Team season

1981 Detroit Lions

NFC North · 16 indexed games

8–8

Regular season

—

Playoffs

Conference rank

397–322

Points for–against

Conference rank is derived from indexed winning percentage, wins and point differential; it is not an official tiebreaker seed.

Postseason path

Playoff games

This team did not appear in the indexed postseason.

Season highlights

Best games from 1981

Postseason stakes and close finishes bring the most consequential indexed games to the top.

WSH

Detroit Lions vs WSH

Regular Season · Nov 8, 1981

Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings

Regular Season · Sep 20, 1981

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions

Regular Season · Dec 20, 1981

Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions

Regular Season · Nov 15, 1981

Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions

Regular Season · Oct 25, 1981

Detroit Lions vs Los Angeles Chargers

Regular Season · Sep 13, 1981

Detroit Lions vs Denver Broncos

Regular Season · Oct 11, 1981

Detroit Lions vs Los Angeles Rams

Regular Season · Nov 1, 1981

San Francisco 49ers vs Detroit Lions

Regular Season · Sep 6, 1981

Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers

Regular Season · Dec 6, 1981

Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears

Regular Season · Nov 22, 1981

Oakland Raiders vs Detroit Lions

Regular Season · Sep 27, 1981

Open the complete 1981 NFL season →All Detroit Lions seasons →