Doc's Sports Blog

Doc's Sports 2008-2009 NBA Predictions

The group of weed-smoking, rim-rocking, thugged-out, undereducated and overcompensated home boys that comprise the NBA are ready to tip off another season of the best basketball that the world has to offer. The season gets rolling Tuesday night so I thought that the core cappers at Doc's Sports should get on the record with some NBA predictions. Here's what we came up with:

ROBERT FERRINGO
NBA Title Prediction:  New Orleans Hornets (8-to-1)
Eastern Conference Champion Prediction:  Boston Celtics (13-to-10)
Western Conference Champion Prediction:  New Orleans Hornets (5-to-1)
Surprise Team: Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trailblazers
Top NBA Futures Predictions: N/A
Rookie of the Year: Greg Oden, Portland
Most Valuable Player: Chris Paul, New Orleans

We’re taking the bait. We’re reserving our seats on the crowded New Orleans bandwagon and looking for them to build on what they managed to accomplish last season. Along with Utah and the Lakers, there are few teams in the league that execute their offense like the Hornets do. And in this business execution is everything. I like the young corps that the Sixers and the Blazers have built up, and I can see both of those squads making plenty of noise as the season rolls on. Age is starting to catch up with some of

Another interesting subplot for this season is to keep an eye on how guys who played in the Olympics this summer hold up throughout the season. We’re talking about the best players on the best teams that have been hooping it up for about 14 straight months. I think that wear, and the accompanying injuries, will be the X-Factor for this season.

DOC’S SPORTS
NBA Title Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers (3-to-1)
Eastern Conference Champion Prediction: Boston Celtics (13-to-10)
Western Conference Champion Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers (3-to-2)
Surprise Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Top NBA Futures Prediction: Los Angeles Clippers Over 33 1⁄2 wins
Rookie of the Year: Michael Beasley, Miami
Most Valuable Player: Chris Paul, New Orleans

Outlook: In the NBA you need at least two superstars or one superstar and very solid role players to reach the NBA Finals. There are no flukes in the NBA. You aren’t going to see a scenario like you did in MLB this season with Tampa Bay coming out of nowhere to reach the World Series. The teams that are supposed to be there will be there in the playoffs and the best of that bunch will advance to the NBA Finals.

The Lakers and the Celtics are the two best teams in the league and should meet up for an NBA Finals rematch. The East is still weak but Detroit, Cleveland and Philly should challenge Boston. In the West New Orleans will be solid and has the best chance to unseat the Lakers but this team is still young and may be a player away from getting to the top. Phoenix is coming into the season with a new defensive attitude that might help them get over the hump come playoffs time.

VEGAS SPORTS INFORMER
NBA Title: New Orleans (8-to-1)
Eastern Conference Champ: Philadelphia 76ers (10-to-1)
Western Conference Champ: New Orleans (5-to-1)
Surprise Team: Portland Trailblazers
NBA Future Bet: Washington Wizards ‘under’ 38.5 wins
Rookie Year: Greg Oden (Portland)
MVP: Chris Paul (New Orleans)

Outlook: Teams in the East to look out for are the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, and yes the Chicago Bulls. Teams in the West to look out for are the Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz, and the Phoenix Suns.

ALLEN EASTMAN
NBA Title Prediction: Detroit
Eastern Conference Champion Prediction: Detroit +370
Western Conference Champion Prediction: San Antonio +500
Surprise Team: Dallas
Top NBA Futures Prediction: Detroit ‘Over’ +370
Rookie of the Year: OJ Mayo
Most Valuable Player: Dwyane Wade

Outlook: Not trying to be a homer just because I'm from Detroit, but the best bench in basketball and a lot of young talent to watch are in the Motor City. Off the bench will come McDyess (you know what he brings), Maxiell (we saw what he can do, and he will be more motivated being in a contract year), Stuckey (we have only started to see what he can do), Afflalo (already a lock down defender now can score too, lit up the summer league and had 28 in one preseason game), and Herrmann-to-Sharpe at small forward who will both surprise you if they get minutes.

