KC Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes vs Baker Mayfield could be new NFL rivalry
The KC Chiefs travel to Cleveland this weekend to play the Browns and these are two teams with their quarterbacks of the future at the helm. Could this be the new Tom Brady and Peyton Manning type of rivalry?
A lot of the stories floating out there this week in preparation for the Kansas City Chiefs vs Cleveland Browns game is the last time Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield squared off. That game took place on October 22nd, 2016 when both guys were at their respective colleges.
Mahomes was a junior at Texas Tech while Mayfield was a junior at Oklahoma. Oddly enough, Mayfield had been at Texas Tech before transferring to OU, which makes the plot thicken even more.
In this historic game, the two quarterbacks combined for 1,279 yards through the air, 12 touchdowns, and one interception, as defense was clearly optional that night. Mahomes accounted for 734 of those yards with five touchdowns and an interception while Mayfield tossed for 545 yards and seven touchdowns.
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The game ended with the Sooners reigning victorious in a 66-59 final, but somehow, football fans had to have known that wouldn’t be the last we’d see of these two going head-to-head. Well, we finally get a rematch this Sunday in Cleveland, as Mahomes’ Chiefs take on Mayfield’s Browns.
As Chiefs Kingdom is well aware of, the Kansas City Chiefs traded up 18 spots to draft Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft after he opted to forego his senior season and enter the draft. Mahomes sat out nearly all of his rookie season while he learned from then-starter Alex Smith.
Mayfield did anything but sit in the 2017 season, leading his Sooners to the College Football Playoff and coming up just short of making the title game. He also won the Heisman Trophy and was, without a doubt, one of the most exciting players in college football that year.
Last time Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield played in same game was in 2016, when Mayfield was at Oklahoma and Mahomes at Texas Tech. Some numbers from the game:
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) November 1, 2018
Total points: 125
Combined pass yards: 1,279
Combined pass TDs: 12#KCvsCLE
Despite being on the smaller side, Mayfield was the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and his selection marked a new era for the Cleveland Browns. He started the season on the bench, but took over by week three and has been in that role ever since, giving Browns fans hope for the first time in over a decade.
With both of these guys now in the pros and the NFL becoming more and more like college football in terms of the offensive production, Mahomes vs Mayfield could become the new big quarterback rivalry in the NFL. We had Brady vs Manning for over a decade and those games were always a blast to watch. Could this be the new version of that long-time rivalry?
Mayfield and his Sooners got the best of Mahomes and his Red Raiders two years ago in college, but a lot has changed since then. Most notably, the teams behind these guys now. Mahomes and his 7-1 Chiefs are rolling while Mayfield and his 2-5-1 Browns aren’t packing much of a punch.
That could change this weekend though, as Mayfield has shown some pop as the Browns quarterback and could pick apart a weak Chiefs defense. Mahomes should also have no problem making plays against the Browns secondary.
Which of these guys will get the better of the other one this Sunday and will this be the beginning of a long-term rivalry in the NFL?