List of highest-scoring NFL games

The Washington Redskins and the New York Giants combined for a total of 113 points in one game on November 27, 1966, in Washington, D.C.. The Redskins outscored the Giants 72–41. There were a total of 16 touchdowns: 10 by the Redskins and 6 by the Giants, plus a field goal by Washington's kicker Charlie Gogolak[37] with only 7 seconds left. The game was played before the introduction of nets behind the goal post causing the loss of fourteen footballs to the stands. Thirteen of the footballs were lost due to extra points, and one was lost by Brig Owens who threw the ball into the crowd after he returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown.[38]

On November 28, 2004, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer threw for 4 touchdowns and Rudi Johnson ran for 2 more along with a career-high 202 rushing yards as the Bengals survived 413 passing yards and 5 touchdowns by Kelly Holcomb to defeat the Cleveland Browns 58–48, in the second-highest scoring game in NFL history. Deltha O'Neal returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in the final 2 minutes to end the Browns' comeback hopes and to cap the scoring.

On November 19, 2018, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw for 413 yards and accounted for five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing), including a game-winning 40 yard strike to tight end Gerald Everett with under 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter as the Rams outlasted the Kansas City Chiefs 54-51 in the highest-scoring Monday Night Football game in NFL history. In a losing effort, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 478 yards and 6 touchdowns, but threw three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown by Rams linebacker Samson Ebukam) and lost two fumbles (one returned for a touchdown also by Ebukam). The game was sealed for the Rams when Mahomes threw a desperation pass that was intercepted by Rams free safety LaMarcus Joyner. Both teams combined for fourteen touchdowns and 1,001 yards. It is the only NFL game in which both teams have scored 50 points.[39]

Played on December 22, 1963, the game took place in the American Football League (AFL), but it was absorbed into official NFL records after the NFL–AFL merger. The Oakland Raiders defeated the Houston Oilers 52–49, combining for a total of 101 points. It was Oakland's eighth win in a row.

Oakland placekicker Mike Mercer kicked a field goal with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter, breaking the 49–49 tie and giving Oakland the win. Raiders quarterback Tom Flores threw for 407 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Oilers quarterback and future Hall of Famer George Blanda passed for 342 yards and 5 touchdowns.[40] Oakland's wide receiver Art Powell caught 10 passes for a total of 247 yards and 4 touchdowns. Houston had their own offensive threat in Willard Dewveall who had seven catches adding up to a total amount of 137 yards and four touchdowns.[41]

On November 1, 2015, the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints scored a combined 101 points.[42] The Saints won 52–49. Notably, Saints quarterback Drew Brees tied an NFL record by throwing seven touchdown passes, and Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw six touchdown passes. The 13 touchdown passes between the two quarterbacks set an NFL record.[43] The only field goal was scored on the final play of the game, when the Saints' Kai Forbath successfully kicked a 50-yard field goal to win the game, the longest kick of his career at the time.

On November 27, 1983, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the visiting Kansas City Chiefs 51–48 in overtime. Seahawks running back Curt Warner rushed for 207 yards on 32 carries. Chiefs receiver Carlos Carson had seven catches for 149 yards and one touchdown. The game ended when placekicker Norm Johnson converted a 42-yard field goal with 1:46 left in overtime.[41]

On October 6, 2013, the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Denver Broncos for a game in which 99 total points were scored, tied for fifth-highest in NFL history. Near the end of the fourth quarter the game was tied, 48–48. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (who achieved more than 500 passing yards for the first time in franchise history) threw a critical interception to Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan at his own 24-yard line with 2 minutes remaining in the game. Denver placekicker Matt Prater kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired to give the Broncos a 51–48 win.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning completed 33 of 42 passes for 414 yards, throwing 4 touchdown passes and 1 interception in a winning effort. This performance prompted KCNC-TV to report, "After 5 games and 5 big wins, the Broncos are on pace to become the first team in the history of the NFL to exceed 600, maybe even 700 points, in a season. It is the most remarkable five-game stretch in the history of professional football. The numbers don't lie. What Manning has done in his first five games — his "assault" on the record books — is simply unprecedented."[44] This would prove to be true, as the Broncos stormed all the way to score 606 points and set the NFL record for points scored in a single season.

