It looked like the Seattle Seahawks were headed towards a huge blowout against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half of their Week 10 NFC West showdown. Jumping out to a 35-0 lead in the second quarter, Seattle quickly saw their massive lead vanish in the second half as the Cardinals came out of the locker room in the second half with a purpose.
With the massive deficit in the first half, let’s take a look at the biggest blowouts in NFL history.
Top 5 Biggest Blowouts in NFL History
While the five games below are the largest deficits in NFL history, there are two honorable mentions. In 1980, the Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers by a score of 61-7. Running back Walter Payton was a force to be reckoned with, rushing for 130 yards and finding his way into the end zone three times.
Then, in 1989, the Cincinnati Bengals would match the Bears’ 61-7 blowout against the Houston Oilers. Quarterback Boomer Esiason tossed four touchdowns as the Bengals’ defense held Warren Moon to just 96 yards. Let’s see what the other biggest blowouts in NFL history are.
5. 1973: Falcons 62, Saints 7
The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints entered the NFL just one year apart in 1966 and 1967, respectively. It would take the Saints a bit longer to get back on track, despite both teams struggling early on. However, one team had a clear advantage early on as the Falcons dominated the Saints in the season opener in 1973.
The Falcons would beat their in-division rival by eight touchdowns while Saints QB Archie Manning threw five interceptions.
4. 2011: Saints 62, Colts 7
It would take quite some time for the Saints to avenge that loss, but they would take that anger out on the Indianapolis Colts 38 years later, matching that 1973 beating with a 62-7 win of their own. The Colts were left scrambling for options after Peyton Manning’s injury.
With the Colts still looking for options two years after the Super Bowl matchup with the Saints, New Orleans took advantage of their weaker opponent, adding another loss to the Colts’ 0-13 start to the 2011 season. The Saints would end the season 13-3, but saw their season end against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round.
On this day in #Saints history (10/23/2011), Drew Brees went 31/35 for 325 yards & 5 TDs in a 62-7 blowout of the Colts. Brees threw 2 TDs to @MarquesColston, 2 to @TheJimmyGraham & 1 to Darren Sproles! Saints also ran for 236 yards and 2 TDs! Here are the highlights! pic.twitter.com/0nTUrf6lYn
— New Orleans Saints History (@SaintsHistory) October 23, 2025
3. 2012: Seahawks 58, Cardinals 0
This huge win for the Seahawks came during Seattle’s run with Pete Carroll as head coach. The second of his nine Seahawks playoff teams were rolling and took advantage of a lowly Cardinals squad. Running backs Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin crossed the 100-yard mark as “Beast Mode” broke off multiple shifty scores. Seattle would be a last-second field goal short of winning the NFC Championship in 2012.
2. 1976: Rams 59, Falcons 0
The Los Angeles Rams experienced some success during the 1970s, with notable victories against the Falcons, including a December 1976 game. While the Rams would play three different quarterbacks during the 1976 matchup, they would set a then-NFL record with seven rushing touchdowns in one game. The Rams would outgain the Falcons 569-81.
1. 2009: Patriots 59, Titans 0
While not as dominant as the infamous 2007 New England Patriots team, the 2009 iteration of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s squad still set an NFL record with a 59-0 beatdown of the Tennessee Titans. New England held the Titans, who were wearing their Oilers throwbacks, to -7 yards passing.
Brady would toss six touchdowns, including three to wide receiver Randy Moss. Both Moss and Wes Welker would cross the 100-yard mark and score multiple touchdowns against the Jeff Fisher-led squad.