The highest-scoring NFL game by combined points is Washington’s 72–41 victory over the New York Giants on November 27, 1966.
The teams scored 113 points. The record for the most points by one team is different: the Chicago Bears scored 73 in a 73–0 win over Washington in the 1940 NFL Championship Game.
These records answer different questions. One measures the total score of both teams; the other measures a single team’s points. Separating regular-season, postseason, and Super Bowl records also prevents misleading comparisons.
The NFL’s 2025 Record & Fact Book lists 113, 106, and 105 as the three highest combined scores in its game-record category.
The table below expands the historical view to NFL games with at least 96 combined points, including results through Week 6 of the 2026 regular season.
Highest-Scoring NFL Games by Combined Points
NFL games with 96 or more combined points, including regular-season and postseason games
| Rank | Date | Matchup | Final score | Combined points | Game type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 27, 1966 | Washington vs. New York Giants | 72–41 | 113 | Regular season |
| 2 | November 28, 2004 | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns | 58–48 | 106 | Regular season |
| 3 | November 19, 2018 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 54–51 | 105 | Regular season |
| 4 | November 1, 2015 | New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants | 52–49 | 101 | Regular season |
| 5 (tie) | October 6, 2013 | Denver Broncos vs. Dallas Cowboys | 51–48 | 99 | Regular season |
| 5 (tie) | November 27, 1983 | Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 51–48 (OT) | 99 | Regular season |
| 7 (tie) | December 8, 1985 | San Diego Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | 54–44 | 98 | Regular season |
| 7 (tie) | October 17, 1948 | Chicago Cardinals vs. New York Giants | 63–35 | 98 | Regular season |
| 9 | October 22, 1950 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Baltimore Colts | 70–27 | 97 | Regular season |
| 10 (tie) | September 13, 2026 | Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers | 59–37 | 96 | Regular season |
| 10 (tie) | January 10, 2010 | Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers | 51–45 (OT) | 96 | Postseason |
| 10 (tie) | September 16, 2007 | Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals | 51–45 | 96 | Regular season |
| 10 (tie) | September 21, 1986 | New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins | 51–45 (OT) | 96 | Regular season |
The ranking uses standard competition ranking, so games with the same combined total share a rank.
The 2026 Bears–Panthers game belongs in this group because Chicago won 59–37 for 96 points, a total the NFL’s official game page confirms. It was also the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history.
One historical wrinkle explains why some lists show another 101-point game. The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s historical NFL shootouts roundup also includes Oakland’s 52–49 win over the Houston Oilers on December 22, 1963.
That matchup took place in the American Football League before the AFL–NFL merger was completed for the 1970 season, so it is noted separately rather than mixed into this NFL-only table.
The Highest-Scoring NFL Game: Washington 72, New York Giants 41
Washington’s 113-point win over the Giants remains the NFL’s highest-scoring game by combined points. Played on November 27, 1966, the game featured 16 touchdowns—10 by Washington and six by New York—plus a late Washington field goal.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s account of the record-setting game describes how Washington reached 72 points. The Giants’ 41 points made the total unusually high because both offenses scored repeatedly; it was not simply a one-sided blowout.
The same result also holds the regular-season record for points scored by one team: Washington’s 72. That is one point fewer than the Chicago Bears’ all-time single-team record, which came in a championship game.
Most Points Scored by One NFL Team
The Chicago Bears hold the record for the most points by one team in an NFL game: 73. Chicago defeated Washington 73–0 in the NFL Championship Game on December 8, 1940. The win remains the largest margin of victory in league history.
According to the Bears’ historical recap, Chicago scored 11 touchdowns and intercepted eight passes, returning three interceptions for touchdowns. The result was so dominant that the team’s 73 points remain the benchmark for a single-team score.
For regular-season games, Washington’s 72 points against the Giants in 1966 is the record. The 73-point Bears performance occurred in the postseason, which is why both numbers can be correct.
Highest-Scoring NFL Game Since the 1970 Merger
The Cincinnati Bengals’ 58–48 win over the Cleveland Browns on November 28, 2004, produced 106 combined points.
It is the highest combined total in the post-merger NFL record list and ranks second overall behind Washington–New York in 1966.
The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs combined for 105 points in their 54–51 game on November 19, 2018.
That remains the third-highest total in the NFL record book and one of the clearest modern examples of a high-scoring game in which neither team could create a comfortable lead.
Highest-Scoring NFL Playoff Game
The highest-scoring NFL postseason game was the Arizona Cardinals’ 51–45 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers on January 10, 2010, in the 2009 NFC Wild Card round. The teams combined for 96 points.
The game went to overtime after Green Bay tied the score late. Arizona then won on a defensive touchdown, making the finish as unusual as the score.
The NFL’s playoff-record feature identifies the Cardinals–Packers matchup as the highest-scoring postseason game in league history.
Highest-Scoring Super Bowl
Super Bowl XXIX remains the highest-scoring Super Bowl by combined points. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 49–26 on January 29, 1995, for a total of 75 points.
The NFL’s Super Bowl records list that 75-point total ahead of Super Bowl LII, when Philadelphia beat New England 41–33 for 74 points, and Super Bowl LVII, when Kansas City beat Philadelphia 38–35 for 73 points.
A Super Bowl scoring record is a separate category from the overall NFL record. Even the highest-scoring Super Bowl has produced far fewer points than the 113 recorded in Washington’s 1966 regular-season win over the Giants.
Why NFL Games Produce Such High Scores
High combined totals can come from two efficient offenses, defensive breakdowns, short fields after turnovers, touchdowns on interceptions or returns, and overtime possessions.
When both teams repeatedly convert scoring chances, the total can climb even if neither side dominates the game.
Era matters, too. NFL rules, offensive systems, passing volume, and player safety standards have changed over time.
A 1960s shootout and a modern passing duel happened under different conditions, so the final score is a useful historical record but not a complete measure of which game featured the better offense.
FAQs
What is the highest-scoring NFL game ever?
Washington’s 72–41 win over the New York Giants on November 27, 1966, is the highest-scoring NFL game by combined points, with 113.
Which NFL team has scored the most points in one game?
The Chicago Bears scored 73 points in a 73–0 win over Washington in the 1940 NFL Championship Game. It remains the highest single-team score in league history.
What is the highest score by one team in an NFL regular-season game?
Washington scored 72 points against the New York Giants in 1966. Chicago’s 73-point record came in the 1940 NFL Championship Game, not the regular season.
What is the highest-scoring NFL game since the 1970 merger?
The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns 58–48 in 2004, producing 106 combined points.
What is the highest-scoring NFL playoff game?
Arizona beat Green Bay 51–45 in overtime on January 10, 2010. The 2009 NFC Wild Card game produced 96 combined points.
What is the highest-scoring Super Bowl?
Super Bowl XXIX had 75 combined points when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 49–26 in January 1995.
Did an NFL game score 96 points in 2026?
Yes. The Chicago Bears defeated the Carolina Panthers 59–37 on September 13, 2026. Their 96 combined points put the game among the highest-scoring NFL contests on record.
The key distinction is whether a record counts both teams, one team, the regular season, the postseason, or the Super Bowl.
Washington–New York owns the combined-score record, Chicago owns the single-team record, and the Arizona–Green Bay game holds the postseason combined-points mark.
To follow current results alongside these historical records, visit our NFL live scores, schedule, and results page.
