With the level Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing at this season, one could argue that he has been the best quarterback in the NFL.

Even better than Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has held that title for most of his accomplished, award-winning career.

While Mayfield has been better than Mahomes all season, it has reached enough of a sample size deserving more attention.

Comparing Baker Mayfield To Patrick Mahomes This Season

Although Baker Mayfield has played six games this season to Patrick Mahomes’ five games, the season totals would still work in Mayfield’s favor, as would the per-game averages. Below is an X post that compares each’s overall stats with Tampa Bay’s signal-caller outperforming him in every category besides team record and rushing attempts.

The stats illustrate that Baker Mayfield has been the more successful quarterback and that efficiency has helped propel the team in the early going. After having a career year in Tampa Bay in 2023, Mayfield has responded with an even better season that continues to earn him national recognition. It is not just a product of having an established set of weapons, but being able to make all the throws and avoid turning over the football. Even during Sunday’s game against the Saints when he threw three interceptions, he overcame that by throwing for four touchdowns and leading a 50-point effort. That is not something many quarterbacks can do.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – Photo by: USA Today

Looking at what Patrick Mahomes has done with the Chiefs, they remain one of two unbeaten teams in the league along with the Vikings. Instead of Mahomes putting up record-setting numbers like he has in the past, Kansas City has gotten off to that with their defense leading the way rather than the offense. The two-time MVP has yet to lead them to a 30-point outing and has only scored 118 points this season (23.6 points per game).

Comparing that to the Bucs, it has been a different story with Mayfield under center. He has not only been the point guard distributing the football around, but he is a big reason why Tampa Bay already has four 30-point games and is tied with the Commanders for most points in the league at 178 (29.7 points per game).

It is not just Mahomes that Mayfield has outplayed, either. With Week 6 in the books, here is how he ranks among the game’s five best quarterbacks this season from a passing standpoint:

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Baker Mayfield: 1,489 passing yards (8th), 15 passing touchdowns (1st), 5 interceptions, 70.9% completion percentage (4th), 109.4 passer rating (2nd)

Patrick Mahomes: 1,235 passing yards (16th), 6 passing touchdowns (t-19th), 6 interceptions, 69.4% completion percentage (7th), 88.9 passer rating (19th)

Joe Burrow: 1,578 passing yards (5th), 12 passing touchdowns (t-2nd), 2 interceptions, 71.6% completion percentage (2nd), 110.3 passer rating (1st)

Lamar Jackson: 1,529 passing yards (7th), 10 passing touchdowns (t-5th), 2 interceptions, 67.0% completion percentage (13th), 108.4 passer rating (3rd)

Jayden Daniels: 1,404 passing yards (9th), 6 passing touchdowns (t-19th), 2 interceptions, 75.3% completion percentage (1st), 107.1 passer rating (4th)

In totality, one can debate who has been better between Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow. While Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels offer substantial value as dual-threat quarterbacks, Mayfield has added 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns of his own.

Can Baker Mayfield Keep It Up?

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

There is no denying that Baker Mayfield has played better than Patrick Mahomes this season, but can he sustain this pace?

What has been encouraging is that Mayfield has put up these numbers against five teams with a record higher than .500, with the Saints at 2-4 being the exception. That includes a season-best performance against the division-leading 4-2 Commanders and a gutsy performance against the 4-1 Lions, both Bucs’ wins.

Tampa Bay has their toughest stretch of games ahead of them beginning Monday night against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, with a creamsicle rematch against the Falcons in less than two weeks. That is followed by heading to Kansas City to face the Mahomes-led Chiefs, serving as a further barometer for Mayfield to prove his legitimacy among the game’s best.

If he performs as well as he has for the next month, he will prove that he is not only a top-ten quarterback, but an elite quarterback who deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the other well-established quarterbacks in the sport.