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1981 New Orleans Saints

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1981 New Orleans Saints season
Owner John Mecom, Jr.
Head Coach Bum Phillips
Home Field Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record 4–12
Place 4th NFC West
Playoff Finish did not qualify
Timeline
Previous Season Next Season
1980 1982

The 1981 New Orleans Saints season was the Saints 15th season. The Saints had the first pick overall in the 1981 NFL Draft. With the first pick overall, the Saints drafted Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers from the University of South Carolina.

Offseason[]

NFL Draft[]

The Saints rebuilt by drafting Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers [1] from the South Carolina Gamecocks. Longtime Saint Rickey Jackson was selected by the Saints in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Round Pick Player Position School
1 1 George Rogers Running Back South Carolina
2 29 Russell Gary Defensive Back Nebraska
2 51 Rickey Jackson Linebacker Pittsburgh
3 57 Frank Warren Defensive End Auburn

[2]

Personnel[]

Staff[]

1981 New Orleans Saints staff
Front Office
  • Owner – John Mecom, Jr.
  • Director of Football Operations – Harry Hulmes
  • Director of Player Personnel – Pat Peppler

Head Coaches

Offensive Coaches

  • Offensive Coordinator – King Hill
  • Offensive Backfield – John Levra
  • Receivers – Lamar McHan
  • Offensive Line – Joe Spencer
  

Defensive Coaches

  • Defensive Coordinator – Wade Phillips
  • Defensive Line – Willie Zapalac
  • Linebackers – John Paul Young
  • Defensive Backfield – Lance Van Zandt

Special Teams Coaches

  • Special Teams – Harold Richardson

Strength and Conditioning

  • Strength and Conditioning – Russell Paternostro

[3]

Regular season[]

Schedule[]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance
1 September 6 at Atlanta L 27-0 0-1
57,406
2 September 13 Los Angeles W 23-17 1-1
62,063
3 September 20 at NY Giants L 20-7 1-2
69,814
4 September 27 at San Francisco L 21-14 1-3
44,433
5 October 4 Pittsburgh L 20-6 1-4
64,578
6 October 11 Philadelphia L 31-14 1-5
52,728
7 October 18 at Cleveland L 20-17 1-6
76,059
8 October 25 Cincinnati W 17-7 2-6
46,336
9 November 1 Atlanta L 41-10 2-7
63,637
10 November 8 at Los Angeles W 21-13 3-7
61,068
11 November 15 at Minnesota L 20-10 3-8
45,215
12 November 22 at Houston W 27-24 4-8
49,581
13 November 29 Tampa Bay L 31-14 4-9
62,209
14 December 6 at St. Louis L 30-3 4-10
46,923
15 December 13 Green Bay L 35-7 4-11
45,518
16 December 20 San Francisco L 21-17 4-12
43,639

Game Summaries[]

Week 4: at San Francisco[]

Week 4: New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers;– Game summary
1 2 3 4 Total
Saints 7 0 0 7 14
49ers 0 7 7 7 21

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Scoring

First Quarter
  • NO - Jeff Groth 24 yard pass from Dave Wilson (Benny Ricardo kick)
Second Quarter
  • SF - Johnny Davis 6 yard rush (Matt Bahr kick)
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
Top passers
  • NO – Dave Wilson - 11/22, 180 yards, TD, INT
  • SF – Joe Montana - 16/22, 175 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
  • NO – George Rogers - 25 rushes, 115 yards
  • SF – Johnny Davis - 11 rushes, 48 yards, TD
Top receivers
  • NO – TWes Chandler - 4 receptions, 72 yards
  • SF – Freddie Solomon - 2 receptions, 80 yards, TD


Week 16: vs. San Francisco[]

Week 16: San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints;– Game summary
1 2 3 4 Total
49ers 7 7 0 7 21
Saints 14 0 3 0 17

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Scoring

First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
  • NO – Benny Ricardo 27 yard field goal
Fourth Quarter
  • SF – Johnny Davis 3 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick)
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
  • SF – Freddie Solomon - 5 receptions, 38 yards, TD
  • NO – Toussaint Tyler - 5 receptions, 21 yards

Standings[]

Template:1981 NFC West standings

Awards and records[]

  • George Rogers, NFL rushing title, 1,674 yards[4]
  • George Rogers, franchise record, most rushing yards by a rookie, 1,674 yards
  • George Rogers, NFL Record (since broken), most rushing yards by a rookie, 1,674 yards[4]

References[]

  1. ↑ http://www.heisman.com/winners/hsmn-winners.html
  2. ↑ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1981.htm
  3. ↑ 2009 New Orleans Saints Media Guide,2009 New Orleans Saints Media Guide. Retrieved on 2010-02-16. ISBN .
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 437

External links[]

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