Bears and Panthers set record for highest-scoring Week 1 game
2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 13, 2026, 11:15 PM
Last updated Sep 13, 2026
On September 13, 2026, the Chicago Bears faced the Carolina Panthers in an unprecedented high-scoring affair, culminating in a 59-37 victory for the Bears. This match marks the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history, eclipsing the 88 points scored in the 2018 season opener between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints. The 96 combined points represent the highest total ever accumulated in a game for both teams. The previous record for scoreline of 59-37 had never occurred before in NFL games. This performance does not represent the most points the Bears have scored, as they previously registered 61 points in regular season games in 1965 and 1980 and 73 points in the 1940 championship game.
- •Bears win 59-37 against Panthers in historic match
- •Game features 96 total points, a new Week 1 record
- •Previous score record for Week 1 was 88 points
- •Bears had high scores of 61 in 1965 and 1980
- •First-ever NFL game ends with a 59-37 score
- 11:15 PMYahoo Sports — Bears and Panthers made NFL history in their Week 1 game
- 9:49 PMYahoo Sports — Bears-Panthers was highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history
"With the Chicago Bears 59-37 victory over the Carolina Panthers, both teams combined for the most points in a Week 1 game in NFL history.
"The Bears and Panthers made some history on Sunday afternoon.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 13, 2026, 11:15 PMBears and Panthers made NFL history in their Week 1 game
With the Chicago Bears 59-37 victory over the Carolina Panthers, both teams combined for the most points in a Week 1 game in NFL history.
- Yahoo SportsSep 13, 2026, 9:49 PMBears-Panthers was highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history
The Bears and Panthers made some history on Sunday afternoon.
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