Okay, folks, let’s dive into this quarterback comparison I tackled today: Baker Mayfield or Jake Browning? It wasn’t some fancy statistical deep-dive, more like a gut-check based on what I’ve seen and what the numbers kind of back up.
So, I started by just thinking about where both guys are at right now. Mayfield’s having this career resurgence with the Buccaneers, right? He’s slinging it, they’re winning games. Browning, on the other hand, stepped in for Burrow in Cincinnati and surprised everyone by keeping the Bengals somewhat afloat.
My Process
First thing I did was pull up their basic stats for this season. You know, passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions, completion percentage – the usual suspects. Nothing crazy complicated. Just wanted a baseline.
- Mayfield: More experience, obviously. Higher volume stats because he’s been the starter all year.
- Browning: Smaller sample size, but impressive efficiency in some areas, like completion percentage.
Then, I spent some time watching some game highlights. Not full games, mind you, just key moments, to get a feel for their play styles.
Mayfield, he’s got that gunslinger mentality, he’s always trying to get the hard part. He can make some incredible throws, but he also takes risks. Sometimes those risks pay off, sometimes… not so much.
Browning, he seemed more calculated. He takes what the defense gives him, doesn’t force things as much. You can say He is sort of a “game manager” type, but in a good way. He kept the chains moving.
Next, I checked out some “advanced” stats, like QBR and adjusted net yards per attempt. Honestly, I don’t put a ton of stock in these, but they can sometimes paint a slightly different picture than the basic numbers.
Those numbers, to keep it simple, showed a similar story. Mayfield with more volume, Browning with, in some cases, a little more efficiency. It showed a little bit that what my eyes caught from watching the games.
The Conclusion (for Now!)
So, what’s the verdict? Honestly, it’s tough. If I had to pick one for the rest of this season, and my team’s playoff hopes depended on it… I’d probably lean Mayfield. Just barely. His experience and willingness to push the ball downfield, even with the risks, give him a slight edge in my book.
But, and this is a big BUT, Browning has seriously impressed me. He’s proven he can play in this league. If he continues to develop, he could easily become a reliable starter for someone.
Ultimately, it’s all subjective, right? This isn’t a science. It’s football. It’s about watching the games, understanding the context, and forming your own opinion. And my opinion, after today’s little experiment, is that both of these guys are worth keeping an eye on.
