Patrick Mahomes Takes Down Joe Burrow in Week 2 Duel

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26-25 on Sunday in a game that came down to the final seconds. Having met in consecutive AFC Championship Games in 2022 and 2023, there was a postseason-type feel to the contest, and the stakes were high for starting quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes. Here is how the two’s performances compare to one another.

Patrick Mahomes Overcame an Unimpressive Showing

Mahomes had a rough day at the office

Outside of a 44-yard touchdown to Rashee Rice in the first half, Mahomes was limited by the Bengals’ defense and primarily threw short of the sticks. He finished the game with an average depth of target of 3.8 yards and averaged just six yards an attempt. Part of Mahomes’ reluctance to take shots may have been because he struggled to take care of the football.

He threw his second interception of the year late in the first quarter. Mahomes was looking for Travis Kelce and didn’t see underneath linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, who jumped the route and set up the Bengals in Kansas City territory. This was a rare, inexplicable lapse from Mahomes. He misread what appeared to be a basic Tampa 2 look from Cincinnati.

Mahomes also had another ugly interception to DJ Turner II that was called back due to an illegal contract penalty on Cincinnati. However, just plays later, he was intercepted by Cam Taylor-Britt. It wasn’t a clean game from Mahomes. He allowed Lou Anarumo’s defense to get under his skin. Nevertheless, he did just enough to get his team the win.

Missed Opportunities Came Back to Bite Burrow

Burrow made multiple errors down the stretch

Burrow’s performance was very game-manager-esque. He was more aggressive than Mahomes for much of the contest, but it felt like there was something missing. With Tee Higgins out of the lineup, Burrow made sure to spread the ball. He completed passes to eight different players, seven of whom saw multiple targets.

For the first three quarters or so, Burrow limited his mistakes. With the exception of a couple of missed throws, he took what the defense gave him and looked comfortable doing it. It was in the fourth quarter when things started to unravel. Burrow lost a fumble that resulted in a scoop and score, giving Kansas City the lead.

Additionally, on the Bengals’ final offensive possession, he didn’t identify a blitz on third down, which resulted in a sack. Overall, Burrow was fine and even outplayed Mahomes, but he didn’t dominate or make the Chiefs pay for their mistakes.

A Rivalry Renewed

This game serves as the latest chapter between two of the league’s biggest stars

After the Bengals missed the playoffs a season ago, the rivalry between Kansas City and Cincinnati and, more specifically, Burrow and Mahomes was put on hold. As far as Week 2 matchups go, this was as intense and exhilarating a contest as anyone could’ve hoped for.

The Chiefs moved to 2-0 on the year and are looking the part of a Super Bowl favorite. The Bengals, on the other hand, fell to 0-2 and will need to pick things up to get their season back on track.

The two quarterbacks left a lot of meat on the bone, giving both teams the potential to be considerably better in future matchups. For now, Mahomes improves 2-3 against Burrow as the Chiefs continue their title defense.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise