Mahomes or Allen (Again???) and a Clippers-Heavy Mailbag With Nick Wright

Bill Simmons kicks off this episode with guest Nick Wright, immediately diving into a familiar and often contentious topic: the comparison between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. The conversation quickly expands to cover the current state of the NFL, the Clippers' recent woes, and a series of amusing personal stories.

The Mahomes vs. Allen Debate: A Familiar Refrain

Simmons and Wright waste no time in revisiting the perennial debate surrounding Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Wright, ever the provocateur, challenges Simmons to consider Allen's current standing in the league.

"Do you think right now Josh Allen is the majority opinion best quarterback in the league?" Wright asks Simmons. "I don't think it's consensus, I don't think it's unanimous, but I think if it was Family Feud, he would get the most votes."

Simmons agrees, calling Allen the "safest bet to be a really good quarterback game after game." However, Wright pushes further, questioning if there has ever been another time in NFL history where the consensus number one quarterback had never been to a Super Bowl, never been First-Team All-Pro, wasn't the reigning MVP, didn't have multiple MVPs, and wasn't coming off the best season of his career. He points out that Allen's most significant playoff win is arguably a divisional round loss from five years ago.

Wright describes a recurring cycle with Allen: "Every year the hype gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and then he gets outplayed by the opposing quarterback in a playoff loss, and for about a week people are like, 'Oh man, Josh could have played better,' and then we're right back to, 'You know what? Josh Allen, if only he had, I don't know, the rushing champ? Well, he had that. A better defense? Well, he had a top-five defense four years in a row. The best offensive line in football?'"

Simmons likens the current quarterback landscape to the NBA after Michael Jordan's retirement, where a "vacancy void" existed before new stars emerged. He suggests that Mahomes' injury and perceived dip in performance last year created a similar void, allowing Allen to be elevated.

Wright argues that Mahomes' 2022 season was "so interesting because nobody remembers this." He reminds listeners that before Week 8, Mahomes was the favorite for MVP and led the NFL in yards, second in touchdowns. However, a mid-season injury led to a significant drop in performance, which Wright believes is being overlooked in the current narrative.