Chicago Bears achieve first-ever 59-37 NFL scorigami in Week 1 win over Panthers
Quick Look
- The Chicago Bears defeated the Carolina Panthers 59-37 in Week 1, marking the first time in NFL history that a game ended with that exact final score, known as a scorigami.
- The Bears scored 59 points, led by D'Andre Swift's 124 rushing yards and Caleb Williams' dual-threat performance with 65 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 269 passing yards, and two passing touchdowns.
- Bears head coach Ben Johnson's pre-season goal of achieving the highest-scoring offense in NFL history is now on track after the team surpassed the 2013 Denver Broncos' record of 37.9 points per game.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Before the season, Bears head coach Ben Johnson stated his goal was to achieve the highest-scoring offense in NFL history, surpassing the 2013 Denver Broncos' record of 37.9 points per game. The Bears had not been involved in a winning scorigami since 2012, and the Panthers had not participated in a scorigami since November 2020.
Before the season started, Ben Johnson said his goal was for the Chicago Bears to make some NFL history and they did exactly that in Week 1 -- just not the way Johnson was planning to do it. The Bears pulled off a wild 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, marking the first time in league history that a game has ended with that exact final score.
Yup, we got a scorigami in Week 1.
With just under four minutes left to play, the Bears were leading 52-37, and if that had been the final score, it wouldn't have been a scorigami. At that point in the game, Chicago was essentially trying to run out the clock, but was still able to get another touchdown after D'Andre Swift scored on a 28-yard run with just 3:40 left to play. That made it 59-37, which officially gave us the 1,096th unique final score in NFL history.
Swift was a big reason why the Bears were able to put up nearly 60 points. The veteran led a rushing attack that totaled 291 yards with 124 coming from Swift and 100 coming from Kyle Monangai.
And let's not forget about Caleb Williams, who had a performance that will instantly put him in any the MVP conversation if anyone decides to have that conversation after Week 1. Not only did the Bears quarterback rush for 65 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw for 269 yards and two more touchdowns.
Before the season started, Johnson said that one of his goals was to break the NFL record for most points scored per game (37.9) and although some people snickered at that, the Bears are now firmly on track to make it happen after one week.
"You've got 31 other teams coming to training camp saying, 'Our goal is to win the Super Bowl,'" Johnson said. "I want more than that. I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored (37.9), and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts."
For the Bears, this is the first scorigami they've had in more than a decade. The last one they were involved in came all the way back in 2013 in a 54-11 loss to the Eagles. Before Sunday they hadn't won a game that ended with a scorigami since 2012.
As for the Panthers, this is the first time they've been involved in a scorigami since a 46-23 loss to the Buccaneers back in November 2020.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Chicago Bears will finish the season with the highest points per game average in the NFL
Possible · Within months
Caleb Williams will receive MVP consideration if the Bears maintain their high-scoring offensive output
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Can the Bears maintain this high-scoring pace throughout the season?
- Will Caleb Williams' performance earn him MVP consideration as the season progresses?
- How will opposing defenses adjust to the Bears' offensive strategy in future games?
