NFL Week 12 Picks: Latest Spreads for Thanksgiving Day Games

Thanksgiving not only guarantees a short work week, but it also gives NFL fans an early (and heavy) dose of football games on Thursday. 

The NFL gives us three good games tomorrow, with the Packers and Lions kicking it off and a second helping of Dolphins-Cowboys and Ravens-49ers following. 

In the following slides, we'll get into the Vegas spreads and lines for all three games. 

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

Vegas line: Packers -6.5

Over/under: 55.5

Doesn't a 6.5-point line seem really high?

Sure, the Packers are 10-0 this season and have the best player on the planet in Aaron Rodgers. But the Lions beat the Packers at home last season and have the defensive front seven to disrupt what Green Bay wants to do on offense. The Packers defense has some holes that Detroit can exploit, too. 

I have no problems with the Packers being the favorite in this game, but taking the Lions against the spread doesn't look like too bad of pick this week. 

Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys

Vegas line: Cowboys -7

Over/under: 44.5 

A couple weeks ago, a seven-point line for Dolphins road game would have sounded crazy. The Dolphins started the season 0-7 and had their fair share of problems away from Miami. 

Now, the Dolphins have won three straight games and look like a completely different football team They travel to Dallas to take on a Cowboys team that has also won three straight. 

I don't think anyone would argue that the Cowboys are a better football team in 2011 than the Dolphins, but save the snow and another Leon Lett sighting, couldn't Miami cover this spread tomorrow?

San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens

Vegas line: Ravens -3

Over/under: 38.5

It's hard to complain with a line that gives the Ravens a three-point edge, but you have to love the over/under in this game. 

At just 38.5 total points, Vegas is predicting a defensive battle. Isn't that what everyone wants to see to finish out Turkey Day? The 49ers arguably have the best defense in all of football, but the Ravens aren't far behind. The two defenses are put together so similarly, too. All in all, 49ers-Ravens should be a hard-hitting affair to help all that food you crammed down your throat digest.