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.

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%

Oct. 24		Boise State @ San Jose State Spartan Stadium at San Jose State University - San Jose, CA		85°F		51°F		0%
Oct. 25		Alabama @ Tennessee Neyland Stadium at University of Tennessee - Knoxville, TN		63°F		42°F		20%
Oct. 25		Baylor @ Nebraska Memorial Stadium at University of Nebraska - Lincoln, NE		64°F		42°F		20%
Oct. 25		Boston College @ North Carolina Kenan Memorial Stadium at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC		66°F		43°F		70%
Oct. 25		Bowling Green @ Northern Illinois Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University - DeKalb, IL		52°F		38°F		30%
Oct. 25		Central Connecticut @ Monmouth Kessler Field - West Long Branch, NJ		63°F		49°F		80%
Oct. 25		Central Michigan @ Toledo Glass Bowl at University of Toledo - Toledo, OH		53°F		42°F		30%
Oct. 25		Charleston Southern @ Liberty Williams Stadium - Lynchburg, VA		57°F		41°F		70%
Oct. 25		Cincinnati @ Connecticut Rentschler Field - East Hartford, CT		64°F		51°F		80%
Oct. 25		Colgate @ Bucknell Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium - Lewisburg, PA		58°F		40°F		70%
Oct. 25		Colorado @ Missouri Memorial Stadium at University of Missouri - Columbia - Columbia, MO		60°F		44°F		20%
Oct. 25		Colorado State @ San Diego State Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, CA		83°F		56°F		0%
Oct. 25		Cornell @ Brown Pizzitola Memorial Sports Center at Brown University - Providence, RI		64°F		54°F		30%
Oct. 25		Dartmouth @ Columbia Lawrence A. Wien Stadium at Baker Field - New York, NY		63°F		49°F		80%
Oct. 25		Davidson @ Drake Drake Stadium - Des Moines, IA		59°F		41°F		20%
Oct. 25		Delaware @ Hofstra James M. Stuart Stadium - Hempstead, NY		62°F		51°F		80%
Oct. 25		Delaware State @ Morgan State Hughes Memorial Stadium - Baltimore, MD		60°F		45°F		70%
Oct. 25		Duke @ Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium at Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN		62°F		42°F		20%
Oct. 25		Eastern Illinois @ Eastern Kentucky Roy Kidd Stadium - Richmond, KY		58°F		39°F		20%
Oct. 25		Eastern Michigan @ Ball State Ball State Football Stadium at Ball State University - Muncie, IN		53°F		41°F		30%
Oct. 25		Florida A and M @ Norfolk State William Dick Price Stadium - Norfolk, VA		69°F		55°F		80%
Oct. 25		Florida Atlantic @ Louisiana Monroe Malone Stadium at University of Monroe - Monroe, LA		74°F		44°F		10%
Oct. 25		Fresno State @ Utah State E.L. Romney Stadium at Utah State University - Logan, UT		65°F		32°F		10%
Oct. 25		Furman @ Appalachian State Kidd Brewer Stadium - Boone, NC		57°F		38°F		30%
Oct. 25		Georgetown @ Richmond Richmond Stadium - University Of Richmond, VA		64°F		44°F		80%
Oct. 25		Georgia @ LSU Tiger Stadium at Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, LA		78°F		47°F		10%
Oct. 25		Georgia Southern @ Western Carolina E.J. Whitmire Stadium - Cullowhee, NC		64°F		35°F		10%
Oct. 25		Hampton @ South Carolina State Oliver C. Dawson Stadium - Columbia, SC		74°F		48°F		10%
Oct. 25		Harvard @ Princeton Princeton Stadium - Princeton, NJ		64°F		46°F		80%
Oct. 25		Howard @ North Carolina A and T Aggie Stadium at North Carolina A and T Campus - Greensboro, NC		63°F		40°F		60%
Oct. 25		Idaho State @ Portland State PGE Park - Portland, OR		64°F		44°F		10%
Oct. 25		Illinois @ Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium at University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, WI		52°F		41°F		30%
