1981 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League, they made the postseason for the fourth straight season. The team was coming off a Super Bowl loss to the Oakland Raiders the previous season. Because they made the Super Bowl in 1980, they were picked by many to not only reach the Super Bowl, but to win it as well. The Eagles began the 1981 season with 6 straight wins, their best ever start to a season at the time. The Eagles would win then 3 of their next 5 games to sit at 9-2. They would then lose their next 4 games to slip to 9-6 and were in danger of missing out on the playoffs. The next week, they hammered the Cardinals 38-0 to clinch a playoff berth for the fourth straight season. In the playoffs, they met their arch rivals the Giants. It was New York's first playoff appearance in 18 years. In the game, the Giants would stun the eagles 27-21, ending the Eagles season as well as hopes for a second straight Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles would not make the playoffs again until 1988. They also wouldn't reach the Super Bowl again until 2004.
Offseason
NFL Draft
After going 12–4 and winning the NFC title and losing in Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in the 1980 season the Eagles would be picking next to last in the 12 rounds of the draftThe 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981. ESPN would cover all 12 rounds live for the first time. ESPN would then show a replay later that night. This would be over 2 days.
The Philadelphia Eagles would get the 27th pick in the 12 rounds. The Eagles would draft 10 players in this year's draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 27 | Leonard Mitchell | DE | University of Houston |
| 2 | 55 | Dean Miraldi | G | University of Utah |
| 3 | 83 | Greg LaFleur | TE | LSU |
| 4 | 110 | Calvin Murray | RB | Ohio State |
| 5 | NO PICK | |||
| 6 | 165 | Traded Pick to New York Giants | ||
| 7 | 174 | Alan Duncan | K | Tennessee |
| 7 | 192 | Doak Field | LB | Baylor University |
| 8 | 220 | Traded pick to Baltimore Colts | ||
| 9 | 247 | Chuck Commiskey | OL | Mississippi |
| 10 | 275 | Hubert Oliver | RB | Arizona |
| 11 | 303 | Gail Davis | DT | Virginia Union |
| 12 | 331 | Ray Ellis | DB | Ohio State |
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Regular season
The 1981 season schedule was set by how the Eagles finished in 1980, 1st in NFC East. The way it was laid out, 4 of the 5 teams in the same 5 team division could end up having 10 to 14 common opponents during the 1981 season. Also, when the last regular season game is over you know who you play the following year.- A home and home series vs Dallas, New York Giants, St. Louis and Washington = 8 games
- The top 4 teams in the NFC East play the top 4 teams AFC East from the 1980 season = 4 games
- The 1st and 4th place team in NFC Central and NFC West in the 1980 Season
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1
Sunday, September 6, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Giants StadiumThe Meadowlands on an AstroTurf playing surface in 70F degrees with an 11 MPH wind
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| New York Giants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Week 2
Sunday, September 13, 1981 Kickoff 4:00 PM EasternTV Broadcast: NBC
Announcers: Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 74 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| New England Patriots | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
Week 3
Thursday, September 17, 1981 Kickoff 8:30 PM EasternPlayed at Rich Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface in 55F degrees with an 8 MPH wind
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Week 4
Sunday, September 27, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 68 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Washington Redskins | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 36 |
Week 5
Monday, October 5, 1981 Kickoff 9:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 62 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 13 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
Week 6
Sunday, October 11, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM CentralPlayed at Louisiana Superdome on an AstroTurf playing surface in 72F degrees indoors
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 14 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Week 7
Sunday, October 18, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM CentralPlayed at Metropolitan Stadium on a grass playing surface in 44F degrees with a 27 MPH wind
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 23 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
Week 8
Sunday, October 25, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 55 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
Week 9
Sunday, November 1, 1981 Kickoff 4:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 60 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| SCORING PLAYS | DAL | PHIL | TIME | ||
| 2nd | Cowboys | Rafael Septien 21-yard field goal | 3 | 0 | |
| Eagles | Wilbert Montgomery 2-yard rush | 3 | 7 | ||
| 3rd | Eagles | Harold Carmichael 85-yard pass from Ron Jaworski | 3 | 14 | |
| 4th | Cowboys | Doug Cosbie 17-yard pass from Danny White | 10 | 14 | - |
| Cowboys | Cowboys Tony Dorsett 9-yard rush | 17 | 14 | - |
Week 10
Sunday, November 8, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM CentralPlayed at the Busch Memorial Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface in 57F degrees with an 8 mph wind.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 10 | 14 | 21 | 52 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Week 11
Sunday, November 15, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf
weather= 54 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Baltimore Colts | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 38 |
Week 12
Sunday, November 22, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 46 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| New York Giants | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Week 13
Monday, November 30, 1981 Kickoff 9:00 PM PacificPlayed at Orange Bowl on grass playing surface in 73F degrees with an 8 MPH wind
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
Week 14
Sunday, December 6, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on a grass playing surface in 43F degrees with a 21 MPH wind
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Washington Redskins | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 15 |
Week 15
Sunday, December 13, 1981 Kickoff 3:00 PM CentralPlayed at Texas Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface in 44F degrees with a 9 MPH wind
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
Week 16
Sunday, December 21, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 29 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 38 |
Standings
Playoffs
Playoffs
NFC Wildcard Game
Sunday, December 27, 1981 Kickoff 3:30 PM EasternPlayed at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface
weather= 38 °F
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| New York Giants | 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |