What are the most points scored in an NFL game? We take a look at these famous and entertaining high-scoring games.
Most Points Scored in an NFL Game
These games showcased some of the very best offensive displays ever seen in the National Football League. Let’s take a look at the top 10 games with the most points scored in an NFL game.
10. LA Rams vs. Baltimore Colts – 97 points (1950)
The LA Rams had an extremely powerful offensive unit in 1950 and they put on a show against the Baltimore Colts on Oct. 22, 1950 with a 70-27 win.
Los Angeles ran away with the game after a 21-13 quarter time lead. They are the only team in modern NFL history to score 60-or-more points twice in one season, winning 65-24 against Detroit the week after.
9. San Diego vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – 98 points (1985)
The San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers combined for 98 points on Dec. 8, 1985. At the half the Chargers led 34-20 and the scoring continued into the second.
Pittsburgh came storming back, overturning the deficit to lead 44-41 in the fourth. The Chargers eventually won 54-44 in one of the highest scoring NFL games.
8. Chicago Cardinals vs. New York Giants – 98 points (1948)
The 1947 defending champions the Chicago Cardinals came up against the New York Giants on Oct. 17, 1948. The Cardinals had no mercy against the helpless giants scoring 42 points in the first half.
New York fought back valiantly but the Cardinals were too strong. Chicago won the game 63-35, but there could have been more than the 98 total points scored in this one.
7. Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City – 99 points (1983)
The 7-6 Seattle Seahawks’ were battling the 5-8 Kansas on Nov. 27, 1983 with both teams’ playoff hopes in tatters. Despite not much to play for, both teams put on offensive displays for the record books.
Kansas City exploded in the second quarter with 21 points but Seattle clawed themselves back into the game which finished 48-all. In OT Norm Johnson hit a 42-yard field goal.
The Chiefs won 51-48 and the 99 points was the record for most points in an NFL game at the time which stood for two decades.
6. Denver Broncos vs. Dallas Cowboys – 99 points (2013)
Peyton Manning and the 2013 Denver Broncos started the season with a bang. The momentum continued with a 51-48 victory over the Cowboys.
The 99 points scored is the sixth most NFL points scored in an NFL game and Matt Prater hit a field goal as time expired to win it for Denver.
Tony Romo threw a career high 506 passing yards, but Manning still led Denver to victory with over 400 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and one rushing score.
5. Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Oilers – 101 points (1963)
Before the NFL-AFL merger the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers played out an epic encounter on Dec. 22, 1963.
The Raiders defeated the Oilers 52-49 with both teams combining for 101 points, with 49 of those points scored in the second quarter alone.
Raiders quarterback Tom Flores threw six touchdowns, and Oilers George Blanda – who impressively is one of the best kickers of all time – passed for five touchdowns.
4. New York Giants vs. New Orleans – 101 points (2015)
It was a shootout on Nov. 1, 2015 between two of the best quarterbacks of all time, Drew Brees and Eli Manning.
A 36-year old Brees threw for 505 yards and seven touchdowns to equal the NFL record for most touchdowns in a game. Manning threw for six touchdowns including three to Odell Beckham Jr.
Both offenses combined for 1,030 yards and 101 points as the Saints won a thrilling encounter 52-49.
3. LA Rams vs. Kansas City – 105 points (2018)
Coming into the Nov. 19, 2018 matchup, the LA Rams and Kansas City Chiefs both entered with a 9-1 record and they delivered the most points scored in an NFL game during Monday Night Football, the 105-point total a single point off the record post-AFL-NFL merger.
The game is often seen as one of the best regular season games in history with both offenses deploying a high-octane tempo. Mahomes threw for 478 passing yards and six touchdowns, and was picked off three times. Jared Goff was sacked five times but managed four touchdowns and zero interceptions.
With 1:49 left to play, Goff threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Everett and they outlasted the Chiefs 54-51.
2. Bengals vs. Browns – 106 points (2004)
The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns delivered the second highest points scored in an NFL game on Nov. 28, 2004. Both teams combined for 966 total yards, and quarterbacks Kelly Holcomb and Carson Palmer delivered an aerial raid for the ages.
Cincinnati won the shootout 58-48 which included five touchdowns and two interceptions for Holcomb, and four touchdowns for Palmer, who was picked off three times. The 106 points scored by both teams is the most points scored in a game following the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
1. Washington vs. New York Giants – 113 points (1966)
On Nov. 27, 1966 the Washington Redskins defeated the New York Giants 72-41. Both teams combined to score a whopping 113 points, the most points in an NFL game.
The Giants did have more yards than Washington, with 389 yards against the Redskins’ 341 yards.
Washington’s Charlie Gogolak missed his first extra point attempt. With nine seconds left, the Redskins special teams unit came onto the field, and Gogolak kicked a 29-yard field goal to bring Washington’s total to 72 points.
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