Mahomes and Luck's 89 Combined TDs Are Most In A Quarterback Playoff Matchup

TheSportster

By Alex Hoegler

Published Jan 8, 2019

Patrick Mahomes and Andrew Luck combined for 89 touchdowns in the regular season, marking the most ever for two QBS in a playoff game.

Nov 19, 2018; Los Angeles, CA: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks off the field after the Chiefs lost to the Los Angeles Rams 54-51 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Indianapolis Colts in this Saturday's AFC Divisional Round game, which features the very first meeting between star quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes and Andrew Luck.

Mahomes led the NFL in touchdown passes (50), while Luck tossed 39 after missing all of 2017 with a shoulder injury. Mahomes is an MVP front runner, while Luck figures to win Comeback Player of the Year. Indeed, this should be quite a contest between two of the game's most electrifying players.

According to Nat Newell of The Indianapolis Star, the 89 combined regular season touchdown passes between Mahomes and Luck is the most ever between two quarterbacks in a postseason game.

The Chiefs claimed the top seed in the AFC after going 12-4, while the Colts overcame an awful 1-5 start to finish 10-6 and nab the final wild card spot. They had to defeat the Tennessee Titans in a win-or-go-home Week 17 contest, setting up a game against the Houston Texans.

Indianapolis soundly defeated Houston by a score of 21-7, winning their first playoff game in four years. Now, the Colts face their biggest challenge yet in trying to defeat a team that only lost once at home this season.

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Mahomes' 50 touchdown passes tied Tom Brady (set in 2007) for second-most ever in a season. Mahomes came close-ish to matching the record set by Peyton Manning in the 2013 season. The 23-year-old quarterback tossed 5,097 passing yards to go along with the 50 touchdowns. Not bad for his first season as a starter.

The Colts will try to be the first AFC team to knock off the top seed since the Baltimore Ravens eliminated the Denver Broncos in the 2012 AFC Divisional Round. The top seed in the AFC has advanced to the Super Bowl in five straight years.

What This Means

Saturday should be quite the contest between an MVP front runner and one of the game's top veteran quarterbacks. Both Mahomes and Luck have enjoyed phenomenal seasons, but there's only room for one winner. We'll see which offensive machine outlasts the other in this hyped-up game.

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