Is Joe Burrow in the same class as Patrick Mahomes?
Fri, Jan 28, 2022
NFL News (AP)
And while Buffalo's Josh Allen is the obvious answer as to which current NFL quarterback is in Mahomes' class, there is another youngster in the AFC nipping at Mahomes' heels: Joe Burrow.
Burrow and Mahomes will face off in the playoffs for the first time in their careers on Sunday, a week removed from the Chiefs' legendary win over the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals' triumph over the top-seeded Tennessee Titans.
And while K.C. is the heavy favorite according to AP Bet, the football world is looking forward to not only Chiefs-Bengals, but Mahomes-Burrow.
Mahomes is stamped as one of the game's greatest signal-callers, if not its best. Since becoming the Chiefs' starter, he's put together a 50-13 regular-season record and 8-2 postseason record.
He led K.C. to a win in Super Bowl LIV and was named Super Bowl MVP. He was the NFL MVP in 2018, as well as the league's Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pro selection the same season.
Additionally, Mahomes has made the Pro Bowl every year he's served as Kansas City's starter (2018-21).
Needless to say, Burrow has some catching up to do, but he's off to a decent start.
He only made 10 starts during his rookie season due to a torn ACL, but Burrow started 16 regular-season games for the Bengals this year, guiding Cincy to a 10-7 record, its first winning season since a 12-4 campaign in 2014.
And while he trails Mahomes when it comes to accolades, in his first full season as a starter, Burrow has his team in the AFC Championship Game, a feat Mahomes accomplished as well.
With that, Skip Bayless said Thursday that he believes over time, Burrow will prove to be better than Mahomes.
"Pro Football Focus, for the whole year, guess who graded out No. 1 in the league? Not Tom Brady - Joe Burrow. They have him No. 1 overall.
"I just have a feeling, right here, right now, that long-term, Joe Burrow will wind up a little more special than Patrick Mahomes."
That's quite the bold proclamation from Bayless, but during this regular season, Burrow showed glimpses of greatness that can rival Mahomes.
Burrow led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4), finished second in passer rating (108.3), sixth in passing yards (4,611) and eighth in passing touchdowns (34), and was tied for the fourth-most 20-yard completions in the league (60). And that was all behind a shaky offensive line - Burrow was the most sacked QB in the league (51).
Mahomes finished the regular season 17th in completion percentage (66.3), 10th in passer rating (98.5), fourth in passing yards (4,839), tied for fourth in passing TDs (37), sixth in 20-yard completions (58), and was sacked just 28 times on the year, 23rd-most in the league.
As far as turnovers go, Burrow threw 14 interceptions on the year, while Mahomes threw 13.
The two also went head-to-head this season, when Cincy hosted K.C. in Week 17, knocking off the Chiefs 34-31.
In that game, Burrow went 30-for-39 for 446 yards, four TDs and a 148.0 passer rating. Mahomes completed 26-of-35 passes for 259 yards, two scores and a 113.9 passer rating.
Now, let's look at their first postseason experiences.
In 2018, Mahomes went 1-1, falling to Brady's New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. He completed 59.7% of his passes for 573 yards, three TDs, zero picks and a 98.9 passer rating. He was sacked 11 times in those two games.
This postseason, Burrow's first in the playoffs, he's 2-0 and completing 73.2% of his passes for 592 yards, two TDs and one pick. His passer rating is 101.4 and he's also been sacked 11 times, including nine times against Tennessee a week ago.
Despite the similarities in numbers - this regular season and during their inaugural postseason stints - Shannon Sharpe pumped the brakes on a comparison between Mahomes and Burrow, though he did give Burrow his props on the progression of his young career.
"Mahomes is off to the best start of anybody in his career. ... Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes have the same number of regular-season losses - 13. The difference is Patrick Mahomes has 50 wins. Joe Burrow has 12.
"Joe Burrow is good. He ain't that."
Ahead of the Chiefs-Bengals AFC Championship showdown, Shannon Sharpe acknowledges the magnificent run that Joe Burrow has had this season, but reiterates that Patrick Mahomes is in a class all by himself.It can't be ignored, however, that in each of his seasons as Kansas City's starter, Mahomes has played with at least two Pro Bowlers on offense, including four in 2018 and three in each of the past two seasons.
Burrow played with zero as a rookie and two this season.
Come Sunday, all of the numbers and accolades will fly out of the window. It will be Mahomes vs. Burrow and Burrow vs. Mahomes.
And what a spectacle it's shaping up to be.