Don't Forget Your Umbrella

Across the country the weather is slowly but surely shifting into full-blown fall. I know it's been getting cold in the Northeast for weeks, but up until about seven days ago it's still been 75 degrees consistently in The South. (Yeah, I had to throw that in there. It's actually the best part about living amongst these yahoos.)

This weekend it looks like the weather is likely going to have a larger impact on Saturday's college slate than anything in the NFL. However, that game in London between New Orleans and San Diego is looking at high winds (up to 23 mph) and possible rain. And if you remember at all what that Wembley turf looked like last year that's an issue.

Remember, the most important weather factor that can affect any game is not rain or snow - it's WIND. The second most important factor is SEVERE COLD (although we're still a month or so from that coming into play) and the third most important factor is then rain.

Here are a couple great links for finding out conditions from our friends at Weather.com. When it comes to something like this, go straight to the people who do it for a living. I've also posted this week's NFL weather here, with the college forecasts after the jump.

Here is the best place to get all of this info on a weekly basis: http://www.weather.com/activities/events/sports/?from=secondarynav
From there just click the link under either NFL or NCAA Football.

Game
Location
Time
Hi Temp
Low Temp
Chance of Precipitation

Oct. 26
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys
Texas Stadium - Irving, TX
12:00 PM
84 °F
54 °F
0%

Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium - Charlotte, NC
1:00 PM
68 °F
45 °F
10%

Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field - Philadelphia, PA
1:00 PM
61 °F
44 °F
10%

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium - Opa Locka, FL
1:00 PM
82 °F
69 °F
60%

Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Jets
Giants Stadium - East Rutherford, NJ
1:00 PM
61 °F
46 °F
10%

Oakland Raiders @ Baltimore Ravens
M and T Bank Stadium - Baltimore, MD
1:00 PM
63 °F
48 °F
10%

St. Louis Rams @ New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium - Foxboro, MA
1:00 PM
59 °F
43 °F
10%

Washington Redskins @ Detroit Lions
Ford Field - Detroit, MI
1:00 PM
57 °F
35 °F
40%

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers
Walsh Field at Monster Park - San Francisco, CA
1:15 PM
79 °F
51 °F
0%

Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium - Jacksonville, FL
4:00 PM
75 °F
56 °F
10%

New York Giants @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field - Pittsburgh, PA
4:15 PM
57 °F
39 °F
10%

San Diego Chargers @ New Orleans Saints
Louisiana Superdome - New Orleans, LA
5:00 PM
77 °F
58 °F
10%

Oct. 27
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans
LP Field - Nashville, TN
7:30 PM
51 °F
33 °F
10%

College Quarterback Carousel

By Robert Ferringo

It's getting to the time of the year where injuries and depth concerns are having more and more of an impact each Saturday as college teams are starting to wear down a bit from the grind of the season. I have long ago stopped trying to handicap singular injuries and how they effect individual matchups in each games ("Oh, Colorado State's left guard is out. San Diego State's right defensive tackle will have a field day!") in favor of taking more of a macro approach to team health.

That said, we all know that the most important position on the football field is the quarterback. And right now the injury bug is effecting signal callers from Arizona to West Virginia. Of course, even that only matters some of the time (gotta love college football). For instance, reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Year Dan LeFevour didn't even take the field in a crucial rivalry game between Central Michigan and Western Michigan last week. Naturally his backup came in and threw for 350 and led an upset win. So, again, take these injuries for what their worth.

But with that in mind, here's a quick rundown of the quarterback issues and situations headed into this week's action:

Arizona – Rudy Carpenter, QB
Carpenter’s ankle is still not 100 percent, but he is probable this weekend against Oregon.

Auburn – Chris Todd, QB
Todd is definitely out with a shoulder injury this week as the Tigers head to Morgantown with one of the worst offenses in football. His injury leaves run-first quarterback Kodi Burns running the show.

Central Michigan – Dan LeFevour, QB
The MAC’s reigning Player of the Year was supposed to be back in the fold last week against WMU but didn’t play. He is now probable this week against Toledo. But after watching the CMU offense last week without him, it might not make a difference.