Oct. 25		Iona @ Marist College Leonidoff Field - Poughkeepsie, NY		62°F		45°F		80%
Oct. 25		James Madison @ Villanova Villanova Stadium - Villanova, PA		63°F		46°F		70%
Oct. 25		Kent State @ Miami (Ohio) Yager Stadium at Miami University - Oxford, OH		56°F		38°F		20%
Oct. 25		Kentucky @ Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida - Gainesville, FL		81°F		55°F		20%
Oct. 25		Lafayette College @ Fordham Jack Coffey Field - Bronx, NY		63°F		49°F		80%
Oct. 25		Lehigh @ Holy Cross Fitton Field - Worcester, MA		61°F		51°F		50%
Oct. 25		Louisiana Tech @ Army Michie Stadium at US Military Academy - West Point, NY		62°F		49°F		80%
Oct. 25		Michigan State @ Michigan Michigan Stadium at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI		51°F		42°F		40%
Oct. 25		Middle Tennessee State @ Mississippi State Scottfield at Mississippi State University - Starkville, MS		68°F		42°F		10%
Oct. 25		Minnesota @ Purdue Ross-Ade Stadium at Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN		54°F		42°F		30%
Oct. 25		Mississippi Valley @ Jackson State Veterans Memorial Stadium - Jackson, MS		72°F		45°F		10%
Oct. 25		Montana State @ Sacramento State Hornet Stadium - Sacramento, CA		85°F		48°F		0%
Oct. 25		Morehead State @ Butler Butler Bowl - Indianapolis, IN		53°F		41°F		20%
Oct. 25		Nevada @ Hawaii Aloha Stadium at University of Hawaii - Aiea, HI		84°F		73°F		10%
Oct. 25		New Mexico State @ Idaho Kibbie Dome at University of Idaho - Moscow, ID		57°F		33°F		10%
Oct. 25		Nicholls State @ McNeese State Cowboy Stadium - Lake Charles, LA		80°F		52°F		10%
Oct. 25		North Carolina State @ Maryland Byrd Stadium at University of Maryland - College Park, MD		61°F		45°F		80%
Oct. 25		North Dakota State @ Illinois State Hancock Stadium - Normal, IL		54°F		40°F		20%
Oct. 25		Northeastern @ Maine-Orono Morse Stadium - Orono, ME		56°F		45°F		10%
Oct. 25		Northern Iowa @ Youngstown State Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium - Youngstown, OH		54°F		41°F		70%
Oct. 25		Northwestern @ Indiana Memorial Stadium at Indiana University - Bloomington, IN		54°F		39°F		20%
Oct. 25		Notre Dame @ Washington Husky Stadium - Seattle, WA		58°F		40°F		10%
Oct. 25		Oklahoma @ Kansas State KSU Stadium at Kansas State University - Manhattan, KS		67°F		43°F		10%
Oct. 25		Oklahoma State @ Texas Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium at University of Texas - Austin, TX		85°F		58°F		0%
Oct. 25		Ole Miss @ Arkansas War Memorial Stadium - Little Rock, AR		69°F		48°F		10%
Oct. 25		Oregon @ Arizona State Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ		91°F		63°F		0%
Oct. 25		Penn @ Yale Yale Bowl - New Haven, CT		65°F		53°F		70%
Oct. 25		Penn State @ Ohio State Ohio Stadium at The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH		55°F		41°F		20%
Oct. 25		Rhode Island @ William and Mary Zable Stadium - Williamsburg, VA		69°F		48°F		80%
Oct. 25		Rice @ Tulane Louisiana Superdome - New Orleans, LA		77°F		54°F		10%
Oct. 25		Robert Morris @ Wagner Wagner College Stadium - Staten Island, NY		63°F		48°F		80%
Oct. 25		Rutgers @ Pittsburgh Heinz Field - Pittsburgh, PA		54°F		43°F		70%
Oct. 25		Sacred Heart @ Duquesne Arthur J. Rooney Field - Pittsburgh, PA		54°F		43°F		70%
Oct. 25		Sam Houston State @ Northwestern State Turpin Stadium - Natchitoches, LA		78°F		46°F		10%
Oct. 25		San Diego @ Jacksonville D. B. Milne Field - Jacksonville, FL		78°F		57°F		20%
Oct. 25		SMU @ Navy Navy - Marine Corps Memorial Stadium - Annapolis, MD		63°F		50°F		70%
Oct. 25		South Dakota St. @ Indiana State Memorial Stadium - Terre Haute, IN		56°F		39°F		20%