On December 8, 1985, the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers combined for 98 points in a 54–44 Chargers victory.

On September 16, 2007, Ohio intrastate rivals Cleveland and Cincinnati battled to combine for 96 points, with the Browns defeating the Bengals 51–45.

In a September 21, 1986, AFC East showdown at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the New York Jets hosted the Miami Dolphins, combining for 96 points, with the Jets defeating the Dolphins in overtime, 51–45.

The contest featured 1,066 yards of combined offense, 59 first downs and 93 total pass attempts. Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino had 448 yards through the air and a personal best six touchdown passes, while Jets signal-caller Ken O'Brien threw for 479 yards and 4 touchdown passes. The shootout came to an end when Jets wide receiver Wesley Walker caught a 43-yard bomb touchdown from O'Brien in overtime, his fourth of the game. Walker finished with 6 catches for 179 yards. The Dolphins receiving corps was led by the "Marks Brothers", Mark Duper and Mark Clayton, combining for 328 yards receiving and 3 touchdown receptions.

On October 17, 1983, the Redskins and Packers played on a Monday night with the Packers winning 48–47, a combined 95-point total. Redskins kicker Mark Moseley missed a field goal in the final seconds, securing the win for the Packers.

In the 2009–10 playoffs, the Cardinals and Packers combined for 96 points in a 51–45 overtime Arizona win when Cardinals defensive back Michael Adams strip-sacked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby picked up the loose football, returning it 17 yards for the winning score.

In a December 30, 1995 Wild Card playoff game, the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions combined for 95 points in what was the NFL's highest scoring postseason game until 2009. The Eagles dominated the game on seven Detroit turnovers, winning 58–37. The Eagles scored 31 points in the second quarter alone, and led 38–7 at halftime. They extended their lead to 51–7 with nine minutes left in the third quarter. After that, Detroit scored four touchdowns while the Eagles added another.

On January 4, 2014, the Colts and the Chiefs played in a Saturday evening 2014 NFL Wild Card playoff game. The teams combined for 89 points, with the Colts winning 45–44. Following an early second half Chiefs touchdown, the Colts rallied back for a 28-point comeback, the second largest comeback in NFL playoff history.[lower-alpha 1][45]

After falling behind 24–0, Kansas City suddenly buried the Texans with an NFL playoff record 7 consecutive touchdowns and a field goal over their next eight drives, starting with a shocking 28-point second quarter.

On the opening possession, Houston mounted a six-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Deshaun Watson’s 54-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills on 3rd-and-1, giving the Texans an early 7-0 lead. The Chiefs then went three-and-out on their first drive, with tight end Travis Kelce dropping a potential first down pass on third down. Dustin Colquitt’s ensuing punt was blocked by Barkevious Mingo and recovered by Lonnie Johnson Jr., who returned it 10 yards for a touchdown that put the Texans up 14–0 less than five minutes into the game.

After both teams punted on their next drives, Chiefs returner Tyreek Hill muffed the ball inside his own 10-yard line which was recovered by Keion Crossen for Houston. Two plays later, Watson found tight end Darren Fells in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown and a 21–0 lead late in the first quarter.

