Patrick Mahomes’ Conquest for Tom Brady’s Throne Will Cost Jim Harbaugh & Chargers the AFC West Crown, Says NFL Analyst

Patrick Mahomes is scripting superiority on the gridiron. The NFL analyst Chris Broussard shared a similar opinion as he remarked, “Patrick Mahomes, we know individually, this guy wants to be the goat.” Thus, putting Tom Brady’s NFL G.O.A.T under tough competition and added into this mix is none other than the newly-minted Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers.

While there is no doubt about Mahomes’ legacy and his ambitions when it comes to football, these might prove to be a hurdle for Harbaugh-led Chargers. As pointed out by Broussard of “First Things First” in brutal “No” to “Any chance Chargers win the division?” Without blinking, the analyst etched Mahomes’ evident legacy. Despite the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback’s down year, he managed to take the team to the Super Bowl and claim that triumph.

Broussard said, pointing out Mahomes’ statistical dip in 2023. The Chiefs’ signal-caller posted his lowest passer rating (92.6), yards per game (261.4), TD percentage, and yards per attempt of his career. Yet, he still managed to throw for 4,183 yards and 27 touchdowns. While Harbaugh is taking charge of the team, it is undeniable that Mahomes has a knack for turning disadvantages into advantages, with last season’s Super Bowl being the ultimate proof of the same.

The 49ers were dominating the Chiefs in the first two quarters but ultimately Mahomes led his team to an advantage in the second half as the Red Army managed to balance the scales and move the game to overtime. Apart from the Chiefs’ talent to turn the tables in their favor, the Chargers face another issue as pointed out by Broussard, “Another thing is working against these Chargers. And like Nick mentioned, they lost so many guys, Austin Ekeler, who was one of their leaders, like their best running back. They loved old running backs. Ekeler was a leader. So, yeah, no, they can be, they can be second and fight for the playoffs.”

The Chargers and the Chiefs will clash twice during the regular season. First, on September 29, 2024, and then again on December 8, 2024. These clashes will skyrocket the fans’ anticipation. As Chris Broussard totally dismissed the Chargers, John Middlekauff had a different take regarding this on his “3 & Out” podcast last month. He candidly said, “You put him with Jim Harbaugh, maybe all those guys had to happen, so he could link up with Jim Harbaugh.” Thus, highlighting Justin Herbert, the Chargers’ young gun, who’s been saddled with a carousel of coaches.

Harbaugh’s called Herbert “a crown jewel in the NFL” and is focusing on beefing up the running game and offensive line. It’s a solid game plan, but against Mahomes, it’s going to be a tough fight.

The Patrick Mahomes legacy and its comparison to Brady-led Patriots

After his latest Super Bowl triumph against the 49ers, Mahomes declared, “We’re not done. I know we’re going to celebrate tonight, but we’re not done. We’ve got a young team and we’re going to keep this thing going.” He added, “I’m going to do whatever I can to be back in this game next year and try to go for that three-peat.” His third Super Bowl victory put the Chiefs QB on par with Tom Brady for many experts.

According to NBC Sports writer Peter King, “This is starting to feel a little bit Patriot-ish. [The Chiefs] weren’t even that good this year and, yet, here they are.” After all, by the age of 28, Mahomes has 3 Super Bowl titles to his name and so did Tom Brady. When it comes to stats concerning the first seven years of the two legends, Mahomes has an edge over Brady in many terms. However, Brady’s legacy and 7 Super Bowl titles aren’t easy to overshadow and only time will tell if the Chiefs QB will reach those numbers-

Additionally, Brady beat Mahomes in the Super Bowl LV, only smudge on Mahomes flawless record when it comes to big games. Mahomes’ playoff heroics are legendary. In Super Bowl LVIII, he directed a game-winning drive in overtime, completing all of his eight pass attempts over forty-two yards while running for an additional twenty-seven. Per Opta stats, no quarterback has completed at least eight passes and recorded at least twenty-seven rushing yards in any single drive – by any player – anytime within the last three decades.

As we gear up for the 2024 season, all eyes will be on this AFC West showdown. Can Harbaugh and Herbert pull off a “Music City Miracle” and dethrone the Chiefs? Or will Mahomes continue his “Stairway to Heaven,” leaving the rest of the division singing the blues?

One thing’s for sure: with Mahomes chasing Brady’s legacy and Harbaugh trying to build his own, this division race is going to be more heated than a Texas summer. As Mahomes himself said, “The Kansas City Chiefs are never underdogs – just know that.”