Scoring has been way down this season. Defenses have tended to get the better of offenses. Which only makes the two wild offensive explosions we’ve seen this season even more surprising.

A bunch of offenses are averaging fewer than 2 touchdowns. In a typical season, it’s more commonly close to 2 and a half. The Raiders know this as well as anyone having played in that 3-0 loss against Minnesota in Week 14.

But when it rains it pours. The Dolphins put up 70 on Denver in Week 3, and Las Vegas was able to pile up 63 points on the Chargers.

Since the merger in 1970, those are the two highest-scoring games in the league.

55 POINTS IN A GAME
YearTeamOpponentScore
2023MiamiDenver70-20
2023Las VegasLA Chargers63-21
2011New OrleansIndianapolis62-7
1985NY JetsTampa Bay62-28
1973Atlantaat New Orleans62-7
1972NY GiantsPhiladelphia62-10
1989CincinnatiHouston61-7
1980ChicagoGreen Bay61-7
1972Cincinnatiat Houston61-17
2019Baltimoreat Miami59-10
2012New EnglandIndianapolis59-24
2010Philadelphiaat Washington59-28
2010Oaklandat Denver59-14
2009New EnglandTennessee59-0
1996St. LouisAtlanta59-16
1980DallasSan Francisco59-14
1976LA RamsAtlanta59-0
2012SeattleArizona58-0
2004CincinnatiCleveland58-48
1990HoustonCleveland58-14
1976BaltimoreBuffalo58-20
2017HoustonTennessee57-14
2000St. LouisSan Diego57-31
2021DallasWashington56-14
2020BuffaloMiami56-26
2014AtlantaTampa Bay56-14
2013Kansas Cityat Oakland56-31
2008NY JetsArizona56-35
2007New Englandat Buffalo56-10
2007PhiladelphiaDetroit56-21
2004Kansas CityAtlanta56-10
1992San FranciscoAtlanta56-17
1991WashingtonAtlanta56-17
1989CincinnatiTampa Bay56-23
1979New EnglandNY Jets56-3
1977SeattleBuffalo56-17
2019Tampa Bayat LA Rams55-40
2014Green BayChicago55-14
2013New EnglandPittsburgh55-31
2012Green BayTennessee55-7
2012BaltimoreOakland55-20
2003Indianapolisat New Orleans55-21
1997DetroitChicago55-20
1993San Franciscoat Detroit55-17
1988IndianapolisDenver55-23
1986NY GiantsGreen Bay55-24
1983Cincinnatiat Houston55-14
1983Green BayTampa Bay55-14
1981San Diegoat Oakland55-21
1978New EnglandNY Jets55-21
1977Miamiat St. Louis55-14

Despite those two big games, it’s been a down year for scoring. Entering the weekend, teams are averaging 21.8 points per game. That’s down over a point from two years ago, and down 3 points from the 2020 season (when offenses apparently benefitted more than defenses from the changes caused by the COVID pandemic).

SCORING AVERAGES
YearAvg
200221.67
200320.83
200421.48
200520.62
200620.66
200721.69
200822.03
200921.47
201022.04
201122.18
201222.76
201323.41
201422.59
201522.81
201622.78
201721.72
201823.34
201922.81
202024.79
202122.98
202221.88
202321.81

—Ian Allan