While a neutral viewer might prefer a close encounter that goes right down to the wire in the fourth quarter, there’s nothing a fan loves more than seeing their franchise win with considerable ease — especially if it gives them bragging rights over their fierce rivals!
Surprisingly, the NFL has had an unprecedented number of blowouts this season. To put things into context — in week 7, six games were decided by 22 points or more for just the third time in the last 100 years, while over 40 games have been decided by at least a 21-point margin this season.
So, with the postseason playoffs and Super Bowl LVI on the horizon — which we hope are going to be much more competitive — let’s take a look at five of this season’s biggest blowouts. Read on to find out more!
Buffalo Bills 40-0 Houston Texans – Week 4
Once one of the favourites to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the latest Super Bowl odds, the Buffalo Bills have been no stranger to a blowout this season. They started the year in fine form, beating the Miami Dolphins 35-0 in Week 2. But we are going to focus on their 40-0 win over the Texans in Week 4.
The Bills went into the fourth quarter with a 19-0 lead, mostly made up of fields goals from Tyler Bass. But they really turned on the style in the final stages, scoring four touchdowns in the fourth quarter to add another 21 points to their tally. The Texans would have left Highmark Stadium red-faced having lost 40-0, but things haven’t got much better as they’ve been blown out several times — including a 31-0 defeat at home to the Indianapolis Colts.
New England Patriots 54-13 New York Jets – Week 7
After a terrible start to the season, losing four times in the first six games, this massive victory over the New York Jets in Week 7 was arguably a turning point for the New England Patriots, who went on to look like true Super Bowl contenders during the middle part of the season.
The first team to record 50+ points in a game this season, the Patriots scored four touchdowns and a field goal to lead 31-7 at the break and after just a field goal in the third quarter, the hosts racked up three more TDs in the fourth to truly put the game to bed and win by an impressive 41 points. It was the start of a seven-game win streak, which included big victories over the Atlanta Falcons (25-0), the Cleveland Browns (45-7) and the Tennessee Titans (36-13).
Dallas Cowboys 43-3 Atlanta Falcons – Week 10
Not to be left off the unwanted blowout list, the Atlanta Falcons has been thrashed a few times this season as well — including a 32-6 defeat at home to the Eagles in week 1. However, this 40-point loss has got to be up there with their worst performances of the season.
With the scoreline reading a slender 7-3 at the end of the first quarter, the wheels fell off for the Falcons in the second. The Cowboys scored a huge four TDs inside the 15-minute period, racking up some 29 points to lead 36-3 at half-time. Somehow, after a second quarter blowout in itself, the hosts scored just one more touchdown, which came at the end of the third quarter before a scoreless fourth.
Kansas City Chiefs 48-9 Las Vegas Raiders – Week 14
Given the bitter rivalry between these two franchises, it is no surprise that this 48-9 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium did not bode well with the Las Vegas Raiders’ fan base — especially as they had already lost to the Chiefs 41-14 in Sin City just a few weeks earlier.
The hosts scored five touchdowns in the first half of the game, with only a Daniel Carlson field goal in reply as they went in 35-3 up at the break. If it’s any consolation, the Raiders won the third quarter 7-3 as a Hunter Renfrow TD spared some of their blushes. But a field goal and a sixth home touchdown of the game in fourth put the game to bed.
Dallas Cowboys 56-14 Washington – Week 16
Featuring on our list for the second time, the Cowboys became just the second team this season to record over 50 points as they punished Washington Football Team at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Despite having already secured a play-off berth, there was no resting on their laurels for Mike McCarthy’s men.
With a huge six touchdowns in the first and second quarters, the home team racked up some 42 points in the first half as Washington added just seven to the scoreboard. Taking their foot off the gas a bit in the second half, the Cowboys scored a TD in each of the remaining quarters with Washington rounding off the scoring with their second touchdown of the match late in the fourth.
