NFL team season
The Bengals playing against the 49ers in Super Bowl XVI.
The 1981 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League , and the 14th overall. The team won their first AFC Championship, but lost Super Bowl XVI to San Francisco .
Cincinnati had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season. On December 13, quarterback Ken Anderson threw two touchdown passes as the Bengals clinched the division with a 17–10 win over the Steelers .
Ken Anderson led the NFL in passing in 1981 with a 98.5 rating .
On January 3, 1982, 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. This game is referred to as the Freezer Bowl .
In Super Bowl XVI on January 24, 1982, in Pontiac, Michigan , the Bengals trailed 20–0 at halftime and lost to San Francisco, 26–21.
Offseason [ ] Before the season, the Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants.
NFL Draft [ ] [1]
Personnel [ ] Staff [ ]
1981 Cincinnati Bengals staff
Front office
Owner/General Manager – Paul Brown
President – John Sawyer
Director of Player Personnel – Pete Brown Head coaches
Head Coach – Forrest Gregg Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Special Teams – Bruce Coslet Strength and conditioning
Roster [ ]
1981 Cincinnati Bengals roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists
Practice squad
Rookies in italics
Source: [2] [3] Regular season [ ] Schedule [ ]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
TV Time(EST)
TV Announcers
Attendance
1
September 6, 1981
Seattle Seahawks
W 27–21
NBC 1:00pm
Mike Adamle & Rocky Bleier
41,177
2
September 13, 1981
at New York Jets
W 31–30
NBC 4:00pm
Charlie Jones & Len Dawson
49,454
3
September 20, 1981
Cleveland Browns
L 20–17
NBC 1:00pm
Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy
52,170
4
September 27, 1981
Buffalo Bills
W 27–24
NBC 1:00pm
Jay Randolph & Mike Haffner
46,418
5
October 4, 1981
at Houston Oilers
L 17–10
NBC 1:00pm
Marv Albert & Jim Turner
44,350
6
October 11, 1981
at Baltimore Colts
W 41–19
NBC 1:00pm
Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy
33,060
7
October 18, 1981
Pittsburgh Steelers
W 34–7
NBC 1:00pm
Don Criqui & John Brodie
57,090
8
October 25, 1981
at New Orleans Saints
L 17–7
NBC 1:00pm
Mike Adamle & Mike Haffner
46,336
9
November 1, 1981
Houston Oilers
W 34–21
NBC 1:00pm
Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy
54,736
10
November 8, 1981
at San Diego Chargers
W 40–17
NBC 4:00pm
Dick Enberg & Merlin Olsen
51,259
11
November 15, 1981
Los Angeles Rams
W 24–10
CBS 1:00pm
Vin Scully & Hank Stram
56,836
12
November 22, 1981
Denver Broncos
W 38–21
NBC 1:00pm
Bob Costas & Gene Washington
57,207
13
November 29, 1981
at Cleveland Browns
W 41–21
NBC 1:00pm
Bob Costas & Bob Trumpy
75,186
14
December 6, 1981
San Francisco 49ers
L 21–3
CBS 1:00pm
Tim Ryan & Fred Dryer
56,796
15
December 13, 1981
at Pittsburgh Steelers
W 17–10
NBC 1:00pm
Don Criqui & John Brodie
50,623
16
December 20, 1981
at Atlanta Falcons
W 30–28
NBC 4:00pm
Charlie Jones & Len Dawson
35,972
Game summaries [ ] Week 1 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Seahawks
21
0 0 0
21
• Bengals
0
10 10 7
27
Date: September 6Location: Riverfront Stadium , Cincinnati Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 41,177Game weather: 69°F; wind 8Referee: Bob FredericTelevision network: NBC Scoring summary Q1 SEA Harris 29 yard interception return (Herrera kick) SEA 7–0 Q1 SEA Largent 36 yard pass from Zorn (Herrera kick)SEA 14–0 Q1 SEA Jodat 1 yard run (Herrera kick)SEA 21–0 Q2 CIN Breech 25 yard field goalSEA 21–3 Q2 CIN Johnson 3 yard run (Breech kick)SEA 21–10 Q3 CIN Breech 40 yard field goal SEA 21–13 Q3 CIN Griffin 3 yard run (Breech kick)SEA 21–20 Q4 CIN Johnson 2 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 27–21
[4]
Week 2 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bengals
0
10 7 14
31
Jets
0
17 3 10
30
Date: September 13Location: Shea Stadium
Week 3 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Browns
3
10 0 7
20
Bengals
0
0 3 14
17
Date: September 20Location: Riverfront StadiumReferee: Red CashionTelevision network: NBC
Week 4 [ ]
1
2 3 4 OT Total
Bills
0
14 0 10 0
24
• Bengals
0
10 0 14 3
27
Date: September 27Location: Riverfront Stadium
Week 5 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bengals
3
0 7 0
10
• Oilers
0
7 7 3
17
Date: October 4Location: Astrodome Game weather: Indoors (dome)
Week 6 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bengals
3
14 7 17
41
Colts
0
5 0 14
19
Week 7 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Steelers
0
0 0 7
7
• Bengals
10
3 14 7
34
Date: October 18Location: Riverfront StadiumReferee: Jerry MarkbreitTV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie
Week 8 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bengals
0
0 0 7
7
• Saints
0
0 7 10
17
Date: October 25Location: Louisiana Superdome Game weather: Indoors (dome)
Week 9 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Oilers
7
0 0 14
21
• Bengals
0
24 3 7
34
Date: November 1Location: Riverfront Stadium
Week 10 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bengals
10
21 0 9
40
Chargers
0
10 0 7
17
Date: November 8Location: Jack Murphy Stadium
