1981 New York Giants season

The 1981 New York Giants season was the franchise's 57th season in the National Football League. The Giants qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 18 years with a 9–7 record,[1] which placed them third in the National Football Conference East Division.[2] The Giants qualified for the postseason thanks to an overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the last game of the season, coupled with a loss by the Green Bay Packers.[3] In the Wild Card playoffs, the Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27–21 in Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium. New York's season ended with a 38–24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional round.[2] The 49ers would go on to win Super Bowl XVI.[4]

1981 New York Giants season
OwnerTimothy J. Mara
Wellington Mara
General managerGeorge Young
Head coachRay Perkins
Home fieldGiants Stadium
Results
Record9–7
Division place3rd NFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(at Eagles) 27–21
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at 49ers) 24–38
Pro BowlersLB Lawrence Taylor
LB Harry Carson

Offseason

NFL Draft

The Giants drafted linebacker Lawrence Taylor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[5] Taylor would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.[6]

See also: 1981 NFL Draft
1981 New York Giants draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 2 Lawrence Taylor * †  LB North Carolina
2 32 Dave Young  TE Purdue
3 59 John Mistler  WR Arizona State
4 85 Clifford Chatman  RB Central State (OK) Played during 1982 season
5 115 Bill Neill  DT Pittsburgh
6 145 Mel Hoover  WR Arizona State
6 165 Edward O'Neal  RB Tuskegee
7 168 Louis Jackson  RB Cal Poly
8 197 John Powers  G Michigan
8 207 Mark Reed  QB Moorhead State
8 221 Billy Ard  G Wake Forest
9 224 Byron Hunt  LB SMU
10 250 Mike Barber  DT Grambling State
12 307 Mike Maher  TE Western Illinois
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

Staff
1981 New York Giants staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches


Roster
1981 New York Giants roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists
  • 50 Jim Clack C (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 27 Larry Heater RB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • -- Dennis Johnson FB/TE (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 44 Doug Kotar RB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  •  8 Mark Reed QB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 65 John Sinnott T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
  • 99 Kervin Wyatt LB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap
1 September 6 Philadelphia Eagles L 10–24 0–1 Giants Stadium 72,459 Recap
2 September 13 at Washington Redskins W 17–7 1–1 RFK Stadium 53,343 Recap
3 September 20 New Orleans Saints W 20–7 2–1 Giants Stadium 69,814 Recap
4 September 27 at Dallas Cowboys L 10–18 2–2 Texas Stadium 63,449 Recap
5 October 4 Green Bay Packers L 14–27 2–3 Giants Stadium 73,684 Recap
6 October 11 St. Louis Cardinals W 34–14 3–3 Giants Stadium 67,128 Recap
7 October 18 at Seattle Seahawks W 32–0 4–3 Kingdome 56,134 Recap
8 October 25 at Atlanta Falcons W 27–24 5–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 48,410 Recap
9 November 1 New York Jets L 7–26 5–4 Giants Stadium 74,740 Recap
10 November 8 at Green Bay Packers L 24–26 5–5 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,138 Recap
11 November 15 Washington Redskins L 27–30 5–6 Giants Stadium 63,133 Recap
12 November 22 at Philadelphia Eagles W 20–10 6–6 Veterans Stadium 66,827 Recap
13 November 29 at San Francisco 49ers L 10–17 6–7 Candlestick Park 57,186 Recap
14 December 6 Los Angeles Rams W 10–7 7–7 Giants Stadium 59,659 Recap
15 December 13 at St. Louis Cardinals W 20–10 8–7 Busch Memorial Stadium 47,358 Recap
16 December 19 Dallas Cowboys W 13–10 9–7 Giants Stadium 73,009 Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 12
1 234Total
• Giants 3 7010 20
Eagles 7 300 10
  • Date: November 22
  • Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 39 °F (3.9 °C), wind 16 miles per hour (26 km/h; 14 kn)
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
Scoring summary
1NYGJoe Danelo 39 yard field goalGiants 3–0
1PHIKeith Krepfle 6 yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Tony Franklin kick)Eagles 7–3
2NYGLeon Bright 1 yard rush (Joe Danelo kick)Giants 10–3
2PHITony Franklin 27 yard field goalEagles 10–10
4NYGJoe Danelo 30 yard field goalGiants 13–10
4NYGTerry Jackson 32 yard interception return (Joe Danelo kick)Giants 20–10

[7]

This was the Giants' first win over the Eagles since 1975.[8]

Week 13
1 234Total
Giants 0 307 10
• 49ers 7 703 17
  • Date: November 29
  • Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: 49 °F (9.4 °C), wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
  • Referee: Jerry Markbreit
  • TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Fred Dryer
Scoring summary
1SFJohnny Davis 1 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick)49ers 7–0
2SFJoe Montana 20 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick)49ers 14–0
2NYGJoe Danelo 52 yard field goal49ers 14–3
4NYGRob Carpenter 3 yard run (Joe Danelo kick)49ers 14–10
4SFRay Wersching 23 yard field goal49ers 17–10

[9]

