1981 NFL Season
)Leaders
Passing Yards: Fouts (SDG) - 4,558...Bartkowski (ATL) - 4,020...Anderson (CIN) - 3,922...Montana (SFO) - 3,888...Sipe (CLE) - 3,365
Rushing Yards: Campbell (HOU) - 1,568...Montgomery (PHI) - 1,523...Sims (DET) - 1,454...Payton (CHI) - 1,447...Dorsett (DAL) - 1,441
Receiving Yards: Lofton (GNB) - 1,289...Jenkins (ATL) - 1,225...Winslow (SDG) - 1,217...Largent (SEA) - 1,196...Clark (SFO) - 1,149
Scoring: Stenerud (GNB) - 130...Septien (DAL) - 129...Luckhurst (ATL) - 128...Breech (CIN) - 122...Andrews (ATL) - 120
Interceptions: Lott (SFO) - 14...Pridemore (ATL) - 10...Harvey (GNB) - 9...Brown (TAM) - 9...Murphy (WAS) - 9
Sacks: Williams (BUF) - 16...Taylor (NYG) - 15...Klecko (NYJ) - 14...Youngblood (LAM) - 12...White (BUF) - 11
Division Winners
AFC East - New York (11-5)
AFC Central - Cincinnati (13-3)
AFC West - Oakland (9-7)
AFC Wildcard - Houston (9-7)
AFC Wildcard - Denver (9-7)
NFC East - Dallas (11-5)
NFC Central - Green Bay (13-3)
NFC West - San Francisco (11-5)
NFC Wildcard - Tampa Bay (11-5)
NFC Wildcard - Washington (10-6)
PLAYOFFS
Denver (23) at Houston (10)
Washington (17) at Tampa Bay (24)
Oakland (26) at NY Jets (21)
Denver (24) at Cincinnati (14)
Tampa Bay (13) at Dallas (17)
San Francisco (19) at Green Bay (13)
Passing Yards: Fouts (SDG) - 4,558...Bartkowski (ATL) - 4,020...Anderson (CIN) - 3,922...Montana (SFO) - 3,888...Sipe (CLE) - 3,365
Rushing Yards: Campbell (HOU) - 1,568...Montgomery (PHI) - 1,523...Sims (DET) - 1,454...Payton (CHI) - 1,447...Dorsett (DAL) - 1,441
Receiving Yards: Lofton (GNB) - 1,289...Jenkins (ATL) - 1,225...Winslow (SDG) - 1,217...Largent (SEA) - 1,196...Clark (SFO) - 1,149
Scoring: Stenerud (GNB) - 130...Septien (DAL) - 129...Luckhurst (ATL) - 128...Breech (CIN) - 122...Andrews (ATL) - 120
Interceptions: Lott (SFO) - 14...Pridemore (ATL) - 10...Harvey (GNB) - 9...Brown (TAM) - 9...Murphy (WAS) - 9
Sacks: Williams (BUF) - 16...Taylor (NYG) - 15...Klecko (NYJ) - 14...Youngblood (LAM) - 12...White (BUF) - 11
Division Winners
AFC East - New York (11-5)
AFC Central - Cincinnati (13-3)
AFC West - Oakland (9-7)
AFC Wildcard - Houston (9-7)
AFC Wildcard - Denver (9-7)
NFC East - Dallas (11-5)
NFC Central - Green Bay (13-3)
NFC West - San Francisco (11-5)
NFC Wildcard - Tampa Bay (11-5)
NFC Wildcard - Washington (10-6)
PLAYOFFS
Denver (23) at Houston (10)
Washington (17) at Tampa Bay (24)
Oakland (26) at NY Jets (21)
Denver (24) at Cincinnati (14)
Tampa Bay (13) at Dallas (17)
San Francisco (19) at Green Bay (13)
AFC Championship - Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
January 10th, 1982 at Oakland-Alameda County Stadium...Temp 46, Clear, Wind 7 mph
The Denver Bronco defense turned in a vintage Orange Crush performance, forcing the Oakland Raiders into eight turnovers, on their way to an impressive 43-14 win and a birth in Super Bowl XVI.
The Raiders took the opening kick and were moving pretty good until Bob Swenson intercepted Marc Wilson's errant pass to snuff out the drive. Fred Steinfort's 26 yd field goal near the end of the first quarter accounted for all the scoring and it was 3-0 Denver after one quarter. On the Raiders first drive of the 2nd quarter, Brison Manor intercepted Wilson and returned it 25 yds for a touchdown to make it 10-0.The last six minutes was filled with botched plays, but the Broncos still made the best of it. First Steinfort missed a field goal. Two plays later Wison was intercepted by Mike Harden. However, again Steinfort missed his kick. Jim Plunkett was then called on to get the Raiders going replacing Wilson. Two plays later he was sacked by Tom Jackson and fumbled. Rulon Jones recovered and this time the Broncos cashed in with a 14 yard Rick Upchurch end around run to make it 17-0. Adding insult to injury, the last Oakland possession ended with Plunkett being intercepted by Larry Evans. The Raiders came out of the locker room and forced a fumble by the Broncos Riley Odoms on their first possession and turned that into points on a Derek Jensen 2 yd run. Oakland's back in the game trailing 17-7. That was as close as they would get. Craig Morton hit Steve Watson on a long 77 yd scoring strike, Plunkett was sacked by Barney Chavous for a safety, and then Morton hit Dave Preston on a 26 yd score. At this point it was 33-7 and the game was over. MVP: Craig Morton, Den: 242 yds passing, 2 TD, 142 Rating For Denver: Morton 12/19, 242, 2 TD...Preston 59 yds rushing...Watson 94 yds receiving, TD For Oakland: Plunkett 4/15, 86, 3 INT...King 50 yds rushing...Jensen 40 yds rushing...Branch 29 yds receiving |
NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys
January 10th, 1982 at Texas Stadium...Temp 31, Clear Skies, Wind 9 mph
The Dallas Cowboys stunned the San Francisco 49ers with a game winning touchdown run by Tony Dorsett with less than minute to play to advance to Super Bowl XVI.
