1981 Oakland Raiders season

1981 Oakland Raiders season
Head coach	Tom Flores
General manager	Al Davis
Owner	Al Davis
Home field	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	4th AFC West
Playoff finish	did not qualify
← 1980 Raiders seasons 1982 (Los Angeles) →

1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 7 0 0 0 7 • Broncos 6 3 0 0 9 Date: September 6 Location: Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado Game start: 2:00 p.m. Game attendance: 74,796 Game weather: 67°F; wind 9

1 2 3 4 Total • Raiders 3 13 7 13 36 Vikings 0 7 3 0 10 Date: September 14 Location: Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota Game start: 8:00 p.m. Game attendance: 47,186 Game weather: 66°F; wind 13 Television network: ABC

Scoring summary Q1 OAK Chris Bahr 21 yard field goal OAK 3–0 Q2 OAK Burgess Owens 30 yard interception return (Chris Bahr kick) OAK 10–0 Q2 OAK Todd Christensen 21 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (kick failed) OAK 16–0 Q2 MIN Eddie Payton 99 yard kickoff return (Rick Danmeier kick) OAK 16–7 Q3 MIN Rick Danmeier 37 yard field goal OAK 16–10 Q3 OAK Morris Bradshaw 12 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Chris Bahr kick) OAK 23–10 Q4 OAK Cedrick Hardman 52 yard fumble return (Chris Bahr kick) OAK 30–10 Q4 OAK Malcolm Barnwell 61 yard pass from Marc Wilson (kick failed) OAK 36–10

Scoring summary
Q1		OAK	Chris Bahr 21 yard field goal	OAK 3–0
Q2		OAK	Burgess Owens 30 yard interception return (Chris Bahr kick)	OAK 10–0
Q2		OAK	Todd Christensen 21 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (kick failed)	OAK 16–0
Q2		MIN	Eddie Payton 99 yard kickoff return (Rick Danmeier kick)	OAK 16–7
Q3		MIN	Rick Danmeier 37 yard field goal	OAK 16–10
Q3		OAK	Morris Bradshaw 12 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Chris Bahr kick)	OAK 23–10
Q4		OAK	Cedrick Hardman 52 yard fumble return (Chris Bahr kick)	OAK 30–10
Q4		OAK	Malcolm Barnwell 61 yard pass from Marc Wilson (kick failed)	OAK 36–10

1 2 3 4 Total Seahawks 0 3 7 0 10 • Raiders 7 6 0 7 20 Date: September 20 Location: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 45,725 Game weather: 64°F; wind 10

Scoring summary Q1 OAK Jim Plunkett 13 yard run (Chris Bahr kick) OAK 7–0 Q2 SEA Efren Herrera 26 yard field goal OAK 7–3 Q2 OAK Morris Bradshaw 29 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (kick failed) OAK 13–3 Q3 SEA Sam McCullum 36 yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efren Herrera kick) OAK 13–10 Q4 OAK Derrick Jensen 1 yard run (Chris Bahr kick) OAK 20–10

Scoring summary
Q1		OAK	Jim Plunkett 13 yard run (Chris Bahr kick)	OAK 7–0
Q2		SEA	Efren Herrera 26 yard field goal	OAK 7–3
Q2		OAK	Morris Bradshaw 29 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (kick failed)	OAK 13–3
Q3		SEA	Sam McCullum 36 yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efren Herrera kick)	OAK 13–10
Q4		OAK	Derrick Jensen 1 yard run (Chris Bahr kick)	OAK 20–10

The 1981 Oakland Raiders season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record from 1980. The Raiders went 7–9 and became the fourth team in NFL history to enter a season as the defending Super Bowl champions and miss the playoffs. The 1981 Raiders set an NFL record by being shut out three consecutive times. The passing game fell off badly being 26th and throwing 28 interceptions. After the defense led the NFL in interceptions and takeaways in 1980, they were dead last in 1981 and were – 16 in turnover differential. It was also their last season in Oakland until 1995 and their losing record snapped a streak of 16 consecutive winning seasons.

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