Patrick Mahomes vs. Joe Burrow head-to-head record: Bengals QB has edge in series of close games

Joe Burrow is one of the few NFL quarterbacks with a successful track record against the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes.

That AFC rivalry will be rekindled on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in the fifth head-to-head matchup between the two quarterbacks. Each of the previous four meetings has been decided by three points – and that includes a pair of dramatic AFC championship games. Burrow is the last quarterback to beat Mahomes in the postseason.

Yet it's Cincinnati who is looking to avoid an 0-2 start in this week's matchup. Kansas City has a chance to create distance with their new-aged AFC rival, and Mahomes has a chance to notch another head-to-head victory against Burrow.

Here are the numbers, past matchups, and outlook for the next chapter in the Mahomes-Burrow quarterback rivalry.

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Patrick Mahomes vs. Joe Burrow: Head-to-head record

Burrow has a 3-1 record against Kansas City, including playoffs. That includes a 27-24 victory in the 2021 AFC championship game. The Bengals also won the regular-season matchup 34-31 that season.

Cincinnati won the regular-season matchup in 2022, but the Chiefs returned the favor in the AFC championship game against the Bengals.

Here is a look at those four head-to-head matchups between Cincinnati and Kansas City when Burrow and Mahomes went head-to-head:

*Denotes AFC championship game

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Patrick Mahomes stats vs. Bengals

Mahomes has faced the Bengals six times in his career, including postseason. He has a 3-3 overall record against Cincinnati. He has a 68.9 percent completion percentage in those games. Mahomes averages 280.7 yards with 13 TDs and three interceptions.

Mahomes has faced Burrow four times. In those four games, Mahomes is 97-of-134 (72.3%) with 270.7 yards per game, eight TDs, and two interceptions.

Mahomes led Kansas City to a 25-17 victory against Cincinnati in their last meeting, but Jake Browning was the quarterback for the Bengals in that matchup.

Joe Burrow stats vs. Chiefs

Burrow is 3-1 against the Chiefs, and that includes a 1-1 record in the AFC playoffs against Mahomes. Burrow has a 69.8 percent completion percentage in those games. In two regular-season meetings, he has 732 yards, six TDs, and no interceptions. In the two playoff matchups, he totaled 520 yards, three TDs, and three interceptions.

So, in the four head-to-head matchups against Mahomes, Burrow averages 313 yards per game with nine TDs and three INTs.

Patrick Mahomes vs. Joe Burrow: Past matchups

Here is a closer look at the head-to-head matchups between Mahomes and Burrow:

Bengals 34, Chiefs 31 (Jan. 2, 2022)

A Week 17 shootout broke out at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Burrow passed for 446 and four TDs and formed an unstoppable combination with Ja'Marr Chase, who had 11 catches for 266 yards and three TDs. The Chiefs still led 28-17 at halftime, and Mahomes had 259 yards and two TDs. Burrow, however, led a second-half rally with a 69-yard TD pass to Chase. Evan McPherson kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Bengals 27, Chiefs 24 (Jan. 30, 2022)

The AFC championship game was riveting. Kansas City jumped out to a 21-3 lead and could have made the halftime lead 28-10. But Eli Apple made a touchdown-saving tackle on Tyreek Hill. That haunted the Chiefs. Cincinnati rallied in the second half with the help of a two-yard TD from Burrow to Chase. McPherson and Butker traded field goals in the fourth quarter to set up overtime. Vonn Bell intercepted Mahomes, and McPherson hit the game-winning field goal. Burrow had 250 yards, two TDs, and an interception. Mahomes had 275 yards, three TDs, and two interceptions.

Bengals 27, Chiefs 24 (Dec. 4, 2022)

The Bengals beat the Chiefs in Week 13 in another showdown that lived up to expectations. Cincinnati led 14-10 at halftime. The Chiefs scored a pair of third-quarter TDs, the second a three-yard by Mahomes. Kansas City led 24-20 in the fourth quarter, but a Travis Kelce fumble led to a turnover, and Burrow guided the game-winning TD drive capped by an eight-yard TD run by Chris Evans.

Chiefs 23, Bengals 20 (Jan. 29, 2023)

The Bengals had dubbed Arrowhead Stadium “Burrowhead” ahead of the 2022 AFC championship game, but the Chiefs led 13-3 after Mahomes hit Kelce for a TD pass with 3:50 left in the first half. Samaje Perine tied the game at 20 in the fourth quarter, and the teams traded possessions before the Chiefs had the last drive. A 15-yard late-hit penalty on Cincinnati linebacker Joseph Ossai – who hit Mahomes out of bounds – set up the game-winning field goal by Harrison Butker with three seconds remaining in the game.

Patrick Mahomes vs. Joe Burrow: Who wins in Week 2?

The Chiefs are six-point favorites at home against the Bengals in Week 2. Cincinnati lost 16-10 to New England in its opener, and receiver Tee Higgins is not expected to play. Burrow will have to rely on the connection with Chase. Kansas City beat Baltimore 27-20 in Week 1, and rookie receiver Xavier Worthy scored two TDs. SN's Vinnie Iyer predicts a 27-23 victory for the Chiefs in Week 2. Iyer writes:

"Joe Burrow has become a notoriously slow starter,  right along with his offensive-minded head coach Zac Taylor. The Patriots game was an absolute mess, where the distractions over top wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, with the latter missing the game, threw off the Bengals QB at home. But he likes seeing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, against whom he's 3-1. The Chiefs, however, can cause more all-around problems up front, and Mahomes will be motivated to edge Burrow late at home."