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1981 Dallas Cowboys

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Record: 12-4-0, Finished 1st in NFC East Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 367 points (22.9/g), 6th of 28 in the NFL.
 Allowed 277 points (17.3/g), 7th.
 Differential of 90 points (5.6/g), 4th.
 Expected W-L: 10.6-5.4.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +18 (1.1/g), 2nd.

Coached by Tom Landry (12-4-0)

1981 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees

Team Games & Schedule

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Score Offense Defense
Week Date Rec Opp Tm Opp 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO
1 Sun September 6 box W 1-0 @ Washington Redskins 26 10 20 346 140 206 1 20 324 280 44 6
2 Sun September 13 box W 2-0 St. Louis Cardinals 30 17 24 391 210 181 2 18 404 262 142 2
3 Mon September 21 box W 3-0 @ New England Patriots 35 21 22 455 218 237 1 16 333 225 108 7
4 Sun September 27 box W 4-0 New York Giants 18 10 16 317 193 124 16 343 258 85 3
5 Sun October 4 box L 4-1 @ St. Louis Cardinals 17 20 17 306 166 140 2 18 299 184 115 3
6 Sun October 11 box L 4-2 @ San Francisco 49ers 14 45 10 192 109 83 4 23 440 290 150 1
7 Sun October 18 box W 5-2 Los Angeles Rams 29 17 24 496 275 221 3 22 374 203 171 3
8 Sun October 25 box W 6-2 Miami Dolphins 28 27 23 466 327 139 2 25 529 381 148 5
9 Sun November 1 box W 7-2 @ Philadelphia Eagles 17 14 19 317 176 141 3 17 291 197 94 1
10 Mon November 9 box W 8-2 Buffalo Bills 27 14 21 398 202 196 3 18 365 310 55 5
11 Sun November 15 box L 8-3 @ Detroit Lions 24 27 19 323 225 98 2 23 429 231 198 3
12 Sun November 22 box W 9-3 Washington Redskins 24 10 27 470 212 258 2 17 256 131 125 1
13 Thu November 26 box W 10-3 Chicago Bears 10 9 11 273 178 95 3 15 272 43 229 3
14 Sun December 6 box W 11-3 @ Baltimore Colts 37 13 29 464 110 354 2 9 238 82 156 3
15 Sun December 13 box W 12-3 Philadelphia Eagles 21 10 23 412 264 148 2 14 225 135 90 5
16 Sat December 19 box L 12-4 @ New York Giants 10 13 16 254 164 90 3 15 297 158 139 2
Playoffs
Division Sat January 2 box W 13-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38 0
ConfChamp Sun January 10 box L 13-5 @ San Francisco 49ers 27 28

Team Stats and Rankings

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Passing Rushing
Pts Yds Ply Y/P 1stD Cmp Att Yds TD Int NY/A 1stD Att Yds TD Y/A 1stD TO FL 1stPy
Team Offense 367 5880 1100 5.3 321 241 439 3169 24 15 6.7 158 630 2711 15 4.3 137 35 20 26
Team Defense 277 5419 1021 5.3 466 236 511 3370 17 37 6.1 162 468 2049 16 4.4 286 53 16 18
Lg Rank Offense 6 5 8 26 15 10 5 5 1 2 14 4 6 17
Lg Rank Defense 7 20 7 18 21 8 1 14 6 16 14 23 2 19

Passing

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Age Pos G GS Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk%
Danny White 29 QB 16 15 223 391 57.0 3098 22 5.6 13 3.3 73 7.9 7.0 13.9 193.6 87.5 30 234 6.8 5.9 7.1
Glenn Carano 26 5 1 16 45 35.6 235 1 2.2 1 2.2 55 5.2 4.4 14.7 47.0 51.6 1 11 4.9 4.1 2.2
Drew Pearson 30 WR 16 16 2 2 100.0 81 1 50.0 0 0.0 59 40.5 45.5 40.5 5.1 158.3 0 0 40.5 45.5 0.0
Ron Springs 25 FB 16 13 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 1 100.0 0 0.0 -45.0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0.0 -45.0 0.0
Team Total 26.2 16 241 439 54.9 3414 24 5.5 15 3.4 73 7.8 6.8 14.2 213.4 84.2 31 245 6.7 5.8 6.6
Opp Total 16 236 511 46.2 3370 17 3.3 37 7.2 6.6 3.7 14.3 210.6 49.0 42 347 6.1 2.8