Oct. 25		South Florida @ Louisville Cardinal Stadium at University of Louisville - Louisville, KY		58°F		44°F		20%
Oct. 25		Southern @ Prairie View Reliant Stadium at Reliant Park - Houston, TX		82°F		55°F		10%
Oct. 25		Southern Illinois @ Missouri State Plaster Sports Complex - Springfield, MO		61°F		43°F		10%
Oct. 25		Southern Miss @ Memphis Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium - Memphis, TN		64°F		45°F		10%
Oct. 25		Southern Utah @ Cal-Poly - SLO Mustang Stadium-California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, CA		84°F		49°F		0%
Oct. 25		St. Francis-Pennsylvania @ Albany University Field at University of Albany - Albany, NY		61°F		48°F		80%
Oct. 25		SUNY-StonyBrook @ Coastal Carolina Brooks Stadium - Conway, SC		73°F		53°F		30%
Oct. 25		Tennessee State @ Southeast Missouri State Houck Stadium - Cape Girardeau, MO		62°F		39°F		20%
Oct. 25		Tennessee Tech @ Austin Peay Governors Stadium - Clarksville, TN		61°F		39°F		20%
Oct. 25		Texas A and M @ Iowa State Jack Trice Stadium at Iowa State University - Ames, IA		59°F		39°F		20%
Oct. 25		Texas Southern @ Alcorn State Jack Spinks Stadium - Lorman, MS		74°F		44°F		10%
Oct. 25		Texas State @ Stephen F. Austin Homer Bryce Stadium - Nacogdoches, TX		79°F		47°F		10%
Oct. 25		Texas Tech @ Kansas Memorial Stadium at University of Kansas - Lawrence, KS		65°F		42°F		10%
Oct. 25		The Citadel @ Samford Seibert Stadium - Birmingham, AL		67°F		42°F		20%
Oct. 25		Towson @ New Hampshire Cowell Stadium - Durham, NH		61°F		51°F		20%
Oct. 25		UCLA @ California Memorial Stadium at University of California - Berkeley, CA		81°F		51°F		0%
Oct. 25		UNLV @ Brigham Young Levell Edwards Stadium at Brigham Young University - Provo, UT		63°F		40°F		0%
Oct. 25		USC @ Arizona Arizona Stadium at University of Arizona - Tucson, AZ		89°F		53°F		0%
Oct. 25		Valparaiso @ Dayton Welcome Stadium - Dayton, OH		55°F		41°F		20%
Oct. 25		Virginia @ Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium at Georgia Tech - Atlanta, GA		67°F		41°F		20%
Oct. 25		Virginia Military Institute @ Gardner Webb Ernest W. Spangler Stadium - Boiling Springs, NC		67°F		40°F		20%
Oct. 25		Virginia Tech @ Florida State Doak Campbell Stadium at Florida State University - Tallahassee, FL		79°F		47°F		10%
Oct. 25		Wake Forest @ Miami (Florida) Dolphin Stadium - Opa Locka, FL		84°F		72°F		50%
Oct. 25		Weber State @ Northern Arizona Walkup Skydome - Flagstaff, AZ		69°F		31°F		0%
Oct. 25		Wofford @ Elon Rhodes Stadium - Elon, NC		65°F		42°F		70%
Oct. 25		Wyoming @ TCU Amon G. Carter Stadium at Texas Christian University - Fort Worth, TX		77°F		54°F		0%
Oct. 25		Montana @ Northern Colorado Nottingham Field - Greeley, CO		70°F		41°F		0%
Oct. 25		Alabama A and M @ Alabama State Legion Field - Birmingham, AL		67°F		42°F		20%
Oct. 25		North Dakota @ UC Davis Aggie Stadium - Davis, CA		86°F		49°F		0%
Oct. 25		Southeastern Louisiana @ Central Arkansas Estes Stadium - Conway, AR		68°F		44°F		10%
Oct. 25		Troy University @ North Texas Fouts Field at University of North Texas - Denton, TX		77°F		51°F		0%
Oct. 26		Central Florida @ Tulsa Skelly Stadium at University of Tulsa - Tulsa, OK		76°F		40°F		0%
Oct. 28		Buffalo @ Ohio Peden Stadium at Ohio University - Athens, OH		50°F		26°F		20%
Oct. 28		Houston @ Marshall M.U. Football Stadium at Marshall University - Huntington, WV		49°F		27°F		20%
Oct. 30		South Florida @ Cincinnati Nippert Stadium at Univeristy of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH

