Dak Prescott, Jordan Love set to make history in Cowboys-Packers playoff matchup

Though Prescott surpassed this season's 36 touchdowns in 2021 with a career-high 37, few would've expected him to be the league leader for the 2023 campaign.

The 30-year-old's 2022 season was largely a disaster, as he missed five games due to a thumb injury, and while he posted a respectable 23 touchdown passes, he also tied for the league lead with 15 interceptions. By pacing the NFL in touchdowns through the air this season, Prescott became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to lead in that category after having the most picks the previous year.

Love's 32 touchdown tosses to finish second were even more shocking.

The former 2020 first-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career sitting on the bench behind future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Love only appeared in 10 games (one start) during that stretch, but when Rodgers got traded to the New York Jets in April, the Utah State product took over as the lead man for the Packers.

With only one career start coming into the 2023 campaign, expectations were modest for Love. Add in the inexperienced wide receivers room he was dealing with and the injuries to star running back Aaron Jones and wideout Christian Watson (limited to 11 and nine games, respectively), and what Love was able to accomplish was nothing short of magical.

Even before his 316-yard, two-touchdown effort against the Chicago Bears in Week 18, the 25-year-old had already recorded more passing yards and touchdown passes this season than any signal-caller in Bears history. Love finished the campaign as one of only 10 quarterbacks to finish the regular season with over 4,000 passing yards (4,159), ranking seventh in the league.