Cincinnati – Tony Pike, QB
Pike is definitely out this week as the Bearcats head to Connecticut. But Chazz Anderson has been smooth running the offense for Cincy while Pike and Dustin Grutza remain out.

Clemson – Cullen Harper, QB
Just to add more drama to the Tigers locker room, Harper had snap surgery on Sunday on his non-throwing shoulder. He says that it has left him pain free and that he’s ready to go when Clemson gets back after it next weekend.

Connecticut – Zach Frazer, QB
Frazer is questionable for this weekend’s game with Cincinnati after the sophomore suffered a mild concussion last week. He does have a history of concussions so coach Randy Edsall wants to be careful.

Indiana – Kellen Lewis, QB
Lewis sat out last week as the Hoosiers got smoked 55-13 against Illinois. Yes, he is that important to this team. He has the dreaded high ankle sprain but did practice on Monday. He is still questionable.

Louisiana-Lafayette – Michael Desormeaux, QB
Shockingly, UL-L’s leader sat out last week against Arkansas State – and the Cajuns won anyway. However, I don’t know how long they will be able main to maintain without their signal caller. UL-L is off this week.

Memphis – Arkelon Hall, QB and Will Hudgens, QB
Hall broke his throwing thumb against East Carolina and is going to be out 4-6 weeks. Hudgens is the backup but he tore his ACL against the Pirates as well. Memphis hosts Southern Miss this week but isn’t sure if they will go with Brett Toney (11-for-15 for 65 yards last week) or Tyler Bass.

Michigan – Steven Threet, QB
Threet will be back this weekend as the Wolverines host Michigan State. I am still not sure that’s a good thing, but there it is. He has a nagging elbow issue.

Michigan State – Brian Hoyer, QB
Hoyer got his bell rung last week against Ohio State and was put out in the second quarter. He passed a concussion test and will be back and at full strength this week against UM.

Navy - Kalpo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, QB
KNKE has missed Navy’s last two games and really hasn’t had an impact at all this year. Jarod Bryant has led the Middies in rushing in their option attack, but there has been talk of Ricky Dobbs supplanting him as a starter.

Northern Illinois – DeMarcus Grady, QB
Grady is filling in for Dan Nicholson, who has been out with an injured shoulder over the last two weeks. Now Grady has a bum ankle. He did sit out the fourth quarter of last week’s blowout, but is listed as questionable for this week. I think he plays.

Oregon - Justin Roper, QB
Roper will split time with Jeremiah Masoli this weekend in Tempe. Roper's knee is apparently at about "80 percent" so I expect to see him get a majority of the snaps, unless something happens between now and game time.

Toledo – Aaron Opelt, QB
Opelt has a mysterious “leg” injury and left in the fourth quarter of UT’s loss at NIU. However, he has been practicing and has been talking like he will start against Central Michigan this week.

Central Florida – Mike Greco, QB
The junior has been limited by lingering injuries all year, but he has deemed himself ‘100 percent’ and is ready to take on Tulsa. Yeah, good luck with that.

Vanderbilt – Mackenzi Adams, QB
Adams is not injured. He is simply getting the nod over Chris Nickson. Vandy has the third-worst offense in the country and the switch to Adams means they might be able to actually throw more than 10 passes per game.

West Virginia – Pat White, QB
White sat out against Syracuse, but will be ready to go against Auburn on Thursday night.

NFL Betting Stats Breakdown - Week 7

By Robert Ferringo

This is why you always have to respect the oddsmaker. We have been keepign track of these basic betting stats all year long and through seven weeks of action you will see that there is no discernable advantage for home teams (50.5 percent), favorites (52.0 percent), home dogs (46.7 percent), the AFC (50.0 percent), or the 'over' (53.5 percent). At a standard 10-percent juice you would have turned a small profit (+230) blindly betting the 'over' this year. But I also expect that window to be closed shortly. The top situation this year has been betting against big favorites. Had you been betting against large chalk all season you would have been able to turn a profit, as that situation has covered 57.7 percent of the time. But because of the limited trials (26 overall) this would have barely outperformed - in terms of net profit - the 'over' angle (+290 to +230).