Week 14
1 234Total
Rams 7 000 7
• Giants 0 073 10
  • Date: December 6
  • Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 36 °F (2.2 °C), wind 28 miles per hour (45 km/h; 24 kn)
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
Scoring summary
1LARWendell Tyler 2 yard rush Scott Brunner (Frank Corrall kick)Rams 7–0
3NYGRob Carpenter 1 yard rush (Joe Danelo kick)Tie 7–7
4NYGJoe Danelo 19 yard field goalGiants 10–7

[10]

Week 15
1 234Total
• Giants 7 373 20
Cardinals 3 007 10
Scoring summary
1STLNeil O'Donoghue 30 yard field goalCardinals 3–0
1NYGGeorge Martin 20 yard fumble return (Joe Danelo kick)Giants 7–3
2NYGJoe Danelo 27 yard field goalGiants 10–3
3NYGRob Carpenter 1 yard run (Joe Danelo kick)Giants 17–3
4NYGJoe Danelo 33 yard field goalGiants 20–3
4STLGreg LaFleur 3 yard pass from Neil Lomax (Neil O'Donoghue kick)Giants 20–10

[11]

Week 16: vs. Dallas Cowboys
See also: 1981 Dallas Cowboys season
Week 16: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Cowboys 0 0 010010
Giants 0 0 73313

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

Heading into their last regular season game, the Giants needed a win over the Dallas Cowboys to remain in postseason contention.[12] Dallas, the NFC East champions, required a victory against New York, along with a loss by the San Francisco 49ers, to clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.[13] Neither team scored in the first half;[14] Giants kicker Joe Danelo missed two field goal attempts from inside 30 yards in the first quarter.[15] The Giants opened the scoring during their second possession of the second half, as Scott Brunner completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Tom Mullady. On the final play of the third quarter, Dallas wide receiver Tony Hill caught a 44-yard pass from Danny White; three plays later, White threw a touchdown pass to Doug Cosbie, which allowed the Cowboys to tie the game, 7–7.[16] On the Giants' next drive, Brunner threw an interception to Michael Downs; after taking possession in Giants territory, the Cowboys went in front on a 36-yard field goal by Rafael Septién.[17]

Dallas held a three-point lead into the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, when a Tony Dorsett fumble gave the Giants the ball at the Cowboys' 45-yard-line. Inside the final minute, Danelo attempted a game-tying field goal from 40 yards. His kick was good, and the game was forced into overtime.[18] The Giants had the first possession of overtime after winning the coin toss, but were forced to punt. On the Cowboys' second play of their first overtime drive, Dorsett was unable to field a pitch by White; Lawrence Taylor recovered the fumble and the Giants gained possession at the Dallas 40-yard-line.[19] Danelo's ensuing 33-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful, hitting an upright. The Giants then forced another Cowboys turnover, as White was intercepted by Byron Hunt, who returned the ball to the Dallas 24-yard-line.[18] Danelo was called on again, and his 35-yard field goal clinched a 13–10 victory for the Giants.[18] The following day, the New York Jets defeated the Green Bay Packers, giving the Giants their first playoff berth since 1963.[3]

Playoffs
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Venue Attendance Recap
Wildcard December 27 at Philadelphia Eagles (4) W 27–21 Veterans Stadium 71,611 Recap
Divisional January 3, 1982 at San Francisco 49ers (1) L 24–38 Candlestick Park 58,360 Recap

Standings
NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Dallas Cowboys(2) 12 4 0 .750 6–2 8–4 367 277 L1
Philadelphia Eagles(4) 10 6 0 .625 4–4 7–5 368 221 W1
New York Giants(5) 9 7 0 .563 5–3 8–6 295 257 W3
Washington Redskins 8 8 0 .500 3–5 6–6 347 349 W3
St. Louis Cardinals 7 9 0 .438 2–6 4–8 315 408 L2

References
  1. "New York Giants Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  2. "1981 New York Giants". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  3. Whittingham, Richard (2005). Illustrated History of the New York Giants. Chicago: Triumph Books. pp. 195–196. ISBN 978-1-57243-641-1.
  4. Massa, Mike (January 10, 2020). "49ers' playoff history as the top seed in the NFC". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  5. "1981 New York Giants Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  6. "Lawrence Taylor". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  7. "New York Giants 20 at Philadelphia Eagles 10". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  8. "All Matchups, Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  9. "New York Giants 10 at San Francisco 49ers 17". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  10. "Los Angeles Rams 7 at New York Giants 10". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  11. "New York Giants 20 at St. Louis Cardinals 10". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  12. Whittingham, p. 195.
  13. Baker, Jim; Corbett, Bernard M. (2010). The Most Memorable Games in Giants History: The Oral History of a Legendary Team. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-60819-074-4.
  14. "Dallas Cowboys 10 at New York Giants 13". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  15. Gola, Hank (December 31, 2011). "Joe Danelo recalls '81 NY Giants, Dallas Cowboys match as a day filled with emotions". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  16. Baker and Corbett, p. 197.
  17. Baker and Corbett, pp. 197–198.
  18. Litsky, Frank (December 20, 1981). "Giants Win In Overtime; Playoff Spot On Line Today". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  19. Baker and Corbett, p. 199.
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