Top offensive games by team

History Published on : 11/12/2013
The high-powered offense of the New Orleans Saints took center stage in Week 10 of the 2013 NFL season with a huge win over the Dallas Cowboys on the nationally televised Sunday Night Football. New Orleans established a franchise record by totaling 625 yards of offense as they downed the Cowboys 49-17. The team also set a new NFL record by becoming the first team to record 40 first downs in a game.

Here is a look at the team-by-team record totals for most yards gained passing and rushing. Interesting the top three marks in the NFL record book have stood for decades.

735Los Angeles Rams vs. New York Yanks, Sept. 28, 1951
683Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Cardinals, Dec. 13, 1958
682Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants, Nov. 14, 1943

 


AFC EAST


BUFFALO BILLS – 582 yards (vs. Miami Dolphins – W, 35-31 – Sept. 1, 1991)
Hall of Famers ruled the day for the Bills as Jim Kelly completed 29 of 39 passes for 381 yards … Thurman Thomas racked up 268 total yards (165 rushing, 103 receiving).

MIAMI DOLPHINS – 584 yards (vs. New York Jets – L, 30-44 – Oct. 23, 1988)
Dan Marino set the Dolphins single-game passing yardage mark with 521 yards, completing 35 of 60 passes and three touchdowns …  A pair of receivers, Mark Clayton and Mark Duper, had 100 yard days.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – 622 yards (vs. Miami Dolphins – W, 38-24 – Sept. 12, 2011)
Tom Brady and Wes Welker connected for a 99-yard touchdown reception … Brady totaled 517 yards passing which is a Patriots franchise record. 

NEW YORK JETS – 597 yards (vs. Miami Dolphins – W, 38-34 – Nov. 27, 1988)
The Jets put together a balanced attack against the Dolphins racking up 426 passing and 171 rushing yards … Wide Receiver Al Toon caught 14 passes for 181 yards.
 

AFC NORTH


BALTIMORE RAVENS – 553 yards (vs. St. Louis Rams – W, 37-7 – Sept. 25, 2011)
Joe Flacco completed 27of 48 passes for 389 yards and three first quarter touchdowns to Torrey Smith. … Smith totaled 152 yards receiving … Ray Rice compiled 164 total yards rushing and receiving. 

CINCINNATI BENGALS – 621 yards (vs. New York Jets – W, 52-21 – Dec. 21, 1986)
Boomer Esiason completed 23-30 passes for 425 yards and five touchdowns … Esiason also added five rushes for 45 yards … The Bengals outgained the Jets 621 to 199.

CLEVELAND BROWNS – 562 yards (vs. Baltimore Colts – W, 42-28 – Oct. 25, 1981)
Brian Sipe broke Otto Graham’s single-game passing yardage mark with 444 yards, while completing 30 of 41 passes.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS – 683 yards (vs. Chicago Cardinals – W, 38-21 – Dec. 13, 1958)
Hall of Famer Bobby Layne (409) became the first Steeler to throw for 400 yards in a game … Three Steeler receivers – Jimmy Orr (205), Jack McClairen (139) and Tom Tracy (106) gained more than 100 yards … Orr’s total set a franchise record.

AFC SOUTH


HOUSTON TEXANS – 640 yards (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (OT), W, 43-37 – Nov. 18, 2012)
Texans Receiver Andre Johnson hauled in 14 receptions for 273 yards, both team records … Johnson’s 273 yards were also a Texans record for the most yards from scrimmage in a single game … QB Matt Schaub set a team record as well by throwing for 527 yards.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – 595 yards (vs. Atlanta Falcons – W, 49-7 – Nov. 12, 1967)
Hall of Fame QB Johnny Unitas had a near flawless day throwing the ball completing 17 of 20 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns… The Colts outgained the Falcons 595 yards to 177 yards.
 
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – 538 yards (vs. St. Louis Rams – L, 14-17 – Oct. 20 1996)
The Jaguars picked up 36 first downs compared to the Rams 8 … Jacksonville held the ball for double the amount of time the Rams had it (41:34 to 18:26) … QB Mark Brunell also threw five interceptions, one of which was returned 92 yards for a TD,  which helped lead to the loss.

TENNESSEE TITANS – 583 yards (vs. Dallas Cowboys (OT) – W, 26-23 – Nov. 10 1991)
Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon threw for 432 yards … Moon set team records for attempts (41) and completions (56) … Moon completed passes to eight different receivers … Lorenzo White had 81 yards on the ground.

 
AFC WEST


DENVER BRONCOS – 567 yards (vs. Atlanta Falcons – L, 28-41 – Oct. 31 2004)
The Broncos racked up a bunch of yards trying to comeback from a 34-14 deficit early in the fourth quarter … Jake Plummer threw for 499 yards and four touchdowns … Rod Smith caught nine passes for 208 yards.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – 614 yards (vs. Denver Broncos – W, 56-10 – Oct. 23, 1966)
The Chiefs produced 380 yards rushing … Bert Coan led the way with 111 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns … Len Dawson chipped in completing 12 of 20 passes for 215 yards.

OAKLAND RAIDERS – 626 yards (vs. Denver Broncos – W, 40-7 – Oct. 25, 1964)
The Raiders outgained the Broncos 626 to 222 … RB Clem Daniels led the way on the ground with 167 yards on 19 carries … QB Cotton Davidson added 427 yards and threw five touchdowns.
 