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.

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

WEEK 4
Favorites: 7-6
Home teams: 7-6
Home underdogs: 2-2
AFC vs. NFC: 3-0
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 2-2
‘Over’: 10-3

WEEK 3
Favorites: 10-6
Home teams: 9-7
Home underdogs: 0-1
AFC vs. NFC: 1-3
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 2-3
‘Over’: 11-5

WEEK 2
Favorites: 6-7-2
Home teams: 5-8-2
Home underdogs: 1-3-1
AFC vs. NFC: 1-0
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 1-0
‘Over’: 7-8

WEEK 1
Favorites: 10-6
Home teams: 9-7
Home underdogs: 3-4
AFC vs. NFC: 1-3
Large Chalk (-7.5 or more): 1-3
‘Over’: 7-9

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

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.

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.

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.

6. Washington Redskins (4-2) – Is Washington one of the best five or six teams in the league? No way. Not even close. And neither is Carolina. But the Redskins are still dominating people up front and have the No. 3 rushing attack and the No. 6 run defense in the league. If you can dominate people at the line of scrimmage you can stay among the elite. I am wary of them as a large chalk this week though. They are just 2-10 ATS against teams with a losing record and they have a troubling tendency to play down to the level of their competition.

7. Carolina Panthers (4-2) – The Panthers have regained some of their mojo at home, covering six straight in Charlotte. But their sinking rushing attack is cause for concern. Their whole sales pitch as to why they were a contender this season was based around their re-commitment to a power running game. After six games they are just 19th in yards per game and 27th in yards per carry. I do think the Carolina defense will be up to the task of containing Reggie Bush. John Fox’s units always smothered Mike Vick when he was running wild on the NFC South.

8. Buffalo Bills (4-1) – Trent Edwards and Roscoe Parrish will both be back in action this week for the Bills. I think this is a critical game for Buffalo, whose schedule gets appreciably more difficult the rest of the season. Their wins have come against a less-than-impressive lot this year. Buffalo is 11-4 ATS at home and 10-4-1 ATS after a blowout loss of 14 or more points.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) – There’s a lot of buzz about the fact that the Eagles didn’t make a move for Tony Gonzalez or Roy Williams this week. And I believe that sentiment is a huge red flag that most people don’t think that the Eagles are good enough to win this division. At least that’s what I took from it. Andy Reid is automatic after a bye week, posting a 19-5 SU and 17-7 ATS record.