This NFC Championship game was a thriller that wasn't decided until the waning moments. The 49ers looked good early jumping out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. Rafael Septien gave Dallas a short lived 3-0 lead. Amos Lawrence erased that lead on the ensuing kick off as he raced 92 yards for a touchdown putting the 49ers up 7-3. After Dallas punted, Joe Montana hit Earl Cooper out of the backfield and he went 50 yds for a touchdown. After one quarter the 49ers had a 14-3 lead. The defenses settled in for most of the 2nd quarter as neither offense could produce much. Then in the last three minutes of the half, the 49ers fell apart. Danny White tossed a short 1 yd TD pass to Tony Hill to make it 14-10. The 49ers got the ball with just over two minutes left and were looking to get points before the half ended. That strategy backfired as Montana was intercepted by Dennis Thurman who returned the pick back to the San Francisco 33 yd line. It was now the Cowboys that were set up for some late points, and get let points they did. White tossed another short scoring pass, this time a 5 yd score to Tony Dorsett with 15 second left in the half. Suddenly it's the Cowboys that take a lead into the locker room at 17-14. Both defenses still controlled the game in the 3rd quarter. San Fran finally pieced a drive together that reached the Dallas one yard line. On 4th and goal the 49ers opted for the points and Ray Wersching's field goal tied the game at 17-17. On the following drive, Dallas chewed up the clock keeping the ball into the 4th quarter. Septien kicked a 25 yd field goal and the Cowboys had a 20-17 lead with 13:23 to play. San Fran got the ball and stalled at the Dallas 48 yd line. They punted with 8:57 to play. The strategy worked as on the second play of the Dallas possession Drew Pearson fumbled and Milt McColl recovered for the 49ers at the Cowboys 20 yd line. Three plays resulted in nine yards and left San Fran with 4th and one from the Dallas 11 yd line. Again Wersching came on, and his kick was good to tie the game at 20-20 and 6:30 remaining. It was at this point the Cowboys put together a championship drive. Relying mostly on the ground game, Dorsett and Ron Springs drove the Cowboys to the 49ers seven yard line. On third and five with 37 seconds left in the game, Dorsett took and inside handoff and went in for the game winning score. MVP: Tony Dorsett, DAL: 107 yds rushing, TD, 5 Receptions 28 yds For San Francisco: Montana 10/22, 143, TD, INT...Hofer 22 yds rushing...Cooper 50 yds receiving, TD... For Dallas: White 20/34, 160, 2 TD...Dorsett 107 yds, TD...Pearson 39 yds receiving. |
Super Bowl XVI - Denver Broncos v Dallas Cowboys
January 24th, 1982 at The Pontiac Silverdome...Dome Stadium
The Pontiac Silverdome is host to Super Bowl XVI as the AFC Wild Card entrants Denver Broncos will take on the NFC Champion Dallas Cowboys. This is a rematch in my universe of Super Bowl XII, which was won by Denver.
Denver received the opening kick and after a couple of first downs punted. Dallas then took a 3-0 lead on a 23 yd field goal by Rafael Septien. Denver went three and out and the Cowboys added a second field goal by Septien to take a 6-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter began and the Broncos struck with the big play. Craig Morton and Rick Upchurch hooked up for a 60 yard pass down to the Dallas eight yard line. Larry Canada ran in on the very next play putting Denver up 7-6. Later in the quarter Fred Steinfort kicked a 43 yard field goal and at the half Denver led 10-6. There was no scoring in the third quarter although Steinfort had a 47 yard field goal blocked and then on the ensuing Dallas possession at the start of the 4th quarter Ron Springs fumbled and Louis Wright recovered for Denver. Rick Paros then keyed a Bronco scoring drive. He ran for 21 yards, caught a pass for 24 more yards and then ran for three yards down to the Cowboy 13 yard line. On the next play his running mate Dave Preston ran in for a score and the Broncos were up 17-6 with 12:28 to play in the game. After a couple of possession changes Danny White hit Drew Pearson for 30 yards to the Bronco seven yard line. Tony Dorsett then scored on the next play to make it 17-13 with just under eight minutes left in the game. Denver went three and out and Dallas got as far as the Bronco 35 yard line. Septien came on for a field goal to draw the Cowboys within one, but his kick was blocked. Denver went three and out again and the Cowboys got the ball back 2:53 left in the game needing a touchdown to win. On the Cowboys first play White's pass for Butch Johnson was intercepted by Mike Harden. Harden returned the errant pass 19 yard for a touchdown putting the Broncos up 24-13. Dallas got the ball back and after four incompletions turned it over to Denver. Steinfort kicked a 41 yd field goal that iced the game with 1:27 remaining. Denver wins Super Bowl XVI 27-13. MVP: Dave Preston (DEN): 50 yds rushing, 2 TD For Denver: Morton 14/19, 176, Parros 81 yds rushing...Preston 50 yds rushing, 2 TD...Upchurch 8 rec, 81 yds For Dallas: White 21/35, 241, INT...Dorsett 52 yds rushing...Hill 6 rec, 67 yds...Pearson 5 rec, 75 yds |