at [New York Giants](1981-new-york-giants-season)	W 24–10	72,459
September 13, 1981	[New England Patriots](1981-new-england-patriots-season)	W 13–3	71,089
September 17, 1981	at [Buffalo Bills](1981-buffalo-bills-season)	W 20–14	78,331
September 27, 1981	[Washington Redskins](1981-washington-redskins-season)	W 36–13	70,664
October 5, 1981	[Atlanta Falcons](1981-atlanta-falcons-season)	W 16–13	71,488
October 11, 1981	at [New Orleans Saints](1981-new-orleans-saints-season)	W 31–14	52,728
October 18, 1981	at [Minnesota Vikings](1981-minnesota-vikings-season)	L 35–23	45,459
October 25, 1981	[Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1981-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season)	W 20–10	70,714
November 1, 1981	[Dallas Cowboys](1981-dallas-cowboys-season)	L 17–14	72,111
November 8, 1981	at [St. Louis Cardinals](1981-st-louis-cardinals-nfl-season)	W 52–10	48,421
November 15, 1981	[Baltimore Colts](1981-baltimore-colts-season)	W 38–13	68,618
November 22, 1981	[New York Giants](1981-new-york-giants-season)	L 20–10	66,827
November 30, 1981	at [Miami Dolphins](1981-miami-dolphins-season)	L 13–10	67,797
December 6, 1981	at [Washington Redskins](1981-washington-redskins-season)	L 15–13	52,206
December 13, 1981	at [Dallas Cowboys](1981-dallas-cowboys-season)	L 21–10	64,955
December 20, 1981	[St. Louis Cardinals](1981-st-louis-cardinals-nfl-season)	W 38–0	56,656

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

Sunday, September 6, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at The Meadowlands on an AstroTurf playing surface at 70 F with an 11 mph wind

New York Giants (0–1)	3	0	0	7	10

	Giants	Leon Perry 19-yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick)	24	10

Week 2

Sunday, September 13, 1981 Kickoff 4:00 PM Eastern

TV Broadcast: NBC Announcers: Dick Enberg and John Brodie

Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 74 F (Sunny)

Philadelphia Eagles (2–0)	0	3	10	0	13

	Eagles	Perry Harrington 6-yard rush (Tony Franklin kick)	3	13

Week 3

Thursday, September 17, 1981 Kickoff 8:30 PM Eastern

Played at Rich Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface at 55 F with an 8 mph wind

Buffalo Bills (2–1)	0	14	0	0	14

4th	Eagles	Tony Franklin 46-yard field goal	20	14

Week 4

Sunday, September 27, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 68 F (Sunny)

Philadelphia Eagles (4–0)	0	7	7	22	36

	Eagles	Greg Brown 7-yard fumble return (Tony Franklin kick)	13	36

Week 5

Monday, October 5, 1981 Kickoff 9:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface weather= 62 F (Clear)

Philadelphia Eagles (5–0)	6	7	0	3	16

	Falcons	Mick Luckhurst 43-yard field goal	13	16

Week 6

Sunday, October 11, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM Central

Played at Louisiana Superdome on an AstroTurf playing surface at 72 F indoors

New Orleans Saints (1–5)	7	0	0	7	14

4th	Saints	George Rogers 3-yard rush (Benny Ricardo kick)	31	14

Week 7

Sunday, October 18, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM Central

Played at Metropolitan Stadium on a grass playing surface at 44 F with a 27 mph wind

Minnesota Vikings (5–2)	0	21	7	7	35

	Eagles	Harold Carmichael 21-yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Tony Franklin kick)	23	35

Week 8

Sunday, October 25, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 55 F (Rain)

Philadelphia Eagles (7–1)	0	7	0	13	20

	Eagles	Wilbert Montgomery 2-yard rush (Tony Franklin kick)	10	20

Week 9

Sunday, November 1, 1981 Kickoff 4:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 60 F (Cloudy)

Philadelphia Eagles (7–2)	0	7	7	0	14

	Cowboys	Tony Dorsett 9-yard rush (Rafael Septien kick)	17	14

Week 10

Sunday, November 8, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM Central

Played at the Busch Memorial Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface at 57 F with an 8 mph wind.

St. Louis Cardinals (3–7)	7	3	0	0	10

	Eagles	Booker Russell 1-yard rush (Tony Franklin kick)	52	10

Week 11

Sunday, November 15, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf weather= 54 F (Light rain)

Philadelphia Eagles (9–2)	7	14	10	7	38

	Eagles	Wally Henry 44-yard pass from Joe Pisarcik (Tony Franklin kick)	13	38

Week 12

Sunday, November 22, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 46 F (Cloudy)

Philadelphia Eagles (9–3)	7	3	0	0	10

	Giants	Terry Jackson 32-yard interception return (Joe Danelo kick)	20	10

Week 13

Monday, November 30, 1981 Kickoff 9:00 PM Pacific

Played at Orange Bowl on grass playing surface at 73 F with an 8 mph wind

Miami Dolphins (8–4–1)	0	3	0	10	13

	Dolphins	Uwe von Schamann 27-yard field goal	10	13

Week 14

Sunday, December 6, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on a grass playing surface at 43 F with a 21 mph wind

Washington Redskins (6–8)	6	0	0	9	15

	Redskins	Monte Coleman 52-yard interception return (kick failed)	13	15

Week 15

Sunday, December 13, 1981 Kickoff 3:00 PM Central

Played at Texas Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface at 44 F with a 9 mph wind

Dallas Cowboys (12–3)	0	7	7	7	21

4th	Cowboys	Ron Springs 12-yard rush (Rafael Septien kick)	10	21

Week 16

Sunday, December 21, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface weather= 29 F (Sunny)

Philadelphia Eagles (10–6)	7	21	10	0	38

	Eagles	Tony Franklin 44-yard field goal	0	38

Standings

Postseason

Schedule

Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"	Round	Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"	Date	Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"	Opponent	Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"	Result	Philadelphia Eagles	year=1981	border=2}}"	Attendance	[Wildcard](1981-82-nfl-playoffs-nfc-new-york-giants-27-philadelphia-eagles-21)
December 27, 1981	[New York Giants](1981-new-york-giants-season)	L 27–21	71,611

Game summaries

NFC Wildcard Game

Sunday, December 27, 1981 Kickoff 3:30 PM Eastern

Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface weather= 38 F (Light drizzle)

Philadelphia Eagles (10–7)	0	7	7	7	21

4th	Eagles	Wilbert Montgomery 1-yard rush (Tony Franklin kick)	27	21

References

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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