10. Chicago Bears (3-3) – I just cannot say enough about what a disaster Love Smith is, and about how his pooch kick decision has completely altered Chicago’s season. The Bears are still emotionally stunned right now and I expect that horrific Atlanta loss to carry over into this week’s game with Minnesota. That is now three losses – ALL IN WHICH THE BEARS HAD LEADS IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES – by a combined eight points. It is very conceivable that this team could be 6-0 or 5-1 and among the two or three best in the NFL. Now they are just hanging on to the bottom rung like everyone else in the NFC North. But I’m not bitter.

11. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) – The fact that the John McCargo trade fell through (he failed his physical) is a blow to the Colts, who really need some big bodies up front. They simply aren’t strong enough to hold up against Tennessee and Jacksonville. I’m not sure if I’d be in a hurry to lay points on the road with Indy considering how badly they played at Houston and at Minnesota, despite their misleading final scores. Indy has covered seven straight games in October.

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) – Much like Arizona, this is a good time for a bye for the Falcons. It’s doubtful with either team that the momentum of their ultra-emotional home wins would have carried over to this week. Instead, one or both of them may have come out flat. Atlanta still has some issues – their red zone offense, some defensive situational stats – but they are winning tough and have looked great through six games. It is no fluke that they are in this spot. They also got snubbed by Tony Gonzalez this week when Tony G. said he only wanted to play for “contenders”.

13. Arizona Cardinals (4-2) – Arizona’s defensive line absolutely decimated a powerful Dallas offensive line last week. And the play of the Cardinals front has really been at the heart of their defensive Renaissance. Thy are presently No. 2 in the NFL with 18 sacks.

14. San Diego Chargers (3-3) – This weekend is a prime letdown spot for the Chargers after their peak performance at home against the Patriots. On top of that, West Coast teams traveling to the East Coast for 1 p.m. kickoffs are 0-6 SU and 1-5 ATS so far this season.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) – The Jags still aren’t getting off the field on third down. Teams are converting 49 percent of their third downs against what was a stout Jaguars defense. Look for a more potent running game out of the Jags on the other side of their bye week. They welcomed back two key linemen – center Brad Meester and guard Chris Naeole – this week.

16. New England Patriots (3-2) – Randy Moss in San Diego looked a lot like Randy Moss in Oakland last week. This is the problem with guys like Moss - they don't play hard when things get tough. When you are riding high, they are in the front of the line to drive daggers in opponents' hearts. But when it hits the fan - and he knows he's not playing for a Super Bowl this year - they pack it in and pout. The Patriots are No. 12 in the league in pass defense. However, they are just No. 22 in completion percentage against and No. 26 in yards per attempt. 

17. Denver Broncos (4-2) –That is four straight losses against the spread for the Broncos who, as I suggested weeks ago, simply are not as good as people are treating them. They are just 3-11 ATS against teams with a winning record. However, Mike Shanahan has had Bill Belichick’s number, going 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings and winning three straight since 2005. Denver’s defense has definitely picked up (33 points in the L2 games) but they are still the worst pass defense in the league.

18. Minnesota Vikings (3-3) –That makes back-to-back weeks in which the Vikings have won games in which they probably shouldn’t have. That’s actually a stark contrast between this week’s opponent, Chicago, which kees finding ways to lose. Minnesota swept the season series last year but they never play well at Soldier Field, going just 1-4 ATS in their last five trips. However, the underdog is 17-8 ATS in the last 25 meetings.

19. Green Bay Packers (3-3) –The Packers are one of the week’s biggest underdogs – even though they are just -1 at home against the Colts – in the respect that nearly three of every four wagers on this game, which to this point is the most heavily bet NFL game, have gone on Indy. The Packers will still be without injured corner Al Harris this week against Peyton Manning. Since 2002 the Packers have been home dogs just 10 times. They are 3-7 ATS in those 10 games.