2008 TOTALS
Favorites: 51-47-3
Home teams: 50-49-3
Home underdogs: 14-16-2
AFC vs. NFC: 11-11
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 11-15
‘Over’: 54-47-1

WEEK 7
Favorites: 6-8
Home teams: 8-6
Home underdogs: 4-2
AFC vs. NFC: 1-2
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 3-3
‘Over’: 7-6-1

WEEK 6
Favorites: 6-8
Home teams: 8-6
Home underdogs: 3-1
AFC vs. NFC: 1-1
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 1-3
‘Over’: 4-10

WEEK 5
Favorites: 6-7-1
Home teams: 4-9-1
Home underdogs: 1-3-1
AFC vs. NFC: 2-3
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 1-1
‘Over’: 8-6

East Coast to West Coast: First We Killed Tupac, Now We Own Your NFL Teams

By Robert Ferringo

Man, if you are an NFL team that lives in the Pacific Time Zone it's probably better if you don't cross the Mississippi.

To this point in the season teams from the West Coast that have traveled east and been involved in a 1 p.m. kickoff are 0-8 overall and 1-7 ATS. This past weekend two teams - San Diego and San Francisco - both perpetuated the Pacific Pansy Problem by posting an 0-2 SU and ATS. Seattle did cover - barely - later Sunday night against Tampa Bay (losing 20-10 as a 10.5-point underdog) but that game didn't start until 8 p.m. so the impact of the travel wouldn't have been the same.

It isn't really rocket science as to why this occurs. Teams from PST that start a game at 1 p.m. EST are no a "body clock" of 10 a.m. What's worse is that if a player has to wake up at 8 a.m. EST in order to get ready for that 1 p.m. game it's really like waking up at 5 a.m. for them. It's an advantage that West Coast teams don't enjoy - jetlag isn't as big an issue going east-to-west - and as a result is's a pretty localized phenomenon.

Well, the oddsmakers are slamming the door on this angle. This week we have Oakland traveling to Baltimore as a 7-point underdog. Since the Raiders only cover about 20 percent of the time, no number seems to big to me. However, it's a little thick for a Ravens team that has more trouble scoring with its offense than with its defense and special teams. But the number that really jumped out at me as being jacked up partially due to the travel angle is that Arizona is a 4.5-point underdog heading to Carolina. And that is in spite of the fact that Anquan Boldin should be back and that the Cardinals are coming off a bye.

Now, too be fair, Arizona lost 24-17 at Washington and 56-35 at New York already this year so the Eastern Time Zone hasn't been kind to The Birds. But I still think this spread is a bit curious and will be interested to see how its bet this week.

0-6 SU
1-5 ATS

Wait, So Cutler-to-Marshall Isn't Montana-to-Rice?

By Robert Ferringo

After their fluke wn over San Diego in Week 2 the Denver Broncos were the talk of the NFL. Their "hot new" offense was the hippest thing since KNOTB and you would have been more likely to trade your wife before you gave up either Jay Cutler or Brandon Marshall on your fantasy teams. Well, after last night's 41-7 debacle in New England I think it's pretty safe to say that teams are onto Denver's silly little games.

The Broncos have dumped five straight games ATS - which is a lot harder than it sounds in the NFL - and they are averaging just 14 points per game over their last four outings after racking up 38 per contest through their first three. Fortunately Denver's defense still blows, so all of those squares who are still pounding the 'over' on this team have gone just 2-2-1 over the last five games. (And yes, I had the 'over' on MNF but I am also 2-0-1 on Denver totals this year, so I get some slack!)

The bottom line is that Denver is the perfect illustration of why the opening month of the NFL season is a critical time for betting. Studies show that first impressions are the strongest in humans, and those impressions are sustained even after new information is assimilated. Denver is a great example. They dominated Oakland on MNF to start the year and then won a game over San Diego, a team that a lot of bobbleheads had pegged for the Super Bowl. Bettors haven't adjusted to the fact

Now here's the rub:

Denver is on a bye this week. And that 34-point massacre is going to stick in the craw of one Mike Shanahan. That's great news for us because the Broncs should come out on the other side of the bye with a renewed sense of purpose. If their value may have peaked after Week 2 then it might have "valleid" this morning. The thing to keep in mind is that this is an incredibly young team. That means they are going to be a better play as an underdog or in situations where people don't expect them to come to play. It also means that they are going to be a terrible play as a favorite because they don't have experience in closing games.

