MAHOMES OR MAYFIELD

By Marc Lawrence — When Patrick Mahomes took on Baker Mayfield in a Big 12 battle in 2016, they both came alive and the defense died. That was the takeaway from Oklahoma’s 66-59 win over Texas Tech that served as the unofficial official coming-out-party for the two Big 12 quarterbacks. Everyone anticipated a shootout between the two teams but no one could have anticipated the gaudy numbers and records that fell, or what it would propel both of them to in their futures. Mayfield was 27-of-37 for 545 yards and an Oklahoma-record seven touchdowns. Mahomes was 52-of-88 for an FBS-record 734 passing yards and five touchdowns through the air. Mahomes also set an FBS record with 819 yards of total offense. He was the leading rusher with 85 rushing yards on 12 carries for two touchdowns. Together, Mayfield and Mahomes threw for 1,279 combined passing yards, a record for the most in a college football game. That’s nearly three-quarters (72.6 percent) of a mile. Each team finished with the same 854 total yards. The difference was Mahomes didn’t have the supporting cast Mayfield had … To read more on this incredible game click here.

Trending Today

As you probably know by now, The Houston Rockets sent disgruntled All Star G James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in a 4-team megadeal yesterday. Players from Cleveland and Indiana were also involved, not to mention a boatload of 1st and 2nd round draft picks in the future. In the end Houston made a haul, getting Indiana’s Victor Oladipo in addition to Brooklyn’s three unprotected first-round draft picks – 2022, 2024 and 2026 – in the deal, along with Cleveland’s 2022 first-round pick. The megadeal reunites Harden with former Oklahoma City teammate Kevin Durant in Brooklyn and positions the Nets, who also have All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, as a title contender in the Eastern Conference. “I think basketball is about playing together and being the best you can be. So, no matter who you are, it’s about finding connectivity and balance within a team and trying to be greater than the sum of your parts,” said Nets coach Steve Nash. Good luck with that. The other two players on the court for Brooklyn will have to be re-introduced to the basketball as they not likely to touch it much moving forward.

Grinding Out The Profits

From this week’s Playbook Basketball Newsletter: (new issue available tonight at 9:00 PM ET at PlaybookSports.com) The Memphis Tigers stand 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS at home off a loss under head coach Penny Hardaway. The Graceland Gang is also 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS as a home favorite with a better record versus sub .860 foes.