1981 Cincinnati Bengals season

1981 Cincinnati Bengals season
Head coach	Forrest Gregg
General manager	Paul Brown
Owner	Paul Brown
Home field	Riverfront Stadium
Results
Record	12–4
Division place	1st AFC Central
Playoff finish	Won AFC Divisional Playoff (Bills) 28–21 Won AFC Championship Game (Chargers) 27–7 Lost Super Bowl XVI (49ers) 26–21
← 1980 Bengals seasons 1982 →

1 2 3 4 Total Seahawks 21 0 0 0 21 • Bengals 0 10 10 7 27 Date: September 6 Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 41,177 Game weather: 69°F; wind 8 Referee: Bob Frederic Television network: NBC

Scoring summary Q1 SEA Harris 29 yard interception return (Herrera kick) SEA 7–0 Q1 SEA Largent 36 yard pass from Zorn (Herrera kick) SEA 14–0 Q1 SEA Jodat 1 yard run (Herrera kick) SEA 21–0 Q2 CIN Breech 25 yard field goal SEA 21–3 Q2 CIN Johnson 3 yard run (Breech kick) SEA 21–10 Q3 CIN Breech 40 yard field goal SEA 21–13 Q3 CIN Griffin 3 yard run (Breech kick) SEA 21–20 Q4 CIN Johnson 2 yard run (Breech kick) CIN 27–21

Scoring summary
Q1		SEA	Harris 29 yard interception return (Herrera kick)	SEA 7–0
Q1		SEA	Largent 36 yard pass from Zorn (Herrera kick)	SEA 14–0
Q1		SEA	Jodat 1 yard run (Herrera kick)	SEA 21–0
Q2		CIN	Breech 25 yard field goal	SEA 21–3
Q2		CIN	Johnson 3 yard run (Breech kick)	SEA 21–10
Q3		CIN	Breech 40 yard field goal	SEA 21–13
Q3		CIN	Griffin 3 yard run (Breech kick)	SEA 21–20
Q4		CIN	Johnson 2 yard run (Breech kick)	CIN 27–21

The 1981 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 14th year in professional football and its 12th with the National Football League (NFL). The team won their first AFC Championship, but lost Super Bowl XVI to San Francisco.

Cincinnati had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season. On December 13, quarterback Ken Anderson threw two touchdown passes as the Bengals clinched the division with a 17–10 win over the Steelers.

Ken Anderson led the NFL in passing in 1981 with a 98.5 rating.

On January 3, 1982, the Bengals beat Buffalo, 28–21, in an AFC Divisional Playoff game. A week later, playing in their first AFC Championship Game, the Bengals defeated San Diego, 27–7, at Riverfront Stadium in a temperature of nine degrees below zero with a wind-chill factor of minus-59. This game is referred to as the Freezer Bowl.

In Super Bowl XVI on January 24, 1982, in Pontiac, Michigan, the Bengals trailed 20–0 at halftime and lost to San Francisco, 26–21.

Before the season, the Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants.

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