NFL standings at the end of October 17, 1981
Average points per team per game: 22.0
| AFC East | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Miami Dolphins |
4 | 1 | 1 | 146 | 114 | 32 | 0.4 | 5.7 | 1-0-1 | 3-1-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Buffalo Bills |
4 | 2 | 0 | 158 | 88 | 70 | 1.0 | 12.7 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | Won 2 | ||||||||
 New York Jets |
2 | 3 | 1 | 129 | 169 | -40 | 4.7 | -2.0 | 2-1-0 | 0-2-1 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 New England Patriots |
1 | 5 | 0 | 130 | 149 | -19 | 1.4 | -1.7 | 1-2-0 | 0-3-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Baltimore Colts |
1 | 5 | 0 | 106 | 186 | -80 | 6.9 | -6.4 | 0-3-0 | 1-2-0 | Lost 5 | ||||||||
| AFC Central | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pittsburgh Steelers |
4 | 2 | 0 | 141 | 111 | 30 | -0.7 | 4.3 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | Won 4 | ||||||||
 Cincinnati Bengals |
4 | 2 | 0 | 153 | 131 | 22 | 0.2 | 3.8 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Houston Oilers |
4 | 2 | 0 | 115 | 99 | 16 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | Won 2 | ||||||||
 Cleveland Browns |
2 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 127 | -39 | 4.6 | -1.9 | 1-2-0 | 1-2-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
| AFC West | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Denver Broncos |
5 | 1 | 0 | 133 | 75 | 58 | -1.2 | 8.5 | 4-0-0 | 1-1-0 | Won 4 | ||||||||
 San Diego Chargers |
4 | 2 | 0 | 193 | 153 | 40 | 0.5 | 7.2 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Kansas City Chiefs |
4 | 2 | 0 | 151 | 132 | 19 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Oakland Raiders |
2 | 4 | 0 | 63 | 89 | -26 | 2.3 | -2.1 | 1-1-0 | 1-3-0 | Lost 3 | ||||||||
 Seattle Seahawks |
1 | 5 | 0 | 85 | 136 | -51 | 4.1 | -4.4 | 1-1-0 | 0-4-0 | Lost 4 | ||||||||
| NFC East | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Philadelphia Eagles |
6 | 0 | 0 | 140 | 67 | 73 | -0.7 | 11.5 | 3-0-0 | 3-0-0 | Won 6 | ||||||||
 Dallas Cowboys |
4 | 2 | 0 | 140 | 123 | 17 | -5.3 | -2.5 | 2-0-0 | 2-2-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 New York Giants |
3 | 3 | 0 | 105 | 97 | 8 | -4.4 | -3.0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 St. Louis Cardinals |
2 | 4 | 0 | 108 | 151 | -43 | -2.2 | -9.3 | 2-1-0 | 0-3-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Washington Redskins |
1 | 5 | 0 | 101 | 156 | -55 | -1.8 | -11.0 | 0-3-0 | 1-2-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
| NFC Central | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
4 | 2 | 0 | 117 | 90 | 27 | -4.2 | 0.3 | 3-0-0 | 1-2-0 | Won 3 | ||||||||
 Minnesota Vikings |
4 | 2 | 0 | 136 | 146 | -10 | -1.8 | -3.5 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | Won 4 | ||||||||
 Detroit Lions |
2 | 4 | 0 | 118 | 126 | -8 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 2-0-0 | 0-4-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||||
 Green Bay Packers |
2 | 4 | 0 | 106 | 140 | -34 | -1.2 | -6.9 | 0-3-0 | 2-1-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||||
 Chicago Bears |
1 | 5 | 0 | 89 | 133 | -44 | -2.8 | -10.1 | 1-3-0 | 0-2-0 | Lost 3 | ||||||||
| NFC West | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | L | T | PF | PA | MOV | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | STRK | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 San Francisco 49ers |
4 | 2 | 0 | 158 | 120 | 38 | -4.0 | 2.3 | 3-0-0 | 1-2-0 | Won 3 | ||||||||
 Los Angeles Rams |
4 | 2 | 0 | 160 | 131 | 29 | -2.8 | 2.0 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | Won 4 | ||||||||
 Atlanta Falcons |
3 | 3 | 0 | 157 | 115 | 42 | -0.2 | 6.8 | 2-1-0 | 1-2-0 | Lost 3 | ||||||||
 New Orleans Saints |
1 | 5 | 0 | 64 | 136 | -72 | 4.0 | -8.0 | 1-2-0 | 0-3-0 | Lost 4 | ||||||||