Texas Football: Buechele, Ehlinger both lead fourth quarter comebacks

In both of their preseason debuts this weekend, former Texas football quarterbacks Sam Ehlinger and Shane Buechele did something that is hard to believe. Each of these two Texas Exes at quarterback led their respective teams to fourth-quarter comeback wins in their NFL preseason debuts on Aug. 14 and 15.

On Aug. 14, it was the former Longhorn and SMU Mustangs signal-caller Buechele that led the Kansas City Chiefs on a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. Buechele didn’t get any passing touchdowns on the night for the Chiefs, but he did get the lone rushing touchdown.

That one rushing touchdown for Buechele wound up being the game-winning score for the Chiefs that got them the three-point triumph over former Longhorn/head coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers on the night of Aug. 14.

Buechele also amassed 76 passing yards on eight completions, with no passing touchdowns or interceptions. His rushing score was his only one on the night to go along with 13 rushing yards on three tries.

Definitely the most effective Chiefs quarterback in this preseason win over the 49ers, Buechele is making a really good case to make his way up the depth chart heading into the regular season.

Former Texas football QB’s Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger shine in a pair of preseason comeback wins

Moreover, the former teammate of Buechele’s with the Longhorns, Ehlinger, had a really good weekend in his preseason debut too. Ehlinger made his preseason debut with head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts on the afternoon of Aug. 15.

Ehlinger was tossed into the fire after the former Georgia Bulldogs and Washington Huskies quarterback Jacob Eason. The Colts were down for most of the game against the Carolina Panthers when Ehlinger took over.

But Ehlinger would wind up using an improving rhythm in the passing game and his legs to get this comeback win for the Colts over the Panthers. Ehlinger didn’t get off to the greatest start for the Colts, with a bad pick in his first three passing attempts.

Quarterbacks have to have a short memory when that happens in the NFL, though. And Ehlinger found the rhythm and confidence he needed to lead the Colts to this comeback win in the fourth quarter. He wound up registering more than 125 passing yards and no more picks after that initial bad throw in the third quarter.

Ehlinger finished up the day in total with 10 completions on 15 passing attempts, for 155 passing yards, no passing touchdowns, and that one pick. A completion percentage north of 65, and more than 10 yards per passing attempt was a solid way for Ehlinger to round out this day.

He also added 30 rushing yards on eight carries. Five of those carries were good for third-down conversions that were critical for the Colts in the fourth quarter too.

Ehlinger was truly clutch for the Colts in this game, as was a fellow former Longhorn in wide receiver and undrafted free agent signing Tarik Black. Black actually led the Colts on the afternoon with three catches for 67 yards (22.3 yards per catch). All of those receptions and yards for Black came from Ehlinger.

Down the stretch in the fourth quarter, Ehlinger helped the Colts get 11 points on the board. One of those drives resulted in a rushing touchdown for Benny LeMay, and then Ehlinger got the two-point conversion on a quarterback scramble.

Ehlinger then led the Colts to run down the clock in the final two minutes to get the team a game-winning field goal. That last field goal for the Colts resulted in this win over the Panthers by the final score of 21-18.

Both Ehlinger and Buechele have a lot on the line in the preseason. Buechele was an undrafted free agent signing for the Chiefs out of SMU. Thus, he had to work to prove he deserves a spot on this roster behind superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes heading into the regular season.

Buechele definitely did a lot to prove that he could even be deserving of a backup role for the Chiefs behind Mahomes.

Moreover, Ehlinger and Eason are duking it out to see who the Week 1 starter could be for the Colts if Carson Wentz is still out at the outset of the regular season. Wentz is recovering from a lower-body injury and the Colts might have to start either Ehlinger or Eason in Week 1.

It’s pretty clear that Ehlinger should own the edge right now over Eason with this comeback win in his preseason debut.

Next up for Buechele and the Chiefs in Week 2 of the preseason comes against the Arizona Cardinals and fellow former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. Meanwhile, Ehlinger and the Colts are set to take on former Texas cornerback Kris Boyd and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 of the preseason.