NFL standings at the end of September 20, 1981
Average points per team per game: 21.1
| AFC East | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Miami Dolphins |
3 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 27 | 39 | 2.4 | 15.4 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | Won 3 | ||||||||
 Buffalo Bills |
2 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 23 | 57 | -6.3 | 12.7 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Baltimore Colts |
1 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 91 | -49 | 4.8 | -11.5 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 New England Patriots |
0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 42 | -11 | -0.2 | -5.7 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 New York Jets |
0 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 100 | -60 | 2.8 | -17.2 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 3 | ||||||||
| AFC Central | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Houston Oilers |
2 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 39 | 7 | 1.5 | 3.9 | 0-1-0 | 2-0-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Cincinnati Bengals |
2 | 1 | 0 | 75 | 71 | 4 | -10.3 | -9.0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Pittsburgh Steelers |
1 | 2 | 0 | 81 | 77 | 4 | -0.4 | 0.9 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Cleveland Browns |
1 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 70 | -33 | 3.2 | -7.8 | 0-2-0 | 1-0-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
| AFC West | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 San Diego Chargers |
3 | 0 | 0 | 114 | 68 | 46 | -1.8 | 13.6 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | Won 3 | ||||||||
 Oakland Raiders |
2 | 1 | 0 | 63 | 29 | 34 | -4.0 | 7.3 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | Won 2 | ||||||||
 Denver Broncos |
2 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 30 | 17 | -3.4 | 2.3 | 2-0-0 | 0-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Kansas City Chiefs |
2 | 1 | 0 | 87 | 85 | 2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Seattle Seahawks |
1 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 57 | -13 | 0.9 | -3.5 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
| NFC East | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Philadelphia Eagles |
3 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 27 | 30 | 5.1 | 15.1 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | Won 3 | ||||||||
 Dallas Cowboys |
2 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 27 | 29 | -2.7 | 11.8 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | Won 2 | ||||||||
 New York Giants |
2 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 38 | 9 | -0.2 | 2.8 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | Won 2 | ||||||||
 St. Louis Cardinals |
1 | 2 | 0 | 64 | 80 | -16 | 6.6 | 1.3 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Washington Redskins |
0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 83 | -36 | 5.9 | -6.1 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | Lost 3 | ||||||||
| NFC Central | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Detroit Lions |
1 | 2 | 0 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 Chicago Bears |
1 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 61 | -7 | -5.5 | -7.8 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
1 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 60 | -12 | -5.3 | -9.3 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 Green Bay Packers |
1 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 75 | -19 | 2.2 | -4.1 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 Minnesota Vikings |
1 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 81 | -32 | -0.5 | -11.2 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
| NFC West | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Atlanta Falcons |
3 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 34 | 58 | -4.6 | 14.8 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | Won 3 | ||||||||
 Los Angeles Rams |
1 | 2 | 0 | 72 | 73 | -1 | -2.6 | -3.0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 San Francisco 49ers |
1 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 75 | -13 | 3.1 | -1.2 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 New Orleans Saints |
1 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 64 | -34 | 6.0 | -5.3 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||