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. Needing a Giants loss or an Eagles win during the final week of the regular season (due to tiebreakers), the Packers gained control of their destiny at earning the final Wild Card spot by winning in their last regular season game but were defeated by the New York Jets 28–3. The Packers managed only 84 total yards against the Jets.
Offseason
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1981 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeCraig ChrestWide receiverWisconsin–La CrosseBill KazmaierGuardWisconsinRick KehrGuardCarthageGreg KnafelcTight endNotre DameDavid PetwaySafetyNorthern IllinoisRandy ScottLinebackerAlabamaRobert ShackelfordGuardSt. NorbertPete ThompsonWide receiverCarroll (MT)
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance 1 September 6 at Chicago Bears W 16–9 Soldier Field 62,411 2 September 13 Atlanta Falcons L 17–31 Lambeau Field 55,382 3 September 20 at Los Angeles Rams L 23–35 Anaheim Stadium 61,286 4 September 27 Minnesota Vikings L 13–30 Milwaukee County Stadium 55,012 5 October 4 at New York Giants W 27–14 Giants Stadium 73,684 6 October 11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 10–21 Lambeau Field 55,264 7 October 18 San Francisco 49ers L 3–13 Milwaukee County Stadium 50,171 8 October 25 at Detroit Lions L 27–31 Pontiac Silverdome 76,063 9 November 1 Seattle Seahawks W 34–24 Lambeau Field 49,467 10 November 8 New York Giants W 26–24 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,138 11 November 15 Chicago Bears W 21–17 Lambeau Field 55,338 12 November 22 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 3–37 Tampa Stadium 63,251 13 November 29 at Minnesota Vikings W 35–23 Metropolitan Stadium 46,025 14 December 6 Detroit Lions W 31–17 Lambeau Field 54,481 15 December 13 at New Orleans Saints W 35–7 Louisiana Superdome 45,518 16 December 20 at New York Jets L 3–28 Shea Stadium 56,340
Game summaries
Week 1
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-14.
Week 2: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 7: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 11
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-14.
Standings
References