More than a century's worth of rule changes have merged with today's exceptional skill players to form the perfect storm of NFL point production.
With two weeks left in the 2013 season, the NFL is averaging 47.5 points per game. The record is 46.5, set in 1948, when there were 10 teams playing a 12-game schedule.
"It's starting to feel like if you don't score a touchdown every time you get the ball, you're losing serve," Vikings left guard Charlie Johnson said. "I know with us [Sunday], that was the emphasis. It wasn't an indictment of our defense, either. That's just how the Eagles had been playing. Like a lot of teams have been playing."
The Vikings scored 48 points. The Eagles scored 30 and became one of a record five teams to reach that many points and lose in the same week.
An NFL record for most points in a single day (763) was set Sunday. Six days earlier, the record for most touchdowns in a single week (90) was set.
"I know the NFL says scoring is well-liked among fans," Johnson said. "So I don't think high scores are going anywhere. It may get worse. It may get to the point where it starts looking like Arena Football."
To understand where the league is going, let's look at where professional football has been. The American Professional Football Association was formed in 1920 and changed its name to the National Football League in 1922. But pro football dates to 1892, when the Allegheny Athletic Association paid William "Pudge" Heffelfinger $500 to play a game against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club.
Oct. 25, 1906: Massillon's George Parratt took advantage of that year's new rule by completing the first forward pass to Dan Riley in a victory over Benwood-Moundsville.