How NFL's Week 1 scoring explosion tied all-time record for offense image
Bob Donnan/Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The NFL season got off to a high-flying start, as al 16 teams combined to set an NFL record during Week 1.
On Monday night, the Chiefs and Broncos needed a combined 41 points to tie the record for highest-scoring Week 1, and 42 points to set the record. Kansas City's fourth touchdown of the night made the game 31-10 early in the fourth quarter, but the scoring stalled out to keep the teams from setting the record outright.
Instead, though, NFL teams from this week can now say they have a record, tying the number of points scored in Week 1 from 14 years ago. If that performance has any baring on what football will look like this season, offenses appear ready to punch back on the league's best defenses.
Here's a look at the record that the NFL set this week.
MORE NFL WEEK 1:
Highest-scoring Week 1 in NFL history
The NFL's explosive first week meant NFL teams combined for 791 points in Week 1, tied for the most in any Week 1 in NFL history. Previously, NFL teams set the record by scoring 791 points during Week 1 of the 2012 season.
The biggest reason for setting the record was the Sunday games. Teams that played on Sunday combined to score 693 of those points, setting the record for the highest-scoring Week 1 Sunday of all time. This year's games on Wednesday, Thursday and Monday all had moderate-to-low scoring affairs, while the games on Sunday were mostly dominated by the offenses.
Highest-scoring games in Week 1
Rank Result Total points
1. Bears 59, Panthers 37 96
2. Bills 36, Texans 31 67
3. Ravens 41, Colts 64
T-4. Lions 31, Saints 30 61
T-4. Vikings 39, Packers 22 61
6. Bengals 33, Buccaneers 27 60
7. Cowboys 28, Giants 20 48
8. Eagles 24, Commanders 22 46
9. Jaguars 34, Browns 10 44
10. Chiefs 31, Broncos 10 41
T-11. Raiders 27, Dolphins 13 40
T-11. Cardinals 26, Chargers 14 40
13. 49ers 27, Rams 7 34
T-14. Jets 23, Titans 10 33
T-14. Steelers 20, Falcons 13 33
16. Seahawks 13, Patriots 10 23
NFL teams wouldn't have been able to tie the Week 1 points record had it not been for the Bears win over the Panthers. Chicago and Carolina combined for almost 30 points more than the next highest-scoring game on the list, as they totaled 96 points when no other game had more than 67.
Still, six games this week ended up with at least 60 points scored, and 11 teams scored at least 30 points on the week. Additionally, there was just one game with fewer than 33 points scored in the game, and that was the first contest of the year between the Seahawks and Patriots.
The mix of scores this week was a little different to Week 1 in other record year of 2012. This year, only two teams scored over 40 points, while five teams did that in 2012. However, the Bears 59 points were the more by any team's score in Week 1 of 2012, as the Jets led week with 48 points.