1981 New Orleans Saints schedule
Season statistics
| Offense | Defense | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Playoff record | Total yards | Pass yards | Rush yards | Turnovers | First downs | Total yards | Pass yards | Rush yards | Turnovers | First downs |
| 4-12-0 | 0-0 | 4705 | 2419 | 2286 | 47 | 280 | 5253 | 3337 | 1916 | 34 | 303 |
The New Orleans Saints' fifteenth season was in 1981, playing their home games at Louisiana Superdome. During the offseason they hired Bum Phillips to lead the team. During his time in the AFL and NFL he was head coach for six years. They finished the season 4-12-0, 2-6-0 at home and 2-6-0 on the road. At the end of the season, George Rogers was awarded with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Games
| Week | Opponent | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | @ | Atlanta Falcons | 0-27 | |
| Week 2 | Los Angeles Rams | 23-17 | ||
| Week 3 | @ | New York Giants | 7-20 | |
| Week 4 | @ | San Francisco 49ers | 14-21 | |
| Week 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-20 | ||
| Week 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | 14-31 | ||
| Week 7 | @ | Cleveland Browns | 17-20 | |
| Week 8 | Cincinnati Bengals | 17-7 | ||
| Week 9 | Atlanta Falcons | 10-41 | ||
| Week 10 | @ | Los Angeles Rams | 21-13 | |
| Week 11 | @ | Minnesota Vikings | 10-20 | |
| Week 12 | @ | Houston Oilers | 27-24 | |
| Week 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 14-31 | ||
| Week 14 | @ | St. Louis Cardinals | 3-30 | |
| Week 15 | Green Bay Packers | 7-35 | ||
| Week 16 | San Francisco 49ers | 17-21 |
1981 New Orleans Saints Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Bum Phillips Offensive Coordinator: King Hill Defensive Coordinator: Wade Phillips Wide Receivers Coach: Lamar McHan Offensive Line Coach: Joe Spencer Tight Ends Coach: Andy Everest Offensive Backfield Coach: John Levra Defensive Line Coach: Willie Zapalac Linebackers Coach: John-Paul Young Defensive Backfield Coach: Lance Van Zandt Special Teams Coach: Harold Richardson, John-Paul Young Strength Coach: Russell Paternostro Owner: John Mecom