The Dolphins can now say, without a doubt, that they are the NFL's best offense in 2023.
In fact, they may be one of the best offenses in NFL history.
Miami put together one of the best single-game offensive performances the league has ever seen in its domination of Denver in Week 3. The Dolphins scored a whopping 70 points during the contest, with Tua Tagoviloa throwing for four touchdowns and both Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane totaling four scores as well.
The Dolphins totaled a ridiculous 726 yards against the hapless Broncos. That's good for the second-most in a single game in NFL history (the Rams had 735 against the Boston Yanks in 1951), and it left Denver coach Sean Payton fuming.
“Obviously, that was embarrassing and tough to watch,” Payton said of his team's effort during a postgame news conference. “It’d be one thing to say ‘hey we’re going to get on to the next game,’ but we have to watch that tape. Tomorrow will be tough for a lot of players. Tough for us too as coaches.”
Certainly, that's a different tone for Payton than the one he took in talking about Tagovailoa before the 2022 NFL season.
"I think at some point we'll see another QB starting in Miami," Payton said when he was an analyst for Fox Sports.
Sean Payton on Sept. 12, 2022 speaking about Tua Tagovailoa: "I think at some point we'll see another QB starting in Miami."
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 24, 2023
Tua Tagovailoa on Sept. 24, 2023: 309 yards, 4 TDs against Sean Payton's defense pic.twitter.com/bnIVnSoCvL
So, perhaps Tagovailoa had extra motivation in leading the Dolphins to a record-breaking day. Either way, his performance — and that of his teammates — should instill confidence that the team will continue to be an unstoppable force on offense. That's especially true considering that the Dolphins were without their No. 2 receiver, Jaylen Waddle, in this contest due to a concussion.
MORE: Breaking down Tua Tagovailoa's stats in 70-20 drubbing of Broncos
Indeed, Mike McDaniel and Co. have built something special in Miami. But just how special was the team's performance against the Broncos? Here's what to know about the best single-game scoring outputs in NFL history.
Most points scored by an NFL team
The Dolphins came up just short of the NFL's record for most points in a single game. That was set by the Bears in the 1940 NFL championship game with a 73-0 rout of the Redskins. The regular-season record is 72, set by the Redskins against the Giants in 1966
Miami became just the fourth team to crack 70 points in NFL history, and only six teams have ever logged 65-plus points in a single contest.
| Rank | Total points | Teams | Date |
| 1 | 73 | Chicago Bears vs. Washington Redskins | Dec. 8, 1940 |
| 3 | 72 | Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants | Nov. 27, 1966 |
| 3 | 70 | Miami Dolphins vs. Denver Broncos | Sept. 24, 2023 |
| 70 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Baltimore Colts | Oct. 22, 1950 | |
| 5 | 65 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions | Oct. 29, 1950 |
| 65 | Chicago Cardinals vs. N.Y. Bulldogs | Nov. 13, 1949 |
The Dolphins are also one of just two teams to crack the 60-point mark since 1990. The other team to do so was the 2011 New Orleans Saints, an offense led by Drew Brees.
MORE: Latest updates on Jaylen Waddle's head injury
Most points scored in an NFL game
Washington not only holds the record for the most points scored in a regular-season game, but it still holds the honor of playing in the highest-scoring NFL game. That came in 1966, when the then-Redskins and Giants combined for 113 points in a 72-41 Washington win.
The Dolphins vs. Broncos game won't even crack the top 10, as their combined point total of 90 is good for the 21st-most in NFL history.
Below is a look at the 10 highest-scoring games in NFL history:
| Rank | Total points | Game result | Winning team | Losing team | Date |
| 1 | 113 | 72-41 | Washington Redskins | New York Giants | Nov. 27, 1966 |
| 2 | 106 | 58-48 | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Nov. 28, 2004 |
| 3 | 105 | 54-51 | Los Angeles Rams | Kansas City Chiefs | Nov. 19, 2018 |
| 4 | 101 | 52-49 | New Orleans Saints | New York Giants | Nov. 1, 2015 |
| 101 | 52-49 | Oakland Raiders | Houston Oilers | Dec. 22, 1963 | |
| 6 | 99 | 51-48 | Denver Broncos | Dallas Cowboys | Oct. 6, 2013 |
| 99 | 51-48 | Seattle Seahawks | Kansas City Chiefs | Nov. 27, 1983 | |
| 8 | 98 | 54-44 | San Diego Chargers | Pittsburgh Steelers | Dec. 8, 1985 |
| 98 | 63-35 | Chicago Cardinals | New York Giants | Oct. 17, 1948 | |
| 10 | 97 | 70-27 | Los Angeles Rams | Baltimore Colts | Oct. 22, 1950 |
Still, that the Dolphins don't crack this list is actually a feather in the cap of their defense. The Dolphins managed to limit the Broncos even after the game was put well out of reach.
So, Miami defensive coordinator Vic Fangio deserves a lot of credit for executing fairly well in what was a big-time revenge game for the former Denver coach.