[Rain Man]

I got curious about the other teams that have given up 70 points in a game. Here's a brief overview.

1966 Giants (Lost 41-72 to the Redskins) - The Giants were three years out from a championship game loss in 1963, but the wheels were coming off. They'd gone 2-10-2 in 1964 and then 7-7 in 1965. Leading up to the 72-point game, they were only 1-8-1, with their win coming narrowly over the Redskins. But now the Redskins were back, and while the Giants put up good points, their offense also gave up two touchdowns on a fumble and an interception, and their special teams also gave up a punt return touchdown. So it was a total breakdown, and it didn't get any better that season. The team holds the record for most points yielded in a 14-game season.

The Giants went 1-12-1 that season, then managed to get back to mediocrity with roughly .500 play the next few seasons. However, they would not return to the playoffs after this loss until a rookie Lawrence Taylor arrived 15 seasons later.

1950 Baltimore Colts (Lost 27-70 against the Rams) - This is not the Baltimore Colts that you're thinking of. This is a different Colts team, a former AAFC team from 1947-1949 that made the leap to the NFL when the leagues merged in 1950.

The Colts were 0-4 coming into the game and had lost by 24 or more in three of those games. They held their own through the first quarter, trailing only 13-21, which included a Rams kickoff return touchdown. So the defense was holding their own until the second quarter, and then the Rams turned the jets on. The Colts were in their first NFL year and were struggling financially, and the NFL rescinded their franchise at the end of the season. (The new Baltimore Colts were formed in 1953.)

1940 Redskins (Lost 0-73 to the Bears) - The Redskins are an anomaly, because they were actually a good team. They had gone 9-2 in the regular season and had been generally an above .500 team in previous years. They had defeated the Bears by a 7-3 score three weeks earlier, and the Redskins' owner learned what "bulletin board" language is, calling the Bears crybabies and quitters. Bears coach George Halas shared this information with his team to inspire them.

Interestingly, the teams recorded an equal number of first downs in the game at 17 each. However, the Bears were aided by 8 interceptions, three of which they returned for touchdowns, and a fumble recovery.

The Redskins regrouped two years later to win the NFL championship over those same Bears. This game appears to be a weird fluke.