1981 Baltimore Colts season


The 1981 Baltimore Colts season was the 29th season for the team in the National Football League. The Colts finished the NFL's 1981 season with a record of 2 wins and 14 losses, finishing in a tie with the New England Patriots for both last place in their division, the AFC East, and the worst record in the league. However, by virtue of beating the Patriots for their only two wins of the season, the Colts finished ahead of New England on a tiebreaker. Those wins came in the first and last weeks of the season, as the Colts lost their other fourteen games consecutively. They won those 2 games by a combined 3 points.
The Colts’ defense had one of the worst seasons in NFL history, setting records for points and yards allowed. The Colts gave up more than twice as many points as they scored. Conversely, the Patriots, with whom they were tied in the AFC East, only gave up 48 more points than they scored. The Colts’ pass defense surrendered a staggering 8.19 yards-per-dropback, the most surrendered by any team in NFL history.
The Colts’ -274 point differential is the second-worst since the 1970 merger, second only to the 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished 0–14. The 1981 Colts are the first of only two NFL teams since 1940 to suffer eleven losses in a season during which they never had a lead. The Colts allowed 40 points in 4 separate games during the season, which is still an NFL record. According to Football Outsiders, they have the worst overall defense and passing defense in their ranking's history.
The season included a bizarre incident in which, during the Colts’ 38–13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on November 15, team owner Bob Irsay called plays from the coaches’ booth. Quarterback Bert Jones told Sports Illustrated in 1986:
After the season, defensive coordinator Chuck Weber was fired.

Regular season

Game summaries

Week 1: at New England Patriots

StatisticsBALNE
First downs2122
Total yards346388
Rushing yards249114
Net passing yards97274
Sacked–yards2–163–11
Turnovers13
Penalties–yards10–758–84

Week 2: vs. Buffalo Bills

StatisticsBUFBAL
First downs2611
Total yards430147
Rushing yards16973
Net passing yards26174
Sacked–yards0–05–46
Turnovers33
Penalties–yards9–651–5

Week 3: at Denver Broncos

StatisticsBALDEN
First downs1027
Total yards209442
Rushing yards161127
Net passing yards48315
Sacked–yards2–173–26
Turnovers34
Penalties–yards8–639–65

Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins

StatisticsMIABAL
First downs2220
Total yards428514
Rushing yards119166
Net passing yards309348
Sacked–yards0–01–9
Turnovers01
Penalties–yards4–356–52

Week 5: at Buffalo Bills

StatisticsBALBUF
First downs2322
Total yards378366
Rushing yards133229
Net passing yards245137
Sacked–yards4–301–11
Turnovers21
Penalties–yards10–557–49

Week 6: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

StatisticsCINBAL
First downs2422
Total yards378350
Rushing yards12156
Net passing yards257294
Sacked–yards0–04–42
Turnovers04
Penalties–yards5–546–51

Week 7: vs. San Diego Chargers

StatisticsSDBAL
First downs3018
Total yards470264
Rushing yards17268
Net passing yards298196
Sacked–yards0–06–59
Turnovers13
Penalties–yards6–305–45

Week 8: at Cleveland Browns

StatisticsBALCLE
First downs1830
Total yards357562
Rushing yards118131
Net passing yards239431
Sacked–yards2–101–13
Turnovers36
Penalties–yards5–336–56

Week 9: at Miami Dolphins

StatisticsBALMIA
First downs1919
Total yards308310
Rushing yards68146
Net passing yards240164
Sacked–yards1–80–0
Turnovers30
Penalties–yards7–586–55

Week 10: vs. New York Jets

StatisticsNYJBAL
First downs2821
Total yards393332
Rushing yards122114
Net passing yards271218
Sacked–yards1–62–25
Turnovers02
Penalties–yards4–256–74

Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles

StatisticsBALPHI
First downs934
Total yards208574
Rushing yards36235
Net passing yards172339
Sacked–yards0–01–13
Turnovers22
Penalties–yards7–536–45

Week 12: vs. St. Louis Cardinals

StatisticsSTLBAL
First downs2422
Total yards452385
Rushing yards241155
Net passing yards211230
Sacked–yards1–80–0
Turnovers32
Penalties–yards7–606–54

Week 13: at New York Jets

StatisticsBALNYJ
First downs1122
Total yards152300
Rushing yards49161
Net passing yards103139
Sacked–yards5–391–4
Turnovers10
Penalties–yards9–826–40

Week 14: vs. Dallas Cowboys

StatisticsDALBAL
First downs299
Total yards464238
Rushing yards354156
Net passing yards11082
Sacked–yards0–01–8
Turnovers23
Penalties–yards6–3311–87

Week 15: at Washington Redskins

StatisticsBALWAS
First downs2127
Total yards337486
Rushing yards120147
Net passing yards217339
Sacked–yards1–00–0
Turnovers21
Penalties–yards3–736–60

Week 16: vs. New England Patriots

StatisticsNEBAL
First downs2019
Total yards350383
Rushing yards77128
Net passing yards273255
Sacked–yards1–81–12
Turnovers42
Penalties–yards6–206–53

The Colts ended the 1981 season by snapping their 14-game losing streak and swept the Patriots. However, the win would cause the Colts to lose out on the first overall pick in the following draft, which would go to the Patriots, and the Colts would secure the second overall pick instead.

Records set

Most Points Allowed, Season, 533Worst Point Differential, 16-game season, -274Most First-Half Points Allowed, 16-game season, 307Most Touchdowns Allowed, Season, 68Most First Downs Allowed Season, 406Fewest Punt Returns, Season, 12