20. New Orleans Saints (3-3) –Do not sleep on this team. They have already lost 31 games due to injury this season. In 2007 they lost 36 starts and in 2006 they lost just 35 starts. They have been particularly battered on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints are 6-0 ATS in their last six games against the Panthers and the road team is 14-2 ATS in this series.

21. New York Jets (3-2) –The most impressive thing about the Jets to this point in the season has to be their defensive front line. They are No. 3 in the league against the run and they are tied for No. 2 in the league with 18 sacks. They have won three straight over the Raiders and are 3-1-1 ATS in the last five. I think this squad is better than No. 21 in the NFL. But they haven’t beaten anyone and have to prove it.

22. Baltimore Ravens (2-3) –Can you call this a revenge game for the Ravens? They were the lone team that Miami beat last year and that loss came in overtime. Joe Flacco’s TD-to-INT ratio is now 1-7 after last week’s three-INT performance. The loss of Marshal Yanda at right guard, coupled with the uncertain status of Adam Terry, who would likely fill in, has put the Ravens offensive line in a very vulnerable position.

23. San Francisco 49ers (2-4) –This is going to sound a little crazy, but I kind of like the Niners as a second-half-of-the-year sleeper. They are 2-4 right now but they have played tough in their last three losses, which have come against New Orleans, New England, and Philly. Each loss was a bit closer even than the score indicated. They are still just 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games and 4-11 ATS in their last 15 conference games though. And their sack-prone offense could be exposed against a sack-generating defense this week.

24. Miami Dolphins (2-3) –Remember that the Dolphins are facing former (disastrous) head coach Cam Cameron this week. This game is the proverbial stoppable force (Baltimore is 7-22 ATS on the road) moveable object (Miami is 11-28-2 ATS at home). However, Miami is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings, inlcuing three of four wins since 2002. Also, Chad Pennington has been a stud recently. He’s completed nearly 80 percent of his passes in the last three games.

25. Houston Texans (1-4) –Hey, I was the driver of the Houston bandwagon over the last couple of years. But even I am surprised how everyone is already granting them wins over Detroit, Cincinnati, and Baltimore. This is a decent little team, but they can’t stop ANYONE. Also, they will likely be going against desperate, winless teams in each of the next two weeks and they should expect those clubs’ best efforts.

26. Cleveland Browns (2-3) –The most important thing that I noticed out of the Browns on Monday is that they finally have some other options in the passing game besides Braylon Edwards. And that little tidbit comes after one of his best games of the year. Dante Stallworth was finally healthy and was getting some looks. And that also let guys like Steptoe and Cribbs slide into the slot where they can be effective. Now they are in a position where if they get Kellen Winslow back from his mysterious, Fringe-style illness they should go back to ringing up points again.

27. Seattle Seahawks (1-4) –Chuckles Frye will be under center Sunday night when the Seahawks stroll into Tampa Bay. One positive about this game is certainly that it is an 8 p.m. kickoff. That could help limit some of the issues that the Seahawks have had playing in the Eastern Time Zone. Seattle is 3-11 ATS on the road playing east of the Mississippi.

28. Oakland Raiders (1-4) –You will never guess who has the least amount of defensive penalty yards against them this year. If Oakland were to finish the year in this spot I think there might be a tear in the space-time continuum. This team is still an automatic ‘play against’. They have done something that every handicapper dreams of: they have hit nearly 70 percent over a five-year period. They are an astoundingly bad 28-57-1 ATS in their last 86 games. That includes an 8-24 ATS run at home.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4) –How would you like to be Tony Gonzalez today? Apparently Carl Peterson screwed Gonzo, who has been the consummate Chief during his tenure in K.C., by hijacking a trade to Green Bay. That really can’t be good for morale in an already shaky locker room. Brace yourselves for the Brodie Croyle experience this week. He is back under center.

