1981 AFC Standings
- * - division winner, + - wild card
| Tm | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | MoV | SoS | SRS | OSRS | DSRS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC East | ||||||||||||
| Miami Dolphins* | 11 | 4 | 1 | .719 | 345 | 275 | 70 | 4.4 | -1.5 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 2.8 |
| New York Jets+ | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 355 | 287 | 68 | 4.3 | -2.4 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 1.7 |
| Buffalo Bills+ | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 311 | 276 | 35 | 2.2 | -0.9 | 1.3 | -2.5 | 3.9 |
| Baltimore Colts | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 259 | 533 | -274 | -17.1 | 1.3 | -15.8 | -3.8 | -12.0 |
| New England Patriots | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 322 | 370 | -48 | -3.0 | -0.7 | -3.7 | -0.6 | -3.1 |
| AFC Central | ||||||||||||
| Cincinnati Bengals* | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 421 | 304 | 117 | 7.3 | -1.8 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1.0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 356 | 297 | 59 | 3.7 | -1.0 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Houston Oilers | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 281 | 355 | -74 | -4.6 | -0.1 | -4.7 | -3.1 | -1.6 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 276 | 375 | -99 | -6.2 | -0.3 | -6.5 | -4.1 | -2.4 |
| AFC West | ||||||||||||
| San Diego Chargers* | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 478 | 390 | 88 | 5.5 | -1.1 | 4.4 | 9.2 | -4.7 |
| Denver Broncos | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 321 | 289 | 32 | 2.0 | -0.7 | 1.3 | -1.6 | 2.9 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 343 | 290 | 53 | 3.3 | -0.1 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 2.8 |
| Oakland Raiders | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 273 | 343 | -70 | -4.4 | 0.7 | -3.6 | -3.6 | 0.0 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 322 | 388 | -66 | -4.1 | 0.8 | -3.3 | -0.1 | -3.2 |
1981 NFC Standings
- * - division winner, + - wild card
| Tm | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | MoV | SoS | SRS | OSRS | DSRS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFC East | ||||||||||||
| Dallas Cowboys* | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 367 | 277 | 90 | 5.6 | 0.5 | 6.1 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles+ | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 368 | 221 | 147 | 9.2 | -0.5 | 8.7 | 2.0 | 6.7 |
| New York Giants+ | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 295 | 257 | 38 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 3.4 | -2.2 | 5.5 |
| Washington Redskins | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 347 | 349 | -2 | -0.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | -1.2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 315 | 408 | -93 | -5.8 | 1.1 | -4.7 | 0.1 | -4.8 |
| NFC Central | ||||||||||||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers* | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 315 | 268 | 47 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 3.0 | -1.4 | 4.4 |
| Detroit Lions | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 397 | 322 | 75 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 0.5 |
| Green Bay Packers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 324 | 361 | -37 | -2.3 | 0.6 | -1.7 | 0.7 | -2.3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 325 | 369 | -44 | -2.8 | 0.7 | -2.0 | 0.0 | -2.1 |
| Chicago Bears | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 253 | 324 | -71 | -4.4 | 1.6 | -2.9 | -4.4 | 1.5 |
| NFC West | ||||||||||||
| San Francisco 49ers* | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 357 | 250 | 107 | 6.7 | -0.5 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 5.0 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 426 | 355 | 71 | 4.4 | -0.5 | 4.0 | 6.5 | -2.6 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 303 | 351 | -48 | -3.0 | 0.6 | -2.4 | -1.4 | -1.0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 207 | 378 | -171 | -10.7 | 1.2 | -9.5 | -7.2 | -2.3 |
1981 Week Summaries
- Weekly leaders, boxscores, & previews

Playoff Results