Birthday Wishes Do Come True: A VSI Story

Contributed by Vegas Sports Informer

What a weekend! Not only was this my birthday weekend (actually Tuesday 10/21 is my birthday) but we kicked some pigskin booty. I don’t want to blow my own horn but this weekend was outstanding for us as we hit our 8-Unit Game of the Year in college with the Arizona Wildcats. The best part of winning this game was that I didn’t even stress watching this game because my wife took me out to dinner for my birthday. Went home after a great steak dinner on the strip, had a little dessert and went to bed. Woke up Sunday morning turn on the computer I saw that Arizona came back after losing at halftime to kick the Cal’s butt. But damn did I miss a lot of sports gambling action Saturday night! I missed Texas kicking the snot out of Missouri, an 80-year-old boxer (Bernard Hopkins) beating Kelly Pavlik, and Game 6 of the ALCS (Boston won to force a Game 7). Yes, I know I missed a lot on Saturday but sometimes spending time with a loved one on your birthday is better then cashing a GOY ticket.

Here are two games that I have my eye on this week:

Colorado at Missouri (Saturday 10/25) NCAAF
Missouri was once mention to be a BCS contender but know they are just a pretender. Missouri is coming off not one but two horrible losses and now they are back home to face a tough and in your face defense in Colorado. Missouri should be able to win this game by double-digits but mentally this team might be done for the season. If Colorado scores first then Missouri might be in trouble.

New York Giants at Pittsburgh (Sunday 10/26) NFL
The best game on Sunday by far and we should see some powerful hits by both defenses. Pittsburgh is a small favorite but wouldn’t be shocked to see New York win this game on the road. Last couple of years Pittsburgh has lost some tough fought games at home. Should be a great game and whoever can run the ball will win this game.

Doc's Sports NFL Power Rankings

By Robert Ferringo

This will likely be posted on our Main Site on Friday, but I just wanted to get this out there for those of you who look forward to my research each week. Enjoy:

1. Tennessee Titans (5-0) – It will be interesting to see how the bye week effected the momentum of this club, which had been rolling. The road team is 4-1 ATS in their series with the Chiefs, but the underdog has covered four of five. Word around the campfire fire is that the Titans spent their off week putting in some packages for Vince Young. Even some that have Young and Collins on the field at the same time. I think it’s key that Tennessee get him some confidence and a taste of success before the inevitable switch back to being the QB.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) – Pittsburgh’s defense has kind of quietly been one of the best units in the league. They are No. 2 in the league and is the only unit allowing less than four yards per rush. They have dominated their series with Cincinnati, and the Bengals should expect no quarter. Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the road team is 6-1 ATS. Don’t expect Willie Parker to play a big role this weekend. His knee injury is delicate and Mike Tomlin doesn’t want to risk him long term against a team they should handle.

3. New York Giants (4-1) – The G-Men got caught with their pants down on Monday Night Football against a team that was playing for its life. And if Eli hadn’t made an awful decision near the goal line early in the fourth quarter I would have liked to see how Cleveland handled the clutch. It’s been ten-and-a-half months since the Giants actually lost a game. It will be interesting to see how they handle it. Shaun O’Hara may be out this week (toe) but other than that the G-Men are still pretty healthy.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) – Last week I made a big deal out of Tampa Bay’s red zone offense, and stated that I thought Jeff Garcia would actually be better for the attack inside the 20. The Bucs responded by scoring a touchdown in two of three trips into the red zone against Carolina. Tampa can’t afford a letdown – like the one the Panthers suffered – this Sunday night against wounded Seattle. I am also wary of that large number on them. This is just the sixth time in the last 10 years that Tampa has been a DD chalk. They are 4-1 ATS in the last five dating back to 2000.