Rushing & Receiving

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Rushing Receiving
Age Pos G GS Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G YScm RRTD Fmb
Tony Dorsett*+ 27 RB 16 16 342 1646 4 75 4.8 102.9 21.4 32 325 10.2 2 73 2.0 20.3 1971 6 10
Ron Springs 25 FB 16 13 172 625 10 16 3.6 39.1 10.8 46 359 7.8 2 32 2.9 22.4 984 12 3
Danny White 29 QB 16 15 38 104 0 17 2.7 6.5 2.4 104 0 14
James Jones 23 RET 16 0 34 183 1 59 5.4 11.4 2.1 6 37 6.2 0 16 0.4 2.3 220 1 4
Robert Newhouse 31 16 0 14 33 0 6 2.4 2.1 0.9 1 21 21.0 0 21 0.1 1.3 54 0 0
Timmy Newsome 23 15 0 13 38 0 7 2.9 2.5 0.9 38 0 1
Glenn Carano 26 5 1 8 9 0 11 1.1 1.8 1.6 9 0 3
Doug Cosbie 25 16 0 4 33 0 15 8.3 2.1 0.3 17 225 13.2 5 28 1.1 14.1 258 5 1
Drew Pearson 30 WR 16 16 3 31 0 25 10.3 1.9 0.2 38 614 16.2 3 42 2.4 38.4 645 3 4
Tony Hill 25 WR 16 9 1 -3 0 -3 -3.0 -0.2 0.1 46 953 20.7 4 63 2.9 59.6 950 4 1
Billy Joe DuPree 31 TE 16 15 1 12 0 12 12.0 0.8 0.1 19 214 11.3 2 33 1.2 13.4 226 2 0
Butch Johnson 27 wr 16 7 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 25 552 22.1 5 55 1.6 34.5 552 5 0
Jay Saldi 27 te 16 5 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 8 82 10.3 1 18 0.5 5.1 82 1 0
Doug Donley 22 11 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 3 32 10.7 0 17 0.3 2.9 32 0 0
Team Total 26.2 16 630 2711 15 75 4.3 169.4 39.4 241 3414 14.2 24 73 15.1 213.4 6125 39 45
Opp Total 16 468 2049 16 4.4 128.1 29.3 236 3370 14.3 17 14.8 210.6 5419 33 43

Kick & Punt Returns

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Punt Returns Kick Returns
Age Pos G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
James Jones 23 RET 16 0 33 188 0 17 5.7 27 517 0 33 19.1 925
Ron Fellows 23 16 0 11 44 0 10 4.0 8 170 0 31 21.3 214
Timmy Newsome 23 15 0 12 228 0 27 19.0 266
Robert Newhouse 31 16 0 3 34 0 15 11.3 88
Steve Wilson 24 16 4 2 32 0 17 16.0 32
Doug Cosbie 25 16 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 258
Doug Donley 22 11 0 1 3 0 3 3.0 35
Team Total 26.2 16 45 235 0 17 5.2 53 981 0 33 18.5 7341
Opp Total 16 38 0 71 1508 0 21.2

Kicking & Punting

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
0--19 20--29 30--39 40--49 50+ Tot PAT Punting
Age Pos G GS FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FG% XPA XPM XP% Pnt Yds Lng Blck Y/P
Danny White 29 QB 16 15 79 3222 60 0 40.8
Rafael Septien*+ 28 K 16 0 1 1 11 11 9 8 12 7 2 35 27 77.1% 40 40 100.0% 2 62 33 0 31.0
Team Total 26.2 16 1 1 11 11 9 8 12 7 2 35 27 77.1% 40 40 100.0% 81 3284 60 0 40.5
Opp Total 16 29 14 48.3% 34 31 91.2% 80 3296 41.2

Defense & Fumbles

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
Age Pos G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty
Benny Barnes 30 16 1 1 24 0 24 1 2 72 1
Bob Breunig 28 MLB 16 16 2 8 0 8
Guy Brown 26 llb 16 6 1 28 0 28
Glenn Carano 26 5 1 3 0 -6 0
Doug Cosbie 25 16 0 1 0 0 0
Anthony Dickerson 24 16 0 0 2 0 0
Pat Donovan* 28 LT 16 16 0 1 0 0
Tony Dorsett*+ 27 RB 16 16 10 2 0 0
Michael Downs 22 FS 15 15 7 81 0 25 0 1 0 0
Tony Hill 25 WR 16 9 1 0 0 0
James Jones 23 RET 16 0 4 2 0 0
Too Tall Jones* 30 LDE 16 16 0 3 0 0
Angelo King 23 15 0 0 2 0 0
D.D. Lewis 36 RLB 16 16 1 0 0 0 1 0 -2 0
Harvey Martin 31 RDE 16 16 0 1 0 0 1
Timmy Newsome 23 15 0 1 0 0 0
Drew Pearson 30 WR 16 16 4 0 0 0
Kurt Petersen 24 RG 16 14 0 2 3 0
Tom Rafferty 27 C 16 15 2 1 -30 0
Jay Saldi 27 te 16 5 0 2 0 0
Ron Springs 25 FB 16 13 3 4 11 0
Dennis Thurman 25 RCB 16 16 9 187 0 96 0 1 0 0
Glen Titensor 23 16 0 0 1 0 0
Everson Walls* 22 LCB 16 12 11 133 0 33 0 1 0 0
Charlie Waters 33 SS 16 16 3 21 0 21 0 1 0 0
Danny White 29 QB 16 15 14 8 -34 0
Steve Wilson 24 16 4 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Team Total 26.2 16 37 482 0 96 45 38 14 1 2
Opp Total 16 31 43 27

Scoring Summary

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Age Pos G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
Rafael Septien*+ 28 K 16 0 40 27 121
Ron Springs 25 FB 16 13 10 2 72
Tony Dorsett*+ 27 RB 16 16 4 2 36
Doug Cosbie 25 16 0 5 30
Butch Johnson 27 wr 16 7 5 30
Tony Hill 25 WR 16 9 4 24
Drew Pearson 30 WR 16 16 3 18
Billy Joe DuPree 31 TE 16 15 2 12
Benny Barnes 30 16 1 1 6
James Jones 23 RET 16 0 1 6
Jay Saldi 27 te 16 5 1 6
John Dutton 30 LDT 16 16 1 2
Harvey Martin 31 RDE 16 16 1 2
Team Total 26.2 16 15 24 1 40 27 2 365
Opp Total 16 16 17 31 14 277