Everyone knows that the first two picks of the 2012 NFL draft are locked up but what will happen with the next pick?

The Minnesota Vikings have the 3rd pick in the NFL draft.  Their GM Rick Spielman says the Vikings are open to the possibility of trading their first round pick. He even suggested they would be willing to listen to trade offers while the Vikings are on the clock on April 26.

It’s a no-brainer that the Colts will take Andrew Luck with the first pick and the Redskins will select Robert Griffin III with the second, but anything is possible when it comes to the 3rd pick, owned by the Vikings.

“I think those picks will go relatively quickly,” Spielman joked. “But I’m sure there will be some conversations before that pick if we’re going to (make a trade).”

Spielman said he doesn’t need to have a trade in place in advance of the draft.

“There are times we have been in (the war room) and we’ve done deals on the clock,” Spielman said, noting his flexibility to make such a deal if the right offer comes up. “It’s an unknown, but you’re prepared for both ways. We’ll be ready and we’ll have a good idea of what we think the value of that third pick is.”

The Vikings strategy for the NFL draft seems to be to fill a hole at left tackle.  USC’s Matt Kalil would fit the bill but the Vikings may be holding out hope that another NFL team is willing to make a trade offer the Vikings just couldn’t refuse.  If that’s the case, Minnesota’s strategy could be trade the third pick and settle for a quality player a little lower in the draft.

“If we want to get out of that pick, we’ll (determine) what it will take to get out of that pick,” Spielman said. “Plus you have to be careful of how far you would want to go back (down in the draft). You have to know what you’re looking at, depending on how far you go back. Are you getting yourself out of the (range of) the supposedly blue-chip type of players?”

Spielman expects that the Vikings will finalize their draft day strategy once the organization and board meetings met in the next week or two.

If you know anything about the NFL draft, expect the unexpected.

Here is the NFL Week 12 Schedule for Sunday, November 28. Handicapping tips for each of he NFL matchups include the favorite, under/over and record against the spread (ATS).

1:00 PM GAMES

JAGUARS (6-4) At GIANTS (6-4)

Favorite: Giants (-9) Over/Under: 44.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Jaguars are 6-4 ATS

Jaguars are 2-2 ATS away

Jaguars are 3-4 ATS as the underdog

Jaguars are 2-2 ATS as an away underdog

Giants are 5-5 ATS

Giants are 2-3 ATS at home

Giants are 3-3 ATS as the favorite

Giants are 2-3 ATS as a home favorite

VIKINGS (3-7) At REDSKINS (5-5)

Favorite: Redskins (-2) Over/Under: 43

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Vikings are 2-8 ATS

Vikings are 0-5 ATS away

Vikings are 0-6 ATS as the underdog

Vikings are 0-5 ATS as an away underdog

Redskins are 5-3 ATS

Redskins are 2-1 ATS at home

Redskins are 0-1 ATS as the favorite

Redskins have not been a home favorite

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-3) At BUFFALO BILLS (2-8)

Favorite: Steelers (-6.5) Over/Under: 43

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Steelers are 6-4 ATS

Steelers are 4-3 ATS away

Steelers are 4-3 ATS as the favorite

Steelers are 2-1 ATS as an away favorite

Bills are 5-4 ATS

Bills are 1-3 ATS at home

Bills are 4-3 ATS as the underdog

Bills are 0-2 as a home underdog

TENNESSEE TITANS (5-5) At HOUSTON TEXANS (4-6)

Favorite: Texans (-6.5) Over/Under: 46

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Titans are 5-5 ATS

Titans are 3-2 ATS away

Titans are 2-2 ATS as the underdog

Titans are 2-2 ATS as an away underdog

Texans are 3-6 ATS

Texans are 1-4 ATS at home

Texans are 1-3 ATS as the favorite

Texans are 0-3 as a home favorite

CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-9) At CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-7)

Favorite: Browns (-10.5) Over/Under: 37.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Panthers are 2-8 ATS

Panthers are 1-3 ATS away

Panthers are 2-6 ATS as the underdog

Panthers are 1-3 ATS as an away underdog

Browns are 4-5 ATS

Browns are 2-3 ATS at home

Browns are 0-3 ATS as the favorite

Browns are 0-1 as a home favorite

GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-3) At ATLANTA FALCONS (8-2)

Favorite: Falcons (-2) Over/Under: 47.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Packers are 6-4 ATS

Packers are 3-2 ATS away

Packers are 1-0 ATS as the underdog

Packers are 1-0 ATS as an away underdog

Falcons are 6-4 ATS

Falcons are 3-2 ATS at home

Falcons are 5-3 ATS as the favorite

Falcons are 3-2 as a home favorite

Packers vs Falcons NFL Matchup Preview

4:05 PM GAMES

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-4) At SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-5)

Favorite: Chiefs (-1.5) Over/Under: 44.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Chiefs are 6-4 ATS

Chiefs are 2-3 ATS away

Chiefs are 2-3 ATS as the favorite

Chiefs are 0-2 ATS as an away favorite

Seahawks are 5-5 ATS

Seahawks are 3-1 ATS at home

Seahawks are 4-4 ATS as the underdog

Seahawks are 2-1 ATS as a home underdog

MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-5) At OAKLAND RAIDERS (5-5)

Favorite: Raiders (-3) Over/Under: 39.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Dolphins are 6-4 ATS

Dolphins are 4-1 ATS away

Dolphins are 3-1 ATS as the underdog

Dolphins are 2-1 ATS as an away underdog

Raiders are 5-4 ATS

Raiders are 3-2 ATS at home

Raiders are 1-1 ATS as the favorite

Raiders are 1-1 ATS as a home favorite

4:15 PM GAMES

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-3) At CHICAGO BEARS (7-3)

