NFL team season
The 1981 Dallas Cowboys season was their 22nd in the league. The team matched their previous output of 12–4, winning their fifth division title in six years.[1] They lost the Conference Championship game for the second straight season.
The season began with four straight victories, followed by two losses (including a surprising 45–14 blowout loss to the 49ers in week six). The Cowboys rebounded to win 8 of their last 9 games to clinch the NFC East but had to settle for the conference's number two seed behind the 49ers.
The Cowboys easily defeated Tampa Bay in the divisional playoff to earn a rematch with the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. The game was much closer this time, and the Cowboys still held a 27–21 lead with less than a minute to play. However, Joe Montana led a late drive and hit Dwight Clark in the famous "Catch" to give San Francisco a 28–27 lead. On the ensuing Cowboys possession, Danny White completed a pass to Drew Pearson, and was only an arms length away from breaking free from Eric Wright and most likely scoring a touchdown. Jim Stuckey recovered a White fumble on the next play, then the 49ers ran out the clock for the win.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Undrafted free agents
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | Attendance | Recap |
1 | September 6 | at Washington Redskins | W 26–10 | 1–0 | RFK Stadium | 55,045 | Recap |
2 | September 13 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 30–17 | 2–0 | Texas Stadium | 63,602 | Recap |
3 | September 21 | at New England Patriots | W 35–21 | 3–0 | Schaefer Stadium | 60,311 | Recap |
4 | September 27 | New York Giants | W 18–10 | 4–0 | Texas Stadium | 63,449 | Recap |
5 | October 4 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 17–20 | 4–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 49,477 | Recap |
6 | October 11 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 14–45 | 4–2 | Candlestick Park | 57,574 | Recap |
7 | October 18 | Los Angeles Rams | W 29–17 | 5–2 | Texas Stadium | 64,649 | Recap |
8 | October 25 | Miami Dolphins | W 28–27 | 6–2 | Texas Stadium | 64,221 | Recap |
9 | November 1 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 17–14 | 7–2 | Veterans Stadium | 72,111 | Recap |
10 | November 9 | Buffalo Bills | W 27–14 | 8–2 | Texas Stadium | 62,583 | Recap |
11 | November 15 | at Detroit Lions | L 24–27 | 8–3 | Pontiac Silverdome | 79,694 | Recap |
12 | November 22 | Washington Redskins | W 24–10 | 9–3 | Texas Stadium | 64,587 | Recap |
13 | November 26 | Chicago Bears | W 10–9 | 10–3 | Texas Stadium | 63,499 | Recap |
14 | December 6 | at Baltimore Colts | W 37–13 | 11–3 | Memorial Stadium | 54,871 | Recap |
15 | December 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 21–10 | 12–3 | Texas Stadium | 64,955 | Recap |
16 | December 19 | at New York Giants | L 10–13 (OT) | 12–4 | Giants Stadium | 73,009 | Recap |
Division opponents are in bold text
Game notes
Week 1
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 26 | Redskins | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | - Date: Sunday Sept 6, 1981
- Location: Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 55,045
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C), wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach
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Week 2
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 | • Cowboys | 14 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 30 | - Date: Sunday Sep 13, 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 63,602
- Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), wind 9 mph (14 km/h)
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach
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Week 3
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 35 | Patriots | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | - Date: Monday Sept 21, 1981
- Location: Schaefer Stadium
- Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 60,311
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C), wind 13 mph (21 km/h)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Don Meredith & Howard Cosell
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Week 4
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Giants | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | • Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 18 | - Date: Sunday Sep 27, 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 63,449
- Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), wind 10 mph (16 km/h)
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall & Hank Stram
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Week 5
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 | • Cardinals | 10 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 20 | |
Week 6
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 | • 49ers | 21 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 45 | - Date: Sunday Oct 11, 1981
- Location: Candlestick Park
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 57,574
- Game weather: Sunny; 58 °F (14 °C), wind 18 mph (29 km/h)
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
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Week 7
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Rams | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 | • Cowboys | 12 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 29 | - Date: Sunday Oct 18, 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium
- Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 64,649
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C), humidity 55%
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Fran Tarkenton, and Don Meredith
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Week 8
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Dolphins | 0 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 27 | • Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 | - Date: Sunday Oct 25, 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 64,221
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), humidity 74%
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
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Week 9
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Cowboys | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 | Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | - Date: Sunday Nov 1, 1981
- Location: Veterans Stadium
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 72,111
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), wind 6 mph (9.7 km/h)
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall & John Madden
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Week 10
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | • Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 27 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | BUF | Jerry Butler 16 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | BUF 7–0 | | 1 | | DAL | Doug Cosbie 12 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick) | Tied 7–7 | | 2 | | BUF | Curtis Brown 9 yard pass from Joe Cribbs (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | BUF 14–7 | | 3 | | DAL | Tony Dorsett 73 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick) | Tied 14–14 | | 3 | | DAL | Tony Hill 37 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick) | DAL 21–14 | | 3 | | DAL | Rafael Septién 47 yard field goal | DAL 24–14 | | 3 | | DAL | Rafael Septién 31 yard field goal | DAL 27–14 | |
[2]
Week 11
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 | • Lions | 0 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 27 | - Date: Sunday Nov 15, 1981
- Location: Pontiac Silverdome
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 79,694
- Game weather: Dome
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
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Week 12
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Redskins | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | • Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 | - Date: Sunday, November 22, 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game start: 3:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 64,587
- Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C); wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (CBS): Tom Brookshier and Roger Staubach
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[3]
Week 13
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bears | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | • Cowboys | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | - Date: Thursday Nov, 26 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game start: 4:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 63,499
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C); humidity 62%
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
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Week 14
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Cowboys | 17 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 37 | Colts | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | - Date: Sunday Dec 6, 1981
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 54,871
- Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C), wind 20 mph (32 km/h), wind chill 29 °F (−2 °C)
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Kelly & John Dockery
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Week 15
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Eagles | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | • Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | - Date: Sunday Dec 13, 1981
- Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 64,955
- Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C), humidity 83%, wind 9 mph (14 km/h)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
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Week 16
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | • Giants | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 | - Date: Saturday Dec 19,1981
- Location: Giants Stadium
- Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 73,009
- Game weather: Overcast; 27 °F (−3 °C), wind chill 13 °F (−11 °C), wind 20 mph (32 km/h)mph
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
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Playoffs
Divisional Round
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bucs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | • Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 21 | 7 | 38 | - Date: Jan 2,1982
- Location: Texas Stadium
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 64,848
- Game weather: Sunny; 57 °F (14 °C)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
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Conference Championship
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Cowboys | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 27 | • 49ers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | - Date: Jan 10,1982
- Location: Candlestick Park
- Game start: 4:30 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 60,525
- Game weather: Sunny; 43 °F (6 °C), wind 5 mph (8.0 km/h)
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully (play-by-play), Hank Stram (color commentator), Irv Cross (sideline reporter)
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Standings
Roster
Dallas Cowboys 1981 roster |
Quarterbacks Running backs Wide receivers - 83 Doug Donley
- 80 Tony Hill
- 86 Butch Johnson
- 88 Drew Pearson
Tight ends | | Offensive linemen Defensive linemen | | Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams | | Reserve lists Rookies in italics 45 active, 6 inactive |
References
- ^ 1981 Dallas Cowboys
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com
Dallas Cowboys |
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- Founded in 1960
- Based in Arlington, Texas
- Headquartered in Frisco, Texas
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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 (25) | |
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Conference championships (10) | |
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League championships (5) | |
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Media | |
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Current league affiliations | |
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