Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson: Head-to-head record, stats for 2021 superstar QB duel

Stars will align and collide on Sunday night.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson are irrevocably linked in NFL history for being two of the most explosive young passers in the league that have revolutionized how the QB position is played.

That’s only slightly hyperbolic: Mahomes, through just three years as Chiefs starter, is putting up numbers that no QB ever has as a passer. Jackson, entering Year 3 as starter, is a nightmare for defenses with his ridiculous ability to run.

Both players are best suited for “Madden” and do things that only video games allow, but Mahomes has had the upperhand on the rivalry — both on wins and statistics — since in their head-to-head meetings.

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Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson record

With their fourth head-to-head meeting coming on Sunday night, the Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes currently hold a 3-0 record over Lamar Jackson and the Ravens since 2018.

While the two don’t play against one another on the field, here’s how their numbers stacked up in previous matchups:

Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson stats

Mahomes’ first full year as starter coincided with the year Jackson was drafted (2018). Jackson got his first bit of action in 2018, but wasn’t the full-fledged starter until his 2019 MVP-winning campaign.

Here’s how their numbers match up heading into Sunday night’s Round 4:

Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes: Who’s faster?

While Mahomes isn’t necessarily known as a run-first quarterback, he’s also not exactly a slouch running the ball. While he doesn’t have the blazing speed that Jackson has, he posted a 4.8 second 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine in 2017, not exactly proving that he’s immobile.

While Jackson didn’t run at the NFL Combine in 2018, he posted a 4.34 second 40 time at Louisville’s “Speed Day” that year, making him one of the fastest, if not the fastest, quarterback in the NFL.

Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes: Who’s better?

Uh … push?

The question of Jackson vs. Mahomes all comes down to what you value out of an NFL quarterback: Both quarterbacks are tremendously different when it comes to style of play. The Andy Reid-designed, Mahomes-led offense is more of a downfield attack focused on big-play potential from the passer. With the Ravens, Jackson and John Harbaugh have been a predominantly run-first team and have been the best rushing offense in football for the last two seasons.

It’s important to note, before all else, is that the two players have also been in entirely different offensive situations since entering the league. Underneath OC Greg Roman, the Ravens offense is predominantly a run-first team, not relying on the pass unless playing behind, something that Jackson and the Ravens aren’t accustomed to. That, of course, has led to prolific running numbers for Jackson, who has nearly 3,000 rushing yards as a QB entering Sunday night’s game. 

On the other side, Mahomes’ pairing with Andy Reid has been a match made in football heaven. The strong-armed quarterback boasts a rocket launcher for an arm and is mobile, leading to Reid’s offenses being fully unlocked. The pass-first attack has earned Mahomes an MVP and a Super Bowl ring, the latter of which Jackson is still searching for.

There’s also the matter of offensive weaponry: Mahomes has had a truly elite supporting cast of receivers, while Jackson’s grouping hasn’t been nearly as effective or dominant as the Chiefs in the last few years. While Jackson has gotten plenty of criticism for his throwing capabilities, that’s partially a byproduct of not having to play from behind in their run-first scheme, and their lack of weaponry.

It makes for fun water-cooler talk, but what it comes down to is what you value. 

Safe to say, both quarterbacks, teams and fan bases value wins more than anything else.