Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen by the numbers: The next big NFL QB rivalry for Chiefs, Bills?

Chiefs vs. Bills is starting to turn into a family matchup. The two teams are meeting for the fourth time in the past two seasons, and that means we’ll get to see Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen meet one more time.

Mahomes and Allen are two of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, and each has something to prove. Mahomes wants to avenge an early-season loss to the Bills and return to the Super Bowl after losing the big game to Tom Brady’s Buccaneers last year.

Meanwhile, Allen is still brooding over the Bills’ 38-24 loss to the Chiefs in last year’s AFC Championship Game. He and Sean McDermott may have beaten Kansas City earlier in the season, but they’re still out to prove they can beat the Chiefs when it matters most.

Does Allen or Mahomes have the upper hand in this matchup? Sporting News takes a look at how Mahomes and Allen have performed against each other in previous matchups and what their long-term outlook is as rivals.

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Patrick Mahomes vs Josh Allen head to head

This will be the fourth all-time meeting between Mahomes and Allen in their four years as starters for their respective teams.

To date, Mahomes has the edge over Allen in this matchup. The Chiefs are 2-1 under his watch, and that includes a 38-24 win in the 2021 AFC Championship Game.

That said, Allen and the Bills got some revenge by beating the Chiefs early in the 2021 regular season. They won 38-20 over Kansas City and will now look to even the rivalry between Mahomes and Allen at two games apiece.

Through three games, Mahomes and Allen’s numbers have been very similar. Mahomes has been more efficient as a passer, but Allen has made up for his shortcomings in terms of accuracy with some extra stats.

Below are Mahomes and Allen’s numbers from their previous three meetings.

And here’s a game-by-game breakdown of how each player fared.

2020 regular season: Chiefs 26, Bills 17

2020 playoffs: Chiefs 38, Bills 24

2021 regular season: Bills 38, Chiefs 20

BENDER: Where Mahomes, Allen rank among 14 QBs to make playoffs

Patrick Mahomes vs Josh Allen 2021 Stats

Both Mahomes and Allen had strong seasons in 2021. Each had a few bumps along the way, both posted career lows in terms of interceptions and each had a couple of games down, but overall, they played well.

The numerical comparison between the two quarterbacks is fairly similar. Mahomes was a more prolific passer, while Allen did a lot more with his legs, but overall, they produced almost exactly the same number of total yards. Allen had 5,170 total yards and 42 total touchdowns, while Mahomes had 5,220 total yards and 39 total touchdowns.

Below is a full statistical breakdown of the two this season.

IYER: Why is Josh Allen giving the Bills a long-term advantage over the Patriots?

Is Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen the next Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning?

There’s nothing people love more than a great quarterback matchup, and there’s no question that the rivalry between Manning and Brady was one of the greatest of all time. Ever since Manning’s retirement after Super Bowl 50, fans have been waiting for the next big quarterback battle to emerge.

Mahomes vs. Allen could certainly claim the title. The two quarterbacks have a lot of similarities, and that’s part of what made the Manning-Brady rivalry great. Manning and Brady had styles to match, as they were hyper-precise passers who were nearly impossible to change when things were going well. They could beat you not only with their excellent arm talent, but also with their mind.

Allen and Mahomes’ abilities are different from Brady’s and Manning’s, but they are very similar to each other. Both quarterbacks are highly respected former first-round picks. Each of them has great mobility, a cannon arm and a penchant for making plays that few quarterbacks, or no other quarterback, can make. Whether it’s a frozen rope cross to a wide receiver or a fight to get out of a sack for a big win, Allen and Mahomes are great playmakers.

Could Mahomes vs. Allen will be the next elite NFL quarterback rivalry like Brady vs. Manning? Absolutely.

In fact, the first games of Chiefs vs. Mahomes-Allen-era Bills may have been more competitive than the early days of Brady-Manning. If nothing else, the quarterbacks have been a little more equal than Brady and Manning in their first three games, when Brady was simply an efficient passer while Manning was prolific but struggled with turnovers against Bill Belichick’s strong defense.

In fact, looking at how things have started, Mahomes vs. Allen has a bright future. All that said, it’s a bit early to crown that rivalry next Brady vs. Manning. We probably need to see at least one or two classic back-and-forth battles between these quarterbacks as they begin to hit their respective primes. They also have to make this a regular meeting, as Manning and Brady have met 17 times during their careers. The Bills and Chiefs are playing for the fourth time in the last two years, so they’re off to a good start in this area.

Of course, Allen vs. Mahomes isn’t the only quarterback battle in the race to become the next great rivalry of all time. Both Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson and Mahomes vs. Justin Herbert could pick up steam over the next two years.

Jackson struggled against the Chiefs in the early stages of his career before leading the Ravens to a win over them this year. He won’t be facing Mahomes blow-for-blow as a passer, but his electric playmaking ability will give him a chance to be one of Mahomes’ rivals over the years.

As for Herbert, he plays in the same division as Mahomes, so he’s guaranteed to see him twice a year. Herbert is 2-2 against Mahomes and the Chiefs to date and has more TDs against the Chiefs (13) than any other opponent. If he continues to rise, it could become the premier quarterback matchup in the league.

Allen could also find a match if any of the AFC East’s three young quarterbacks — Mac Jones, Zach Wilson and Tua Tagovailoa — step up. If not, perhaps he’ll go toe-to-toe with Jackson, who was also drafted in 2018. Joe Burrow will also pose a threat to Mahomes and Allen, so there are plenty of options for big future quarterback battles.

And that’s just in the AFC.