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS – 661 yards (vs. Cincinnati Bengals – W, 50-34 – Dec. 20, 1982)
Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts completed 25 of 40 passes on his way to 435 yards … Favorite target of the day was Wes Chandler who racked up 260 yards on 10 receptions … Chandler’s receiving yardage is still a Chargers record.

 


NFC EAST


DALLAS COWBOYS – 652 yards (vs. Philadelphia Eagles -- W, 56-7 – Oct. 9, 1966
QB Don Meredith threw for 394 yards, 5 TDs … WR Bob Hayes led all receivers with 107 yards, 3 TDs … All-purpose RB Dan Reeves had 98 yards, 1 TD receiving and rushed for 33 yards and 1 TD

NEW YORK GIANTS – 609 yards (vs. New York Yanks – W, 51-7 – Dec. 3, 1950)
QB Charlie Conerly threw for 235 yards and pair of TD … Eddie Price led way with 161 yards rushing including brilliant 61-yard run to set up a Giants score … Other long running plays by Stonewall Jackson 52 yards for a TD, and Jim Ostendarp, 55 yards).

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – 592 yards (vs. Washington Redskins – W, 59-28 – Nov. 15, 2010)
QB Michael Vick was the first player ever to have 300 yards passing (333), 50 yards rushing (80), 4 TD passes and 2 TD runs in same game …  RB Jerome Harrison gained 109 yards on 11 carries and scored on a 50-yard TD run.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS – 676 yards (vs. Detroit Lions – W, 41-38 (OT) – Nov. 4, 1990)
Washington tied team record for biggest comeback after overcoming 21-point deficit … Trio of WRs with 100-yard days (Art Monk led way with 13 catches for 168 yards, Ricky Sanders 11 catches for 132 yards; and Gary Clark 8 catches for 132 yards).


NFC NORTH


CHICAGO BEARS – 682 yards (vs. New York Giants -- W, 56-7 – Nov. 14, 1943)
Third most offensive yards ever by one team in one game … Sid Luckman became first player in NFL history to throw 7 TDs in a game  and first QB ever to throw for 400 yards in a game (433) … Bob Snyder set NFL record with 8 PATs.

DETROIT LIONS – 623 yards (vs. Dallas Cowboys – W, 31-30 – Oct. 27, 2013)
Lions scored with 12 seconds remaining to take the lead on a quarterback sneak by Matthew Stafford who completed 33 of 44 passes for 488 yards … WR Calvin Johnson had 14 catches for a franchise record 329 yards.

GREEN BAY PACKERS – 628 (vs. Philadelphia Eagles – W, 49-0, Nov. 11, 1962)
FB Jim Taylor rushed for 141 yards and scored 4 TDs … Tom Moore added two TD runs, and threw a touchdown pass to Boyd Dowler … Jerry Kramer added PATs after each of 7 TDs … Packers defense limited Eagles to just 54 yards of offense.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS – 622 (vs. Baltimore Colts – W, 52-14, Sept. 28, 1969)
QB Joe Kapp tied NFL record with 7 TD throws, and set team record with 449 passing yards … Kapp threw passes to 12 separate players … United States Vice President Spiro Agnew attended game … Receiver Gene Washington had two long TD catches (83 and 41 yards).
 

NFC SOUTH


ATLANTA FALCONS – 587 yards (vs. St. Louis Cardinals – W, 33-27 (OT) – Nov. 9, 1980)
Falcons rallied from 18-point deficit at halftime … William Andrews gained 115 yards on 20 carries … Steve Bartkowski threw for 378 yards … Game-winning TD came on 21-yard run by backup RB Ray Strong.

CAROLINA PANTHERS – 543 yards (vs. Chicago Bears – L, 29-34 – Oct. 2, 2011)
QB Cam Newton threw for 374 yards and one TD while also rushing for a pair of touchdowns … Steve Smith racked up 181 yards on eight catches,

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – 625 yards (vs. Dallas Cowboys – W, 49-17 – Nov. 10, 2013)
Set NFL record for first downs in a game (40) …  Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 392 yards and 4 TDs … Marques Colston had 107 yards receiving … Mark Ingram rushed for career-high 145 yards

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS – 573 yards (vs. Minnesota Vikings – L, 30-38 – Nov. 16, 1980)
QB Doug Williams threw for a team record 486 yards and threw 4 TDs … Gordon Jones had 7 catches for 121 yards.


NFC WEST


ARIZONA CARDINALS – 615 yards (vs. Washington Redskins – W, 37-34 (OT) – Nov. 10, 1996)
QB Boomer Esiason returned as Cards starting QB and threw for 522 yards of which 252 came in fourth quarter … Marcus Dowdell led all receivers with a career-best 92 yards that included a 64-yard touchdown play.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – 621 yards (vs. Buffalo Bills – W, 45-3 – Oct. 7 2012)
The 49ers offense epitomized balance as they became the first team in National Football League history to record 300 yards passing (310) and 300 yards rushing (311) in the same game.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – 591 yards (vs. San Diego Chargers (OT) – W, 31-28 – Dec. 29 2002)
Matt Hasselbeck completed 36 of 53 passes for 449 yards. His yardage total remains a Seahawks record for most passing yards in a game.

ST. LOUIS RAMS – 735 yards (vs. New York Yanks – W, 54-14 – Sept. 28 1951)
Hall of Fame quarterback Norm Van Brocklin of the Los Angeles Rams threw for an NFL single-game record 554 yards; and threw five TD passes. Three receivers – Hall of Famers Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch (173) and Tom Fears (162); and V.T. Smith (103) – had 100-yard days as the Rams racked up the most total net yards in NFL history.