View source for 1981 Houston Oilers season

{{short description|NFL team season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox NFL team season
| team            = Houston Oilers
| year            = 1981
| record          = 7–9
| division_place  = 3rd [[AFC Central]]
| coach           = [[Ed Biles]]
| general_manager = [[Ladd Herzeg]]
| owner           = [[Bud Adams]]
| stadium         = [[Astrodome|Houston Astrodome]]
| playoffs        = ''Did not qualify''
| pro_bowlers     = '''T''' [[Leon Gray]]<br/>'''RB''' [[Earl Campbell]]<br/>'''LB''' [[Robert Brazile]]<br/>'''KR''' [[Carl Roaches]]
| AP All-pros     = '''LB''' Robert Brazile <small>(2nd team)</small>
| shortnavlink    = Oilers seasons
}}

The '''[[1981 NFL season|1981]] [[Houston Oilers]] season''' was the franchise's 22nd overall and the 12th in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). [[Bum Phillips]] was fired as head coach during the offseason for failing to reach the [[Super Bowl]], and replaced by [[Ed Biles]]. However, the Oilers defensive problems would catch up with them as they finished with a disappointing 7–9 record, as [[Earl Campbell]] fought through injuries to rush for 1,376 yards. After a fast 4–2 start, Houston would struggle in the second half, going 3–7 in their final 10 games, including a critical loss to the [[New Orleans Saints]], who finished 4–12 in 1981.

==Offseason==

===NFL draft===
{{main article|1981 NFL draft}}
{{NFL team draft start
 | year     = 1981
 | teamname = Houston Oilers
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 3
 | pick       = 79
 | player     = [[Mike Holston]]
 | position   = [[Wide receiver]]
 | college    = [[Morgan State Bears football|Morgan State]]
 | notes      = 
 | maderoster = yes
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 4
 | pick       = 106
 | player     = [[Nick Eyre]]
 | position   = [[Offensive tackle]]
 | college    = [[1980 BYU Cougars football team|BYU]]
 | notes      = 
 | maderoster = yes
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 5
 | pick       = 133
 | player     = [[Delbert Fowler]]
 | position   = [[Linebacker]]
 | college    = [[1980 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia]]
 | notes      = 
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 6
 | pick       = 159
 | player     = [[Bill Kay (defensive back)|Bill Kay]]
 | position   = [[Defensive back]]
 | college    = [[1980 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | notes      = 
 | maderoster = yes
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 7
 | pick       = 193
 | player     = Don Washington
 | position   = Defensive back
 | college    = [[Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelinas football|Texas A&M–Kingsville]]
 | notes      = 
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 8
 | pick       = 217
 | player     = [[Willie Tullis]]
 | position   = Defensive back
 | college    = [[Troy Trojans football|Troy]]
 | notes      = 
 | maderoster = yes
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 9
 | pick       = 243
 | player     = [[Avon Riley]]
 | position   = Linebacker
 | college    = [[1980 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]]
 | notes      = 
 | maderoster = yes
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 10
 | pick       = 270
 | player     = Larry Jones
 | position   = [[Running back]]
 | college    = [[1980 Colorado State Rams football team|Colorado State]]
 | notes      = 
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 11
 | pick       = 297
 | player     = Claude Matthews
 | position   = [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]]
 | college    = [[1980 Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn]]
 | notes      = 
}}
{{NFL team draft entry
 | round      = 12
 | pick       = 324
 | player     = [[Bill Capece]]
 | position   = [[Placekicker]]
 | college    = [[1980 Florida State Seminoles football team|Florida State]]
 | notes      = 
}}
{{NFL team draft end
 | probowl = no
 | hof     = no
}}
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981_draft.htm |title=1981 Houston Oilers draftees |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=October 22, 2014 }}</ref>

==Personnel==

===Staff===
{{NFL final staff
| year = 1981
| team = Houston Oilers

| front_office =
* Owner/Chairman of the Board/President – [[Bud Adams]]
* Executive Vice President/General Manager – [[Ladd Herzeg]]

| head_coach =
* Head Coach – [[Ed Biles]]

| offensive =
* Offensive Coordinator – [[Jim Shofner]]
* Offensive Backs – [[Elijah Pitts]]
* Receivers – Andy Bourgeois
* Offensive Line – [[Ray Callahan]]

| defensive =
* Defensive Coordinator – [[Dick Nolan (American football)|Dick Nolan]]
* Defensive Line – [[Joe Galat]]
* Linebackers – Dick Selcer
* Defensive Backs – [[Bob Gambold]]
}}

===Roster===
{{NFL season roster
| year = 1981
| team = Houston Oilers

| quarterbacks =
{{NFLplayer|14|Gifford Nielsen}}
{{NFLplayer|12|Ken Stabler}}

| running_backs =
{{NFLplayer|39|Adger Armstrong}}
{{NFLplayer|34|Earl Campbell}}
{{NFLplayer|47|Ronnie Coleman|d=American football}}
{{NFLplayer|28|Rich Thomaselli|rookie=y}}
{{NFLplayer|45|Tim Wilson|d=American football}}

| wide_receivers =
{{NFLplayer|11|Harold Bailey|d=American football}}
{{NFLplayer|88|Billy Brooks}}
{{NFLplayer|00|Ken Burrough}}
{{NFLplayer|84|Mike Holston|rookie=y}}
{{NFLplayer|85|Carl Roaches}}
{{NFLplayer|83|Tim Smith|d=wide receiver|rookie=y}}

| tight_ends =
{{NFLplayer|86|Mike Barber|d=tight end}}
{{NFLplayer|87|Dave Casper}}

| offensive_linemen =
{{NFLplayer|58|David Carter|d=offensive lineman|C}}
{{NFLplayer|66|Greg Davidson|d=American football|C}}
{{NFLplayer|77|Angelo Fields|T}}
{{NFLplayer|60|Ed Fisher|d=American football|G}}
{{NFLplayer|74|Leon Gray|T}}
{{NFLplayer|55|Carl Mauck|C}}
{{NFLplayer|62|John Schuhmacher|G}}
{{NFLplayer|76|Morris Towns|T}}

| defensive_linemen =
{{NFLplayer|75|Jesse Baker|d=American football|DE}}
{{NFLplayer|65|Elvin Bethea|DE}}
{{NFLplayer|69|Andy Dorris|DE}}
{{NFLplayer|71|Ken Kennard|NT}}
{{NFLplayer|90|Daryle Skaugstad|DT}}
{{NFLplayer|67|Mike Stensrud|DE}}

| linebackers =
{{NFLplayer|54|Gregg Bingham|ILB}}
{{NFLplayer|52|Robert Brazile|OLB}}
{{NFLplayer|50|Daryl Hunt|ILB}}
{{NFLplayer|53|Avon Riley|rookie=y|OLB}}
{{NFLplayer|56|Art Stringer|ILB}}
{{NFLplayer|51|Ted Thompson|ILB}}
{{NFLplayer|59|Ted Washington|d3=Sr.|OLB}}

| defensive_back =
{{NFLplayer|36|Carter Hartwig|CB/S}}
{{NFLplayer|22|Bill Kay|d=defensive back|rookie=y|CB}}
{{NFLplayer|32|Vernon Perry|SS}}
{{NFLplayer|37|Mike Reinfeldt|FS}}
{{NFLplayer|27|Greg Stemrick|CB}}
{{NFLplayer|20|Willie Tullis|rookie=y|SS}}
{{NFLplayer|33|J. C. Wilson|CB}}

| special_teams =
{{NFLplayer|16|Toni Fritsch|K}}
{{NFLplayer|18|Cliff Parsley|P}}

| reserve_lists =
{{NFLplayer|57|John Corker|OLB|IR}}
{{NFLplayer|78|Nick Eyre|rookie=y|T|IR}}
{{NFLplayer|44|Delbert Fowler|rookie=y|LB|IR}}
{{NFLplayer|23|Larry Jones|rookie=y|RB|IR|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|79|Claude Mathews|link=no|rookie=y|G|IR}}
* {{player|64}} [[George Reihner]] G <small>(Ret.)</small> [[Image:Injury icon.svg|7px]]
{{NFLplayer|82|Mike Renfro|WR|IR}}
{{NFLplayer|68|Ralph Williams|d=American football|rookie=y|T|IR}}

| practice_squad =
}}

==Regular season==

===Schedule===
[[File:Houston Oilers at Pittsburgh Steelers 1981-10-26 (ticket).jpg|thumb|right|150px|A ticket for an October 26, 1981 game between the Oilers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| Week
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| Date
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| Opponent
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| Result
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| Record
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| Game site
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"| NFL.com<br>recap
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 1
| September 6
| at [[1981 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]]
| W 27–20
| 1–0
|[[Angel Stadium|Anaheim Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 2
| September 13
| at '''[[1981 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]]'''
| W 9–3
| 2–0
|[[Cleveland Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 3
| September 20
| [[1981 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]]
| '''L''' 10–16
| 2–1
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 4
| September 27
| at [[1981 New York Jets season|New York Jets]]
| '''L''' 17–33
| 2–2
|[[Shea Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 5
| October 4
| '''[[1981 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]]'''
| '''W''' 17–10
| 3–2
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 6
| October 11
| [[1981 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]]
| '''W''' 35–17
| 4–2
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 7
| October 18
| at [[1981 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]] 
| '''L''' 10–38
| 4–3
|[[Foxboro Stadium|Schaefer Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 8
| {{dow tooltip|October 26, 1981}}
| at '''[[1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]]'''
| '''L''' 13–26
| 4–4
|[[Three Rivers Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
!  9
| November 1
| at '''[[1981 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]]'''
| '''L''' 21–34
| 4–5
|[[Riverfront Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 10
| November 8
| [[1981 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]]
| '''W''' 17–16
| 5–5
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 11
| November 15
| at [[1981 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]]
| '''L''' 10–23
| 5–6
| [[Arrowhead Stadium]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 12
| November 22
| [[1981 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]]
| '''L''' 24–27
| 5–7
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 13
| November 29
| [[1981 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]]
| '''L'''  27–31
| 5–8
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 14
| {{dow tooltip|December 3, 1981}}
| '''[[1981 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]]'''
| '''W''' 17–13
| 6–8
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #fcc;"
! 15
| December 13
| at [[1981 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]
| '''L''' 6–28
| 6–9
|[[Candlestick Park]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="background: #cfc;"
! 16
| December 20
| '''[[1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]]'''
| '''W''' 21–20
| 7–9
|[[Astrodome]]
|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm Recap]
|-style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers|year=1981|border=2}}"
|colspan="7"| '''Note:''' Intra-division opponents are in '''bold''' text.
|}

===Standings===
{{1981 AFC Central standings}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1981.htm 1981 Houston Oilers] at [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]

{{Tennessee Titans}}
{{Tennessee Titans seasons}}
{{1981 NFL season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1981 Houston Oilers season}}
[[Category:1981 NFL season by team|Houston Oilers]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers seasons]]
[[Category:1981 in sports in Texas|Houston]]


{{Americanfootball-season-stub}}