The top 10 highest-scoring games in NFL history

It’s always fun to see a football game where both offenses keep rampaging up and down the field at will. Very often, the last team to score wins, and if you have players from these teams in your fantasy lineups, you’re sitting pretty hoping the game never ends.

With that in mind, let's look at the top 10 highest-scoring games in NFL history!

10. LA Rams 70, Baltimore Colts 27 (Oct. 22, 1950)

The Rams led the Colts 21-13 after one quarter of play, and one could be forgiven for thinking both offenses would be in line for big days. As it turned out, only one was. The Rams scored 28 straight points to break the game open, and, at the time, it was the second highest-scoring game in NFL history.

8. (TIE) Chicago Cardinals 63, New York Giants 35 (Oct. 17, 1948)

The Cardinals ensured the final outcome was never in doubt by scoring 42 points in the first half. The Giants played their opponents to a second-half tie at 21-all, but the damage was already done.

8. (TIE) San Diego Chargers 54, Pittsburgh Steelers 44 (Dec. 8, 1985)

This was an all-time shootout, and it was also a heck of a game. San Diego led 34-20 at the half, but the Steelers tied the game early in the third quarter and took a 44-41 lead in the fourth. However, Gary Anderson scored a go-ahead touchdown from two yards out and Jeffrey Dale returned an interception to paydirt to seal the victory.

6. (TIE) Seattle Seahawks 51, Kansas City Chiefs 48 (Nov. 27, 1983)

Seattle had to make several comebacks to win this one. The Chiefs raced out to an early 21-7 lead, but the Seahawks rallied to go up 31-28 in the third quarter. Kansas City counterpunched, taking a 48-45 lead late. However, Norm Johnson hit a pair of field goals to tie, and then win, the game.

6. (TIE) Denver Broncos 51, Dallas Cowboys 48 (Oct 6, 2013)

If you like two star quarterbacks slinging the ball all over the field, you almost certainly enjoyed this one. Peyton Manning and Tony Romo combined for 920 passing yards and nine touchdowns in this one, and three of Romo’s scores came in the final 15:14 of the game. However, the Broncos tied it up on a Knowshon Moreno carry, and Matt Prater hit a chip shot field goal as time expired.

4. (TIE) Oakland Raiders 52, Houston Oilers 49 (Dec. 22, 1963)

The Houston Oilers put up 49 points in the first three quarters of this one, but then, somewhat miraculously, Oakland’s defense held Houston off the board in the final stanza. Meanwhile, future Hall of Fame coach Tom Flores tied the game with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Art Powell, and Mike Mercer booted the game-winning field goal.

4. (TIE) New Orleans Saints 52, New York Giants 49 (Nov. 1, 2015)

This was another all-time quarterback duel, as Drew Brees and Eli Manning threw a total of 13 touchdown passes in this one. It was a tough loss for the Giants to swallow, as New York rallied from a 42-28 deficit with 21 points in 5:04 to take a 49-42 lead. However, the Saints landed the final blows. Brees found C.J. Spiller for the game-tying touchdown, and Kai Forbath booted a 50-yard field goal to end it.

3. LA Rams 54, Kansas City Chiefs 51 (Nov. 19, 2018)

This turned out to be the highest-scoring game in the long, storied history of Monday Night Football, and it’s easy to see why. Patrick Mahomes was in the midst of his MVP season, but it was Jared Goff whose star shined brightest. He threw for 413 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions, and one of those scores was a 40-yard bomb to Gerald Everett with less than two minutes to go.

2. Cincinnati Bengals 58, Cleveland Browns 48 (Nov. 28, 2004)

This is proof that a shootout can materialize out of nowhere. The Browns would finish the 2004 season at just 4-12, but they gave the Bengals all they could handle for most of this one and took a 48-44 lead with 10:22 to go. Rudi Johnson, however, scored a go-ahead touchdown for Cincinnati a few minutes later, and Deltha O’Neal sealed it with a late Pick Six.

1. Washington 72, New York Giants 41 (Nov. 27, 1966)

There’s no other way to say this: The 1966 Giants were terrible. They’d finish 1-12-1 and surrender 501 points, the most in the league that season. 72 of those came in this contest, one where they had no answer for Washington from the opening whistle. Washington raced to a 34-7 first half advantage, and despite New York rallying to score four second-half touchdowns, the game’s outcome was never seriously in doubt.