Baker Mayfield. Josh Allen. The two quarterbacks were both drafted in the first round of the 2018 draft. So far, Allen has had the more impressive career, with five division titles and five playoff wins under his belt, in addition to an MVP award.
But could the tides be changing?
In 2025, Baker Mayfield is playing some of the best football of his career. He's accurate. He's no longer mistake prone. He's cut out the recklessness. He's throwing touchdowns to sixth-string recievers. He's clutch, with four game-winning drives under his belt at the halfway point of the season.
Meanwhile, Josh Allen has struggled. He did not play well in any of the Bills' three losses, and has been surpassed by Drake Maye in his own division.
Could this be the year Mayfield takes the crown from Allen as the best quarterback from the 2018 draft class?
It might all come down to this week.
The stakes could not be higher. Both teams need a win to avoid losing ground in the playoff race. If the Bills lose, they likely fall to 2.5 games behind the Patriots. If the Bucs lose, they fall to 6-4 with the Rams coming up next. A loss to the Rams would doom Tampa Bay to "pretender" status for the rest of the season, regardless of whether they win the division.
Baker Mayfield needs to outduel Josh Allen for more reasons than one. For his own legacy, but also for his team in 2025, Mayfield needs to find a way to outplay Allen and take down the Bills.
Fortunately for him, the path to beating Allen is simple. Don't turn the ball over, and let Allen make the mistakes. Josh Allen still has the same turnover-prone tendencies that he did as a rookie, especially when his team is losing. If Baker stays cool, calm, and confident, he can outduel Allen and win the game for Tampa Bay.