Favorite: Eagles (-3.5) Over/Under: 42

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Eagles are 5-5 ATS

Eagles are 3-2 ATS away

Eagles are 4-3 ATS as the favorite

Eagles are 2-1 ATS as an away favorite

Bears are 5-4 ATS

Bears are 2-3 ATS at home

Bears are 4-1 ATS as the underdog

Bears are 1-0 ATS as a home underdog

ST. LOUIS RAMS (4-6) At DENVER BRONCOS (3-7)

Favorite: Broncos (-4) Over/Under: 44.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Rams are 7-3 ATS

Rams are 3-1 ATS away

Rams are 6-3 ATS as the underdog

Rams are 3-1 ATS as an away underdog

Broncos are 3-7 ATS

Broncos are 2-3 ATS at home

Raiders are 1-1 ATS as the favorite

Raiders are 1-1 ATS as a home favorite

TAMPA BAY BUCS (7-3) At BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3)

Favorite: Ravens (-7.5) Over/Under: 44.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Bucs are 6-3 ATS

Bucs are 5-0 ATS away

Bucs are 5-2 ATS as the underdog

Bucs are 5-0 ATS as an away underdog

Ravens are 5-5 ATS

Ravens are 2-2 ATS at home

Ravens are 3-3 ATS as the favorite

Ravens are 2-2 ATS as a home favorite

8:30 PM GAME

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (5-5) At INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-4)

Favorite: Colts (-3) Over/Under:51.5

2010 Regular Season Trends ATS

Chargers are 5-5 ATS

Chargers are 1-4 ATS away

Chargers have not been the underdog

Colts are 6-3 ATS

Colts are 3-1 ATS at home

Colts 4-3 ATS as the favorite

Colts are 3-1 ATS as a home favorite

In the NFL this week, 3 games were played on Thursday, November 25, the results:
New England 45 Detroit 24
New Orleans 30 Dallas 27
New York Jets 26 Cincinnati 10

sources: New York Post, espn.com, foxsports.com, thespread.com

The Dallas Cowboys head to the Minnesota Metrodome to take on the Vikings in the 2010 NFC Divisional Playoffs this Sunday. Both teams have been absent from the NFC Divisional playoffs for some time, the Cowboys last made an appearance in 1996 and the Viking in 2001.

This will be the second NFC playoff game for Cowboys this year and the first for the Vikings, who enjoyed a bye week in week 17. The ways that the Cowboys offense and defense are plying, this can certainly be their next stop on the road to a truly attainable goal – becoming the Super Bowl Champions.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, the Cowboys must beat the Vikings. Here is our NFC Divisional Playoff preview between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings. It spells out the reasons why the Cowboys will defeat the Vikings in the 2010 NFC Divisional Playoffs.

And that word is DEFENSE.

The Dallas Cowboy’s had the 9th best defense in the NFL. They were ranked 4th against the rush and 20th against the pass. However, in last week’s Wild Card win, the Cowboys defense held the Eagles to 56 yards rushing while forcing 3 interceptions and a fumble. Over their last three games, the Cowboys are playing the best defense of the teams still alive.

The Cowboys offense is just as impressive. They had the 2nd ranked offense in the NFL during the regular season. They were ranked 6th in passing and 7th in rushing. Last week against the Eagles (12th overall total defense) the Cowboys gained 198 yards rushing and 228 yards passing. Tony Romo threw for 2 TDs and 0 interceptions.

Another important fact is the Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles 3 times this season by a combined score of 78 – 33, a team that many predicted to win the Super Bowl.

Now let’s take a look at the Vikings. They had the 5th best offense overall in the regular season (13th rushing and 8th in passing). They have three players in the top 5 of the following offensive categories:

QB Brett Favre is 2nd in the NFL for QB rating at 107.2; RB Adrian Peterson is 5th in rushing yards with 1383, and WR Sidney Rice is 4th in Receiving Yards with 1312.

The Vikings are ranked 6th overall in total defense, 2nd against the rush and 19th against the pass. The Vikings defensive is led by Defensive End Jared Allen who is 2nd in the NFL in Sacks with 14.5. The Vikings had perhaps the most intimidating defense until they lost linebacker EJ Henderson for the season (broken league).

The Vikings certainly have some impressive statistics and league leading individual players. But there are some glaring concerns.

• The Vikings lost 3 of their last 5 games (@ Arizona, @ Carolina and @ Chicago.) in the regular season.
• In the last three games before the Vikings beat the “no-show” Giants in the final week of the season, Favre threw for 4 TDs and 3 interceptions. Some experts have surmised that Brett was going away from coach Ray Childress’s game plan. Many suspect that is what caused the on-field argument between the two late in season.
• Adrian Peterson has been amazingly mediocre over the second half of the season. He hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in a game since week 9.
• The injury to EJ Henderson was devastating to the Vikings defense. Since his absence, opposing offenses have been able to double team DE Jared Allen and run the right side.

The Vikings do have two things going for them. First, they have the advantage of resting during the bye week off and secondly, they are playing at home in the dome. Unfortunately, it won’t be enough for the Vikings to win this NFC Divisional Playoff game.

Winning in the playoffs is all about momentum and the quality of play at the current moment. You could almost throw out the regular season statistics when predicting the winner. The 2007 NY Giants are a prime example. They were mediocre in the regular season but excelled in the playoffs to become Super Bowl champions. And you can draw a parallel to one of these teams.

The Dallas Cowboys are that team!

Thenflthisweek.com Prediction

Cowboys 27 Vikings 21