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{{short description|NFL team season}}{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

factoids

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

Offseason

NFL Draft

{hide}NFL team draft start {edih}{hide}NFL team draft entry {edih}{hide}NFL team draft entry {edih}{hide}NFL team draft end {edih}WEB,weblink 1981 Los Angeles Rams draftees, Pro-Football-Reference.com, October 4, 2014,

Undrafted free agents

{| class="wikitable"|+ 1981 Undrafted Free Agents of note!Player!Position!College|Jeff Kemp|QuarterbackDartmouth Big Green football>DartmouthThe 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

{hide}NFL final staff| year = 1981| team = Los Angeles Rams| 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_coach =

• Head Coach – Ray Malavasi

| offensive =

• Offensive Coordinator – Lionel Taylor
• Quarterbacks – Paul Lanham
• Running Backs – Hewritt Dixon
• Offensive Line – Dan Radakovich

| defensive =

• Defensive Coordinator – Bud Carson
• Defensive Line – Frank Lauterbur
• Linebackers – Herb Paterra

| special_teams =

• Special Teams – Jim Vechiarella

| strength =

• Conditioning – Clyde Evans

{edih}

Roster

{{NFL season roster| year = 1981| team = Los Angeles Rams| quarterbacks ={{NFLplayer|11|Pat Haden}}{{NFLplayer| 9|Jeff Kemp|rookie=y}}{{NFLplayer|10|Dan Pastorini}}| running_backs ={{NFLplayer|32|Cullen Bryant}}{{NFLplayer|44|Mike Guman}}{{NFLplayer|22|Jairo Penaranda|rookie=y}}{{NFLplayer|33|Jewerl Thomas}}{{NFLplayer|26|Wendell Tyler}}| wide_receivers ={{NFLplayer|88|Preston Dennard}}{{NFLplayer|85|Drew Hill}}{{NFLplayer|82|Willie Miller|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|86|Jeff Moore|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|80|Billy Waddy}}| tight_ends ={{NFLplayer|84|Walt Arnold}}{{NFLplayer|83|Henry Childs}}| offensive_linemen ={{NFLplayer|62|Bill Bain|d=American football|G/T}}{{NFLplayer|60|Dennis Harrah|G}}{{NFLplayer|72|Kent Hill|G}}{{NFLplayer|73|Phil McKinnely|T}}{{NFLplayer|75|Irv Pankey|T}}{{NFLplayer|61|Rich Saul|C}}{{NFLplayer|78|Jackie Slater|T}}{{NFLplayer|56|Doug Smith|d=offensive lineman|C}}| defensive_linemen = {{NFLplayer|97|Robert Cobb|d=American football|rookie=y|DE}}{{NFLplayer|71|Reggie Doss|DT}}{{NFLplayer|79|Mike Fanning|d=American football|DT}}{{NFLplayer|76|Cody Jones|DT}}{{NFLplayer|69|Greg Meisner|DE}}{{NFLplayer|95|Phil Murphy|d=American football|DT}}{{NFLplayer|85|Jack Youngblood|DE}}| linebackers ={{NFLplayer|52|George Andrews|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|54|Howard Carson|d=American football|rookie=y}}{{NFLplayer|57|Mario Celotto}}{{NFLplayer|55|Carl Ekern}}{{NFLplayer|51|Joe Harris|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|58|Mel Owens|rookie=y}}{{NFLplayer|53|Jim Youngblood}}| defensive_backs ={{NFLplayer|21|Nolan Cromwell|FS}}{{NFLplayer|42|Kirk Collins}}{{NFLplayer|47|LeRoy Irvin|CB}}{{NFLplayer|20|Johnnie Johnson|d=American football|SS}}{{NFLplayer|49|Rod Perry|CB}}{{NFLplayer|23|Lucious Smith|CB}}{{NFLplayer|37|Ivory Sully|CB}}{{NFLplayer|27|Pat Thomas|d=defensive back|CB}}| special_teams ={{NFLplayer| 3|Frank Corral|K/P}}| reserve_lists ={{NFLplayer|81|Ron Battle|rookie=y|TE|IR}}{{NFLplayer|90|Larry Brooks|d=American football|DT|IR}}{{NFLplayer|50|Jim Collins|d=linebacker|rookie=y|LB|IR}}{{NFLplayer|77|Doug France|T|IR}}{{NFLplayer|59|George Lilja|rookie=y|G|IR}}{{NFLplayer| 8|Jeff Rutledge|QB|IR}}| practice_squad =}}

Regular season

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Schedule {| class"wikitable" style"text-align:center"

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Week!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Date!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Opponent!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Result!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Record!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Venue!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}"| Attendancestyle="background:#fcc"! 1| September 61981 Houston Oilers season>Houston Oilers| L 20–27| 0–1| Anaheim Stadium| 63,198style="background:#fcc"! 2| September 131981 New Orleans Saints season>New Orleans Saints| L 17–23| 0–2| Louisiana Superdome| 62,063style="background:#cfc"! 3| September 201981 Green Bay Packers season>Green Bay Packers| W 35–23| 1–2| Anaheim Stadium| 61,286style="background:#cfc"! 4September 28, 1981}}1981 Chicago Bears season>Chicago Bears| W 24–7| 2–2| Soldier Field| 62,461style="background:#cfc"! 5| October 41981 Cleveland Browns season>Cleveland Browns| W 27–16| 3–2| Anaheim Stadium| 63,924style="background:#cfc"! 6| October 111981 Atlanta Falcons season>Atlanta Falcons| W 37–35| 4–2| Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium| 57,841style="background:#fcc"! 7| October 181981 Dallas Cowboys season>Dallas Cowboys| L 17–29| 4–3| Texas Stadium| 64,649style="background:#fcc"! 8| October 251981 San Francisco 49ers season>San Francisco 49ers| L 17–20| 4–4| Candlestick Park| 59,190style="background:#cfc"! 9| November 11981 Detroit Lions season>Detroit Lions| W 20–13| 5–4| Anaheim Stadium| 61,814style="background:#fcc"! 10| November 81981 New Orleans Saints season>New Orleans Saints| L 13–21| 5–5| Anaheim Stadium| 61,068style="background:#fcc"! 11| November 151981 Cincinnati Bengals season>Cincinnati Bengals| L 10–24| 5–6| Riverfront Stadium| 56,836style="background:#fcc"! 12| November 221981 San Francisco 49ers season>San Francisco 49ers| L 31–33| 5–7| Anaheim Stadium| 63,456style="background:#fcc"! 13| November 291981 Pittsburgh Steelers season>Pittsburgh Steelers| L 0–24| 5–8| Three Rivers Stadium| 51,854style="background:#fcc"! 14| December 61981 New York Giants season>New York Giants| L 7–10| 5–9| Giants Stadium| 59,659style="background:#cfc"! 15December 14, 1981}}1981 Atlanta Falcons season>Atlanta Falcons| W 21–16| 6–9| Anaheim Stadium| 57,054style="background:#fcc"! 16| December 201981 Washington Redskins season>Washington Redskins| L 7–30| 6–10| Anaheim Stadium| 52,224style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1981|border=2}}" Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

{{1981 NFC West standings}}

See also

Other Anaheim–based teams in 1981

• 1981 California Angels season

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

• 1981 Los Angeles Rams at Pro-Football-Reference.com

{{Los Angeles Rams}}{{Los Angeles Rams seasons}}{{1981 NFL season by team}}{{Americanfootball-season-stub}}