Timeout: Five Storylines We'll Miss with NFL Lockout

What are the biggest storylines of the upcoming 2011 NFL season? Which stories will be washed away with the potential NFL lockout?

If the NFL doesn't play games in 2011, it could wipe away some of the more intriguing plots fans could witness in the past several years. Which directions will the careers of quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Mike Vick go? Are the Colts and Patriots finally going to be average NFL franchises? The list goes on and on.

Fans everywhere are anxious to see if the NFL season will actually be canceled. There is a huge curiosity to find out when the NFL lockout going to be over.

With those questions in mind, here is my list of the top five storylines we'll miss out on if the NFL continues the lockout:

1) Are The Packers A Legitimate Dynasty In The Making?
The jury is still out on a potential dynasty for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Perhaps the most interesting part of the 2011-12 season is whether the Green Bay Packers can repeat as champions. The questions could remain unanswered with a potential NFL lockout and it could possibly derail a dynasty in its tracks. Rodgers has illustrated he is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. The Packers could go back to back but that could be washed away if the NFL season is canceled.

2) Will Jay Cutler Overcome Bad Image
The end of the 2010-11 season for the Chicago Bears featured a very memorable moment. Unfortunately for Chicago fans, it featured a horrible memory of a team collapsing against the Packers at home in the playoffs. Cutler left the game with a knee injury and watched from the sidelines as the Bears lost to their division rivals. Cutler was criticized by Bears fans, the media and fellow NFL players for the way he exited the game at such a crucial moment. Now Cutler has the pressure of trying to overcome the bad image he was handed, fair or not, from the ordeal. The NFL lockout could prevent Cutler from redeeming himself in the upcoming season. Perhaps he doesn't need to redeem himself since he put up one of the best years during his young career. Still, fans are eagerly waiting to see if Cutler will grow stronger from the ordeal or struggle from the incredible amount of scrutiny. The NFL lockout could prevent Cutler from emerging from the past year into one of the premiere quarterbacks in the NFL. The cancellation of the season could also put the Cutler ordeal on the back-burner for a fresh start in the 2012-13 season.

3) Can Michael Vick Do It Again?
Michael Vick provided some of the most thrilling moments during the regular season this past season. Can Vick put up the same mind-boggling statistics and lead the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl? It will be interesting to see if Vick can live up to what he accomplished on the football field one season ago. It's one of the storylines the NFL lockout could bar if things aren't straightened out. Vick certainly isn't one of those players who wants to delay the start of the season as well as he played last year.

4) Will The Tennessee Titans Get It Together?
Long-time staple Jeff Fisher is gone as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Vince Young is also out of the mix in Nashville. How will the Titans do with a new coach and new quarterback? This might be one of the most interesting storylines of the 2011-12 season. Will the Titans fold like a cheap suit despite having one of the premiere running backs in the league? Or will a change of scenery propel the Titans into a position of power in the AFC?

5) Are the Colts and Patriots Finished?
Has the AFC balance of power completely shifted? One of the questions fans of the NFL may have center on whether the Colts and Patriots are finally out of the loop when it comes to power in the AFC. Neither team has looked invincible over the past few years in the playoffs. The Colts are just a few seasons removed from a Super Bowl loss to the Saints. The Patriots started off last season with a great record before losing at home to the New York Jets. The Colts also fell victim to the Jets during the 2010-11 playoffs. Are the two teams grapple hold of the AFC over? Or do they still have an opportunity to get back to the Super Bowl to continue their respective dynasties? It's an interesting storyline fans would like to see unfold if the NFL avoids a season delaying or ending lockout.

Those are five questions we could miss if the NFL continues the lockout or ponders the thought of canceling a season.

There are way more storylines in the NFL that will need to play out if the season does go on. Minnesota lives life without Favre. The Falcons try to fill the holes after a horrible playoff loss to Philadelphia. Dallas tries to get on track with Tony Romo back at the helm. St. Louis has a young strong quarterback arm, but can the Rams emerge as a contender?

The Ravens and Jets are growing quickly but can each figure out the keys to making it to the Super Bowl? There are so many potential stories the 2011-12 NFL season could bring. An NFL lockout could prevent those stories--or at least delay those from happening. It's unlikely the complete NFL season will be canceled but fans have learned to never rule anything out.

One thing is for sure, NFL fans have a lot to look forward to if the season goes without interruption.