Vikings to Pick Seventh

In 2002, the Vikings got tackle Bryant McKinnie with the seventh selection in the draft. If VU's math is correct, it looks like the Vikings will pick seventh again in 2003.

It could have been much worse for the Vikings in the final weekend of the season as far as where their first draft slot would be. As it turned out, winning didn't hurt them, as the Vikings will once again pick seventh in the 2003 NFL draft.

While the first-round order won't be officially announced until after tonight's game between the 49ers and Rams, VU has determined that the Vikings will pick seventh regardless of the outcome of that game.

With Minnesota's win, the Vikings finished 6-10. Only Jacksonville and potentially St. Louis finished with an identical record. Of those three teams, the Vikings "win" the tie-breaker for lowest winning percentage among opponents, which will get them the No. 7 pick.

Hopefully this time around, the Vikings won't have a long holdout with their first pick, since they can't use the excuse that his "draft slot" from the previous year was out of line -- it's their slot again.

MONDAY NOTES
* The Vikings won the NFL team rushing title Sunday for the first time in franchise history, but by the narrowest of margins. The Vikes ran for 154 yards Sunday to finish the year with 2,507 yards -- only five yards better than Miami, which finished with 2,502 yards.
* On the bad side of things, the Vikings led the NFL in fumbles (40) and Daunte Culpepper had more interceptions (23) than any quarterback in the league.
* Two coaches -- Dick LeBeau in Cincinnati and Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville -- were fired Sunday and Dave Campo of the Cowboys is expected to get canned today. Dennis Green has now surfaced as a front-runner for the Jacksonville job. He's been mentioned as a possible choice in Dallas, Detroit and Cincinnati.
* Culpepper's rushing TD Sunday was the 22nd of his carer (10th this season) and, in only three years as a starter, ties the franchise record held by Fran Tarkenton.
* Between the second half of the Miami game and the first half of the Detroit game, the Vikings scored on seven straight drives -- six touchdowns and one field goal -- to put up 45 points in less than 60 minutes.
* Mike McMahon set a new personal high for pass yardage Sunday vs. the Vikings, breaking the mark he set last year in a home game vs. Minnesota.