The next time Houston got the ball, they drove 48 yards in 9 plays to a 4th and inches on the Chiefs 13-yard line. Rather than risk a conversion, the Texans settled for Ka'imi Fairbairn's 31-yard field goal to go up by 24 four minutes into the second quarter. However, this would be the extent of their success, as they went on to be outscored 51-7 for the rest of the game. First, Mecole Hardman returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to Houston’s 42-yard line. Patrick Mahomes then threw a 25-yard pass to Kelce to get in the red zone before hitting running back Damien Williams for a 17-yard touchdown. After Houston went three-and-out on their next drive, they attempted a fake punt on 4th and 4 with a direct snap to Justin Reid who was tackled by Daniel Sorensen two yards short, giving Kansas City the ball at the Texans 33. Johnson was then called for pass interference to put the ball at the five before Mahomes hit Kelce in the end zone to cut the deficit to 10. On the ensuing kickoff, DeAndre Carter fumbled the ball due to a hit by Sorenson, and it went right into the arms of Kansas City's Darwin Thompson, who returned it to the Houston 6. Mahomes then threw his third touchdown pass in less than four minutes, and his second to Kelce, to make the score 24–21.

Taking possession at their own 10 with 2:47 left in the quarter, the Chiefs went on a 90-yard drive that included another pass interference on Johnson, while Mahomes rushed twice for 35 yards and completed a pair of 20-yard passes to Hill and Kelce. Finally, with 44 seconds left in the half, Mahomes threw another five-yard touchdown to Kelce to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game, 28–24. Mahomes’ four touchdown passes in the second quarter tied an NFL postseason record set by Doug Williams in Super Bowl XXII. Fairbairn missed a 51-yard field goal as time expired in the half as the Chiefs became the first team in NFL history to fall behind by as many as 20 points in the first half but still lead at halftime.

The Chiefs would extend their lead on the opening possession of the third quarter, going 85 yards in 7 plays, the longest a 48-yard catch by Sammy Watkins. Williams ran the ball in from the goal-line, increasing their lead to 34-24 after Harrison Butker missed the extra point. After forcing another Texans punt, the Chiefs took advantage of another pass interference penalty against Houston and a 28-yard completion from Mahomes to Kelce, scoring on their sixth straight possession with another Williams touchdown run to give them a 41–24 lead with 4:39 left in the quarter. Houston finally snapped Kansas City’s 41-point run when Watson completed 4 passes for 80 yards and finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, making the score 41-31 with 24 seconds left in the third quarter.

Kansas City would make it seven touchdowns in a row, setting a new postseason record, on a drive that included a 23-yard pass to Kelce and a 28-yard completion to Watkins, putting the ball at the Houston 8. Mahomes then found Blake Bell in the end zone, making the score 48–31. On Houston's next drive, they turned the ball over on downs at the Chiefs 42. A pair runs by Williams for gains of 11 and 26 yard to set up Butker's 24-yard field goal with 8:06 left to put Kansas City up by 20. Houston then turned the ball over on downs on their final two possessions, the last coming when Frank Clark sacked Watson for a 17-yard loss on 4th-and-8 from the Kansas City 8-yard line.

Mahomes finished the game 23/35 for 321 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. He was also the leading rusher with 53 yards on seven carries. Kelce had 10 catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns, tying a Super Bowl-era postseason record. Hardman had 6 kickoff returns for 142 yards. Williams rushed for 47 yards, caught 2 passes for 21 yards, and scored 3 touchdowns. Watson threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns, while DeAndre Hopkins had 118 yards on nine catches. Kansas City’s 24-point comeback was the fourth largest in postseason history.[46]

The highest-scoring Super Bowl was Super Bowl XXIX on January 29, 1995, in which the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers defeated the AFC champion San Diego Chargers 49–26 for a combined 75 points. This Super Bowl win was the only win for Steve Young in his career.[47]

The second highest-scoring Super Bowl was Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018, in which the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the AFC champion and defending champion New England Patriots 41-33 for a combined 74 points. It is worth noting that there were multiple missed PAT attempts, including one missed kick from both teams and 2 unsuccessful 2-point conversion attempts from the Eagles, and a field goal attempt from the Patriots near the beginning of the second quarter that hit the upright. The 33 points the Patriots scored were the highest by any Super Bowl-losing team in history.