Especially in the playoffs, when every touchdown feels like it’s worth double. Some games leave us shaking our heads. These high-scoring postseason battles are the stuff of legends, filled with great plays, epic comebacks, and nonstop action.
Let’s dive into the highest-scoring playoff games in NFL history, where teams lit up the scoreboard like it’s a point machine.
5. Minnesota Vikings At St. Louis Rams, 1999 Season
Combined Points: 86
Final Score: 49-37 Rams
“The Greatest Show on Turf” delivered an offensive masterpiece on January 16, 2000, as the St. Louis Rams began their Super Bowl run. Kurt Warner set the tone early, connecting with Isaac Bruce for a stunning 77-yard touchdown. The game featured long scoring plays, with the first three touchdowns exceeding 21 yards each.
Warner had a stellar performance, throwing for 391 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. Marshall Faulk chipped in with both a rushing and receiving touchdown, totaling 101 yards.
The Minnesota Vikings made a valiant late-game rally from a 49-17 deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback. Jeff George threw for 423 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Randy Moss was electric, catching nine passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while Cris Carter added 106 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
The Minnesota Vikings made a valiant late-game rally from a 49-17 deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback. Jeff George threw for 423 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Randy Moss was electric, catching nine passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while Cris Carter added 106 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars At Pittsburgh Steelers, 2017 Season
Combined Points: 87
Final Score: 45-42 Jaguars
The Jaguars stunned the Steelers in this playoff Divisional Round clash on January 14, 2018. Rookie running back Leonard Fournette dominated the ground game, carrying the ball 25 times for 109 yards and three touchdowns. Despite Blake Bortles’ modest performance- 14 completions for 214 yards and one touchdown, the Jaguars reached 45 points thanks to Fournette’s heroics and key defensive plays.
On the Steelers’ side, Ben Roethlisberger was prolific, completing 37 of 58 passes for 469 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. Antonio Brown contributed seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Le’Veon Bell racked up 155 total yards, scoring both a rushing and receiving touchdown. Despite Pittsburgh’s explosive offense, Jacksonville emerged victorious, advancing to face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
3. Kansas City Chiefs At Indianapolis Colts, 2013 Season
Combined Points: 89
Final Score: 45-44 Colts
In one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, the Colts erased a 38-10 deficit to defeat the Chiefs on January 4, 2014. Kansas City’s offense, led by Alex Smith, appeared unstoppable early on, but Andrew Luck orchestrated a miraculous rally in the second half.
The quarterbacks combined for eight touchdown passes. Luck’s crucial moment came with a 64-yard strike to T.Y. Hilton, which gave the Colts their first lead with under 4:30 remaining. Hilton finished with 13 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns, cementing his role as the game’s hero. This thrilling contest marked one of the most unforgettable moments in playoff history.
2. Detroit Lions At Philadelphia Eagles, 1995 Season
Combined Points: 95
Final Score: 58-37 Eagles
Initially a defensive battle, this Wild Card game on December 30, 1995, turned into an offensive explosion in the second quarter. The Eagles scored an astonishing 31 points before halftime, taking full control of the game.
Fred Barnett, Barry Wilburn, Rob Carpenter, and Ricky Watters all contributed touchdowns in the first half. Watters added a second score later, finishing with a one-yard rushing touchdown and a 45-yard receiving touchdown from quarterback Rodney Peete. On the other side, Lions quarterback Don Majkowski tried to mount a comeback, throwing three late touchdown passes, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
1. Green Bay Packers At Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Season
Combined Points: 96
Final Score: 51-45 Cardinals
The highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history took place on January 10, 2010, between the Packers and Cardinals. Kurt Warner and Aaron Rodgers engaged in a quarterback duel for the ages, combining for 802 passing yards and nine touchdown passes.
Warner’s precision led the Cardinals to a strong start, and the back-and-forth scoring kept fans on the edge of their seats. Despite the offensive fireworks, the game ended on a defensive play- Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby recovered a Rodgers fumble and returned it 17 yards for the game-winning touchdown in overtime. This nail-biter remains one of the most thrilling games ever played in the postseason.
