NFL '11: What Hath The Lockout Wrought?

Image via WikipediaThe National Football League's recent lockout of its players resulted in no regular-season games either canceled or rescheduled, but it did have its effects in other ways.  For instance, those pre-season games that everybody loathes except the owners and TV networks were really necessary this year, if only to make up for the lack of year-round training (particularly for rookies) coaches like to use to evaluate talent.  Also, some players used the lockout as an excuse to report to training camp out of shape.  Which is why all-pro Bryant McKinnie was cut by the Minnesota Vikings for being overweight, only to be picked up by the Baltimore Ravens.

Also of note are rule changes created in response to the alarming number of concussions in sports, especially football.  The most prominent of those is that kickoffs will now be from the 35-yard line, with a narrower margin for error on the kicking team.  Unfortunately, since most of today's kicking specialists seemed to have honed their craft in soccer, footballs tend to sail too far past the goal line to be returned.  So we offer this suggestion:  Limit kickoffs to the start of the first and second halves, just as basketball has done with its tipoffs (mainly because the players have gotten so big and the officials so small).  After each score, just hand the opposing team the ball at their 20-yard line.

As for who will be playing on the field, the fortunes vary.  Michael Vick signed a reported $100 million-dollar deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, proving there is life after a dog fighting conviction, even if not everyone is celebrating.  Donovan McNabb, who was Vick's predecessor at quarterback for the Eagles, has migrated to the Vikings after a disastrous year in Washington.  Rookie Terrelle Pryor will become an Oakland Raiders quarterback as soon as he serves a five game suspension, which was imposed by the league for his alleged misdeeds in college.  Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth are playing for, of all people, the Bill Belichick-coached New England Patriots.  Terrell Owens and Randy Moss aren't playing anywhere.

The Vikings are starting over after a disastrous 2010 season.  Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Sidney Rice and coach Brad Childress are gone.  In their places are McNabb and Christian Ponder at quarterback, and Leslie Frazier as the new coach.  But it will take a couple of seasons for the Vikings to get back to championship-level football, so a 6-10 record sounds realistic.  At least they're returning to the friendly confines of what is now Mall of America Field at the Metrodome, complete with a new roof and turf to replace the ones that were damaged by a snowstorm.  How long the Vikings continue to play in the Metrodome remains to be seen.

Our projected division champions and playoff participants on the road to Indianapolis . . .

NFC EAST  New York Giants
         NORTH  Green Bay Packers
         SOUTH  New Orleans Saints
         WEST  St. Louis Rams
         WILD CARDS  Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions

AFC EAST  New England Patriots
         NORTH  Pittsburgh Steelers
         SOUTH  Jacksonville Jaguars
         WEST  San Diego Chargers
         WILD CARDS  Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets