1981 Baltimore Colts season

1981 Baltimore Colts season
Head coach	Mike McCormack
Home field	Memorial Stadium
Results
Record	2–14
Division place	T-4th AFC East
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1981 Baltimore Colts season was the 29th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1981 season with a record of 2 wins and 14 losses, and finished tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the New England Patriots. However the Colts finished ahead of New England in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0). The victories over New England occurred on the first and last games of the season; Baltimore lost 14 games in between victories.

The Colts defense had one of the worst seasons in NFL history, setting records for points (533) and yards (6,793) allowed; the yardage record was surpassed by the 2012 New Orleans Saints, who allowed 7,042. The Colts gave up more than twice as many points as they scored (259). 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 (points scored vs. points allowed) is the second-worst since the 1970 merger, second only to the 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished 0-14. The 1981 Colts and the 1990 New England Patriots are the only NFL teams since 1940 to have 11 losses in a season in which they never had a lead.

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game Site	Attendance
1	September 6, 1981	at New England Patriots	W 29–28	1–0	Schaeffer Stadium	49,572
2	September 13, 1981	Buffalo Bills	L 3–35	1–1	Memorial Stadium	44,950
3	September 20, 1981	at Denver Broncos	L 10–28	1–2	Mile High Stadium	74,804
4	September 27, 1981	Miami Dolphins	L 28–31	1–3	Memorial Stadium	41,630
5	October 4, 1981	at Buffalo Bills	L 17–23	1–4	Rich Stadium	77,811
6	October 11, 1981	Cincinnati Bengals	L 19–41	1–5	Memorial Stadium	33,060
7	October 18, 1981	San Diego Chargers	L 14–43	1–6	Memorial Stadium	41,921
8	October 25, 1981	at Cleveland Browns	L 28–42	1–7	Cleveland Stadium	78,986
9	November 1, 1981	at Miami Dolphins	L 10–27	1–8	Orange Bowl	46,061
10	November 8, 1981	New York Jets	L 14–41	1–9	Memorial Stadium	31,521
11	November 15, 1981	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 13–38	1–10	Veterans Stadium	68,618
12	November 22, 1981	St. Louis Cardinals	L 24–35	1–11	Memorial Stadium	24,784
13	November 29, 1981	at New York Jets	L 0–25	1–12	Shea Stadium	53,593
14	December 6, 1981	Dallas Cowboys	L 13–37	1–13	Memorial Stadium	54,871
15	December 13, 1981	at Washington Redskins	L 14–38	1–14	RFK Stadium	46,706
16	December 20, 1981	New England Patriots	W 23–21	2–14	Memorial Stadium	17,073

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Miami Dolphins(2)	11	4	1	.719	5–2–1	8–3–1	345	275	W4
New York Jets(4)	10	5	1	.656	6–1–1	8–5–1	355	287	W2
Buffalo Bills(5)	10	6	0	.625	6–2	9–3	311	276	L1
Baltimore Colts	2	14	0	.125	2–6	2–10	259	533	W1
New England Patriots	2	14	0	.125	0–8	2–10	322	370	L9

Records set

• Most Points Allowed, Season, 533
• Most Touchdowns Allowed, Season, 68
• Most First Downs Allowed Season, 406
• Most Yards Allowed, Season, 6,793
• Fewest Punt Returns, Season, 12

See also

• History of the Indianapolis Colts
• Indianapolis Colts seasons
• Colts-Patriots rivalry