5. Dallas Cowboys (4-2) – It looks like the crystal palace in Dallas is starting to break down a bit. And I couldn’t be happier. Everywhere you turn analysts, play-by-play men, and media bobbleheads have been speaking of this Dallas team in reverential tones, as if they were some great team. This team is pretty good. That’s it. Pretty good. The Roy Williams trade is nice. But it doesn’t offset the issues that they are having in their secondary, at quarterback, and on their offensive line. Also, count me amongst those that thinks Brad Johnson will be very good under center.

Legend "Lefty" Rosenthal Dead At Age 79

I know I'm a little late to the punch with this one, but Lefty Rosenthal died this week of heart failure. The man was one of the "founding fathers" of the sports gaming industry in Las Vegas and was...well, I'll just let the guy from the L.A. Times tell you:

By Dennis McLellan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 16, 2008

Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, the onetime Chicago bookmaker who ran four Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s and whose turbulent life and near-death experience with a car bomb inspired the movie "Casino," has died. He was 79.

Rosenthal, who was barred from casinos because of alleged mob ties, died of a heart attack Monday at his home in Miami Beach, a Fire-Rescue spokeswoman told the Associated Press.

Rosenthal, who was once called "the greatest living expert on sports gambling" by Sports Illustrated, is credited with bringing sports betting to Las Vegas casinos in the '70s.

"He really brought the glitz and glamour to what we now know as sports books," Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said at a news conference Wednesday.

As a casino boss, Rosenthal was a demanding perfectionist who "wouldn't tolerate anything except the very best in customer service," said Goodman, who first represented Rosenthal as a young attorney in 1972.

One time, he recalled, when Rosenthal was walking through the Stardust and saw a cigarette butt on the casino floor, he picked it up himself -- then fired the person who was responsible for cleaning the area.

Although Goodman said Rosenthal always treated him "decently," Rosenthal once ordered his casino security men to crush the right hand of a card cheat he had caught.

"He was part of a crew of professional card cheats, and calling the cops would do nothing to stop them, so we used a rubber mallet -- metal hammers leave marks, you know -- and he became a lefty," Rosenthal recalled in a 2005 interview with the Miami Herald.

"I didn't care if they tried to scam other houses," he said. "I just wanted to make it clear that they couldn't do it at mine."

Cowboys Score A Touchdown At Trade Deadline

By Robert Ferringo

The NFL trade deadline is, by far, the most boring of any trade deadline. Because of the salary cap it's generally difficult to manufacture any significant moves, much less any "blockbuster" deals. But Dallas pulled one off on Tuesday, scoring former Pro Bowl wideout Roy Williams to line up opposite Terrell Owens.

The lack of a second wideout was a tremendous negative on this team, but it was a noticeable impediment. Williams, who has basically mailed it in for the Lions, should be a nice addition and should have a dramatic impact on his team. However, once again the Cowboys are backing someone with poor character and someone who will likely fold in the clutch or let Dallas fans down.

The Willaims trade came right around the same time that the Cowboys are losing Pac Man Jones - a notorious scumbag - for four games. The addition of Williams, a potentially explosive offensive player, and the loss of another starting cornerback, means that Dallas totals could be primed to head 'over'. However, the 'Boys already face inflated lines and the books will likely overcompensate for Williams' addition, so I suggest to start looking at Dallas 'under'' plays.

Here is the AP story on the trade:

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Roy Williams headed home to Texas on Tuesday in the NFL's biggest trade before the deadline, giving the struggling Dallas Cowboys another proven receiver opposite Terrell Owens.

The winless Detroit Lions traded their unhappy 2004 first-round pick and one-time Pro Bowler for three draft picks, from the first, third and sixth round in 2009. Detroit also gave the Cowboys a seventh-rounder next year.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the struck the deal two minutes before the NFL trade deadline.

''I'm more happy to be a Dallas Cowboy then when I got my first bike,'' said Williams, an Odessa native who starred at the University of Texas.

Williams' best season was 2006, when he went to the Pro Bowl after catching 82 passes for 1,310 yards and seven touchdowns. He has 17 catches for 232 yards and a score this season, and has 262 career passes for 3,884 yards and 29 TDs. Soon after announcing the deal, the Cowboys said that they had given Williams a five-year extension on his contract that was set to expire after this season.