Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

74_75 had a great idea with his 1978 thread, so I want to start one about 1981, the year that I started following the NFL.

I have two pre-season annuals from this year. In this entry, I will share Schenley's Complete Handbook of Pro Football predictions:

AFC
East: Baltimore, New England, Miami, Buffalo, N.Y. Jets
Central: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston
West: San Diego, Oakland, Denver, Kansas City, Seattle
AFC Champ: Cleveland

NFC
East: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, St. Louis, N.Y. Giants
Central: Detroit, Chicago, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Green Bay
West: Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Francisco, New Orleans
NFC Champ: Dallas

Here are the predictions I would have made:

AFC
East: Buffalo, Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore
Central: Cleveland, Pittsburgh(*), Cincinnati, Houston
West: San Diego(H), Oakland(*), Denver, Kansas City, Seattle

NFC
East: Dallas, Philadelphia(*), Washington, St. Louis, N.Y. Giants
Central: Detroit, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, Chicago
West: Atlanta(H), Los Angeles(*), San Fran, New Orleans

AFC Championship: Chargers over Bills
NFC Championship: Falcons over Cowboys
SB XVI Winner: Chargers
Teams to watch in 82: Dolphins, Bengals, Broncos, 49ers, Redskins
Coaches on hot seat: Walt Michaels (NYJ), Mike McCormack (Bal), Ron Ehrhardt (NE), Marv Levy (KC), Jack Patera (Sea)

East: Baltimore, New England, Miami, Buffalo, N.Y. Jets

Shocking that they would have picked the Bills to regress that much.

ChrisBabcock wrote:

East: Baltimore, New England, Miami, Buffalo, N.Y. Jets

Shocking that they would have picked the Bills to regress that much.

I know. It must be the same people that didn't predict Buffalo to do much in 1980.

ChrisBabcock wrote:

East: Baltimore, New England, Miami, Buffalo, N.Y. Jets

Shocking that they would have picked the Bills to regress that much.

What's shocking to me is that somebody would've picked Baltimore. If my memory is correct (born in '67), they collapsed in '78, and did nothing in either '79 or '80 to make you think they were on the way up.

What's shocking to me is that somebody would've picked Baltimore. If my memory is correct (born in '67), they collapsed in '78, and did nothing in either '79 or '80 to make you think they were on the way up.

Wow. Yeah. My eyes shot straight to Buffalo in 4th.

’81...a great idea! To me, despite many a great NFL seasons remainder of 20th Century, ’78-thru-’81 are my top-4 of the 16-game era; latter two my all-time favorites since I started following (in ’80), this despite a certain team finishing 9-7 then 8-8.

I ought to dig out my own Schleney/Hollander handbook from this very season. Few things that come to mind before I do so (adding to what 7Den already offered)...

1) Joe Greene calling ’80 not an end but an “interruption”; in the players profiles it is asked (paraphrasing) if Bradshaw is going to refocus more on football this year and less on being an actor?

2) Forty Niners being given ‘bleh’ positive expectations. No playoffs but maybe slight improvement.

3) Jim Hart (included in the team profiles) still with Cards, now entering his 16th year.

4) Article on Bum Phillips now being Saints’ HC.


I don’t remember Houston predicted to do bad. From the very beginning of ’81, starting with game-winning kick-return at Rams in opener, I still treated Oilers as a good team despite Bum no longer onboard. 4-2 start and that early win vs Cincy kept that thought going for a bit. Hou@SF Week #15...#34 vs rookie Ronnie Lott! Any highlight worthy plays between the two, perhaps?

2) Forty Niners being given ‘bleh’ positive expectations. No playoffs but maybe slight improvement.

Here's the quote that sticks out (from the 49er preview section):

Not enough talent to challenge for the Super Bowl, but the 49ers are a team on the upswing.

Wasn't the Chargers defense still somewhat decent in '79 and '80. Was it not until '81 when the defense really fell off a cliff?

If they thought the Chargers were going to have a decent defense I could have seen them being a strong Super Bowl pick for the '81 season.

74_75_78_79_ wrote:I don’t remember Houston predicted to do bad. From the very beginning of ’81, starting with game-winning kick-return at Rams in opener, I still treated Oilers as a good team despite Bum no longer onboard. 4-2 start and that early win vs Cincy kept that thought going for a bit. Hou@SF Week #15...#34 vs rookie Ronnie Lott! Any highlight worthy plays between the two, perhaps?

Not sure if Campbell and Lott "met", but the Niners defense shut him down--45 yards on 18 carries, with only seven of those coming in the second half of SF's 28-6 win that was played in a steady drizzle.

lastcat3 wrote:Wasn't the Chargers defense still somewhat decent in '79 and '80. Was it not until '81 when the defense really fell off a cliff?

If they thought the Chargers were going to have a decent defense I could have seen them being a strong Super Bowl pick for the '81 season.

The weakness of that San Diego defense was the back seven, some solid players, but not the difference-makers usually seen with SB teams. But even the front four could be pushed around in the run game, which was surprising. Chargers fans will always lament the way Oakland ran on them late in the 1980 AFC TG.

Funny thing about that era, the Charger players and coaches always denied if San Diego's quick-scoring offense hurt their own defense. But years later, some defensive players have confessed the quick scores sometimes resulted in the defense getting worn down when they didn't get sufficient rest.