Week 11 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Rams
0
3 0 7
10
• Bengals
10
0 0 14
24
Date: November 15Location: Riverfront StadiumReferee: Bob McElweeTV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and Hank Stram
Week 12 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Broncos
0
7 0 14
21
• Bengals
14
14 0 10
38
Date: November 22Location: Riverfront Stadium
Week 13 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bengals
14
14 0 13
41
Browns
0
7 0 14
21
Date: November 29Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium Game start: 12:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 36°F; wind 10 Scoring summary Q1 CIN Johnson 5 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick)CIN 7–0 Q1 CIN Collinsworth 39 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick)CIN 14–0 Q2 CIN Collinsworth 7 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick) CIN 21–0 Q2 CLE Feacher 30 yard pass from Sipe (Bahr kick)CIN 21–7 Q2 CIN Harris 2 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick)CIN 28–7 Q4 CLE Pruitt 1 yard run (Bahr kick)CIN 28–14 Q4 CIN Johnson 11 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 35–14 Q4 CIN Johnson 1 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 42–14 Q4 CLE Pruitt 7 yard pass from McDonald (Bahr kick) CIN 42–21
[5]
Week 14 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• 49ers
7
7 0 7
21
Bengals
0
3 0 0
3
Date: December 6Location: Riverfront StadiumReferee: Jerry SeemanTV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Fred Dryer
Week 15 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bengals
0
10 7 0
17
Steelers
0
3 0 7
10
Date: December 13Location: Three Rivers Stadium Referee: Red CashionTV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie
Week 16 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bengals
10
17 0 3
30
Falcons
0
21 0 7
28
Date: December 20Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Referee: Fred WyantTelevision network: NBC
Playoffs [ ]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
TV Time(EST)
TV Announcers
Attendance
Divisional
January 3, 1982
Buffalo Bills
W 28–21
NBC 1:00pm
Dick Enberg & Merlin Olsen
55,420
Conference Championship
January 10, 1982
San Diego Chargers
W 27–7
NBC 1:00pm
Dick Enberg & Merlin Olsen
46,302
Super Bowl
January 24, 1982
N San Francisco 49ers
L 26–21
CBS 4:00pm
Pat Summerall & John Madden
81,270
Divisional [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bills
0
7 7 7
21
• Bengals
14
0 7 7
28
Date: January 3Location: Riverfront Stadium Referee: Pat HaggertyTV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Conference Championship [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Chargers
0
7 0 0
7
• Bengals
10
7 3 7
27
Date: January 10Location: Riverfront StadiumReferee: Fred SilvaTV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Super Bowl [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• 49ers
7
13 0 6
26
Bengals
0
0 7 14
21
Date: January 24Location: Pontiac Silverdome Game weather: Indoors (dome)Referee: Pat HaggertyTV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
Standings [ ] Awards and records [ ] Ken Anderson, NFL MVP [6]
Ken Anderson, Bert Bell Award [7]
Ken Anderson, Franchise Record (since broken), Touchdown Passes, 29 Passes [8]
Ken Anderson, Led NFL, Passer Rating, 98.4 Rating [9] Milestones [ ] Ken Anderson, Franchise Record (since broken), Most Touchdown Passes in One Season, 29 Passes [8]
Cris Collinsworth, 1st 1,000 Yard Receiving Season (1,009 yards) [10]
Pete Johnson, 1,000 Yard Rushing Season (1,077 yards) [11] References [ ]
^ "1981 Cincinnati Bengals draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved October 6, 2014 .^ "1981 Cincinnati Bengals starters, roster, and players" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved October 8, 2014 .^ "Team rosters" . Spokane Chronicle . (Washington). January 23, 1982. p. 12.^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2014-Jul-03.^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2018-Oct-16.^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book , Workman Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 400^ "Archived copy" . Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-28 .CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link ) ^ a b NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book , Workman Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 37^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book , Workman Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 447^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book , Workman Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 442^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book , Workman Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 437
External links [ ]
Cincinnati Bengals
Founded in 1968
Based and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio Franchise Stadiums Culture and lore Rivalries Division championships (9) Conference championships (2) Retired numbers Media Current league affiliations Former league affiliation
League: American Football League (1968–1969)
Italics indicates Super Bowl appearance
