1981 Los Angeles Rams season

The 1981 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 44th year with the National Football League (NFL) and the 36th season in Los Angeles. The Rams looked to improve on their 11–5 record from 1980. The team failed to improve, finishing with a mediocre 6–10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1972. This year's Rams squad also suffered the humiliation of being the first to be swept by NFC West rival New Orleans.

1981 Los Angeles Rams season
Owner	Georgia Frontiere
General manager	Don Klosterman
Head coach	Ray Malavasi
Home stadium	Anaheim Stadium
Results
Record	6–10
Division place	3rd NFC West
Playoffs	Did not qualify
← 1980 Rams seasons 1982 →

For the season, the Rams converted from gray facemasks to blue facemasks.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1981 NFL draft

1981 Los Angeles Rams draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	9	Mel Owens	Linebacker	Michigan
2	43	Jim Collins	Linebacker	Syracuse
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[1]

Undrafted free agents

1981 undrafted free agents of note

Player	Position	College
Jeff Kemp	Quarterback	Dartmouth

The Rams were touted as a possible Super Bowl contender prior to this season. However, Vince Ferragamo, who had previously led the Rams to Super Bowl XIV and set a Rams record the previous season with 30 touchdown passes, decided to bolt for the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes. Pat Haden was named the starter, but with most of the offensive weapons that Ferragamo had, notably WR's Preston Dennard and Billy Waddy. Also, the Rams would benefit from the return of running back Wendell Tyler, who had missed most of the previous season with a hip injury from an automobile accident.

Personnel

Staff

1981 Los Angeles Rams staff

Front office Owner/President – Georgia Frontiere Executive Vice President/General Manager – Don Klosterman Assistant General Manager – Jack Faulkner Director of Player Personnel – John Math Head coaches Head Coach – Ray Malavasi Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator – Lionel Taylor Quarterbacks – Paul Lanham Running Backs – Hewritt Dixon Offensive Line – Dan Radakovich

Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Bud Carson Defensive Line – Frank Lauterbur Linebackers – Herb Paterra Special teams coaches Special Teams – Jim Vechiarella Strength and conditioning Conditioning – Clyde Evans

Roster

1981 Los Angeles Rams roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 11 Pat Haden  9 Jeff Kemp 10 Dan Pastorini Running backs (RB) 32 Cullen Bryant 44 Mike Guman 22 Jairo Penaranda 33 Jewerl Thomas 26 Wendell Tyler Wide receivers (WR) 88 Preston Dennard 85 Drew Hill 82 Willie Miller 86 Jeff Moore 80 Billy Waddy Tight ends (TE) 84 Walt Arnold 83 Lewis Gilbert

Offensive linemen (OL) 62 Bill Bain G 60 Dennis Harrah G 72 Kent Hill G 73 Phil McKinnely T 75 Irv Pankey T 61 Rich Saul C 78 Jackie Slater T 56 Doug Smith T/G Defensive linemen (DL) 97 Robert Cobb DE 71 Reggie Doss DT 79 Mike Fanning DT 76 Cody Jones DT 69 Greg Meisner DE 95 Phil Murphy DT 85 Jack Youngblood DE

Linebackers (LB) 52 George Andrews OLB 57 Mario Celotto OLB 55 Carl Ekern MLB 51 Joe Harris OLB 58 Mel Owens OLB 53 Jim Youngblood OLB Defensive backs (DB) 42 Kirk Collins FS 21 Nolan Cromwell FS 47 LeRoy Irvin CB 20 Johnnie Johnson SS 49 Rod Perry CB 23 Lucious Smith CB 37 Ivory Sully SS 27 Pat Thomas CB Special teams (ST)  3 Frank Corral K/P

Reserve 35 Robert Alexander RB (IR) 81 Ron Battle TE (IR) 90 Larry Brooks DT (IR) 54 Howard Carson LB (IR) 83 Henry Childs TE (IR) 50 Jim Collins LB (IR) 31 George Farmer WR (IR) 77 Doug France T (IR) 59 George Lilja G (IR)  8 Jeff Rutledge QB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 6	Houston Oilers	L 20–27	0–1	Anaheim Stadium	63,198
2	September 13	at New Orleans Saints	L 17–23	0–2	Louisiana Superdome	62,063
3	September 20	Green Bay Packers	W 35–23	1–2	Anaheim Stadium	61,286
4	September 28	at Chicago Bears	W 24–7	2–2	Soldier Field	62,461
5	October 4	Cleveland Browns	W 27–16	3–2	Anaheim Stadium	63,924
6	October 11	at Atlanta Falcons	W 37–35	4–2	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	57,841
7	October 18	at Dallas Cowboys	L 17–29	4–3	Texas Stadium	64,649
8	October 25	at San Francisco 49ers	L 17–20	4–4	Candlestick Park	59,190
9	November 1	Detroit Lions	W 20–13	5–4	Anaheim Stadium	61,814
10	November 8	New Orleans Saints	L 13–21	5–5	Anaheim Stadium	61,068
11	November 15	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 10–24	5–6	Riverfront Stadium	56,836
12	November 22	San Francisco 49ers	L 31–33	5–7	Anaheim Stadium	63,456
13	November 29	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 0–24	5–8	Three Rivers Stadium	51,854
14	December 6	at New York Giants	L 7–10	5–9	Giants Stadium	59,659
15	December 14	Atlanta Falcons	W 21–16	6–9	Anaheim Stadium	57,054
16	December 20	Washington Redskins	L 7–30	6–10	Anaheim Stadium	52,224
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
San Francisco 49ers(1)	13	3	0	.813	5–1	10-2	357	250	W5
Atlanta Falcons	7	9	0	.438	3–3	6–6	426	355	L3
Los Angeles Rams	6	10	0	.375	2–4	5–7	303	351	L1
New Orleans Saints	4	12	0	.250	2–4	2–10	207	378	L4

See also

Other Anaheim–based teams in 1981

• 1981 California Angels season