30. St. Louis Rams (1-4) –I had said at the start of the year that I thought Josh Brown would be good for two victories this year. Last Sunday was one. And I’m glad all the warm and fuzzies are flying around this team now after picking up its first win. But they are still 5-17 ATS against teams with a winning record and are still matched up with a team that completely dominated them last year in Big D. I am definitely not buying into the Rams “turnaround” just yet.

31. Detroit Lions (0-5) –I will say that the Lion made a good deal in getting rid of Roy Williams. He did not want to play for this team and was not going to play hard for the rest of the year. They sold while his value was high. Good show. That’s one point for the front office. But they take -5 points for trying to trade Jon Kitna and then putting him on IR. It’s poor form to try to trade a guy who is injured. The Lions are 1-6 ATS on the road.

32. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6) –The Bungles are playing hard. I will give them that. And losing Carson Palmer was a tough break. But that is not the reason that this team is in this predicament and its now a crutch for Marvin Lewis. The Bengals are just 2-5 ATS at home and they are last in the league in time of possession. That’s not a good thing when you only have two guys on your team that can tackle.

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:

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.

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."

Rosenthal was a tall and lanky man with what a Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel writer a decade ago described as "a glare that makes him look like a menacing Fred Astaire." When asked how he stayed in such good shape, he responded, "By keeping my mouth shut."

Rosenthal, who during his Las Vegas heyday also hosted his own local TV talk show featuring celebrity guests such as Frank Sinatra and Muhammad Ali, was a man with a past.

Before a Senate hearing on gambling and organized crime in 1961, he invoked the 5th Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 35 times, including when asked if he was left-handed.

In North Carolina in 1962, he was convicted for trying to bribe an amateur athlete.

After arriving in Las Vegas in 1968, Rosenthal launched a betting parlor. Wiretapped by the FBI, he was indicted on federal bookmaking charges, but a judge threw the case out on a technicality.

In 1969, Rosenthal had married Geri McGee, a statuesque blond and former topless showgirl, with whom he had two children.

The couple later divorced, after she had an affair with Rosenthal's Chicago boyhood friend, Anthony "Tony the Ant" Spilotro, who had moved to Vegas.

At the urging of his wife, Rosenthal got a job in a casino.

He was working as a floor manager at the Stardust Hotel and Casino in 1974 -- "The only guy below me was the shoeshine man," he later said -- when he was appointed to a $250,000-a-year executive position with Argent Corp., which owned or controlled the Stardust, Hacienda, Fremont and Marina hotel-casinos.

But in 1976, the state Gaming Commission ruled that Rosenthal was unsuitable for licensing to run casinos, partly on grounds of alleged organized crime associations.

Rosenthal always denied any charges of mob involvement or skimming profits from the casinos he managed.

"No one put me anywhere," he told the Palm Beach Post in 1995, "and I'm not the least bit concerned or amused that some think otherwise. No one controls Frank Rosenthal. Underline that. No one controls Frank Rosenthal."

Authorities had warned him a year earlier, the source said, that his life was in danger and that they had heard of plots to kill him.

After the attempt on his life, Rosenthal moved with his children to California and then to Florida. In 1988, the Nevada Gaming Commission listed him in the state's "Black Book" of people barred from casinos.

Rosenthal's life story was told in Nicholas Pileggi's nonfiction book "Casino," which inspired director Martin Scorsese's 1995 movie of the same name, starring Robert DeNiro as Sam "Ace" Rothstein, Sharon Stone as his wife and Joe Pesci as his mobster pal.

In Florida, he also ran a sports betting website and served as a consultant for offshore casinos.

Born June 12, 1929, in Chicago, Rosenthal early on became a professional gambler who bet on football, basketball, baseball and boxing.

"You like something and you get into it," he told the Sun-Sentinel in 1994.

"I was studying all phases of gambling in my late teens. It's no different than anything else, like a doctor, a lawyer or a writer."

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-rosenthal16-2008oct16,0,2029434.story?page=2

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.