Pro Bowl 2011: 10 Changes That Need To Be Made For NFL's All-Star Game

How many people tuned in to this year's Pro Bowl?

The game peaked at over 14 million viewers and dropped to just over 10 million when CBS aired The Lost Valentine, a made-for-TV movie.

So was it Betty White forcing people to pick up their remotes?

Was it the 42-0 start the NFC cruised to?

Or, was it the game itself?

Over the years, All-Star games have been criticized for lazy performances, disappearing defenses and boring television.

Unlike in hockey and basketball, football can't rely on fancy goal-scoring or highlight dunks.

One-way football just isn't fun to watch.

The NFL has a problem in its lap and although Hawaii loves the attention it gets, the world isn't tuning in.

Here are 10 fixes the NFL can explore to make its annual game sparkle a little more.

10.) Play After The Super Bowl

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 30: The logo for Super Bowl XLV outside of Cowboys Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. Cowboys Stadium will host Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers in Arlingto

This year, the game was held before the Super Bowl.

Can you say bad decision?

How can anyone celebrate the best players the league has to offer when no one from the year's top two teams are participating?

It's pretty fair to assume that the two Super Bowl teams will have many of the NFL's top players.

I understand the logic behind the move, trying to give football fans something to watch in the off-week, but I'd nix this move after one attempt.

9.) Blitzing

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints passes downfield against the American Football Conference (AFC) during the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

The Pro Bowl has a special "no blitzing" rule. A football game without blitzing doesn't deserve to televised.

What is the point of allowing a defense to come play if they can't do anything?

I'm not telling the coordinators to dial up all-out blitzes on every play and try to injure an elite quarterback. However, it would be nice to see the NFL's best play makers succeed under some pressure.

How about allowing one blitz for every set of downs? Let the coordinators battle a little bit rather than being nothing more than talking heads on the sidelines.

8.) Long Extra Points

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 09: David Akers #2 kicks as Sav Rocca #6 of the Philadelphia Eagles holds against the Green Bay Packers during the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (P

Who in their right mind would want to be a Pro Bowl kicker?

I'm sure David Akers, who saw his tremendous season end with two missed field goals in a 21-16 loss to the Packers in the playoffs, would like a shot at redemption.

Do that math really quick.

How about the league showcases its kickers by letting them choose their extra point distance. Here's my idea:

40 yards = one point

50 yards= two points

60 yards = three points

Let a kicker feel like he's part of the game. With a lot of pressure off their back, I'm sure they could actually kick like they do in the pregame. 

7.) Long Touchdowns Worth More

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INDIANAPOLIS - JANUARY 02: Chris Johnson #28 of the Tennessee Titans runs for a touchdown during NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

I'm sure someone like Chris Johnson or DeSean Jackson is sick of scoring from 40+ yards away and getting awarded like someone who scored from one yard.

The only time that these guys can actually have an argument is Pro Bowl time, when official scoring doesn't have to be put into effect.

How about giving a touchdown that travels over 40 yards two extra points.

Eight points for a touchdown may sound crazy, but the excitement of trying to create big plays would be well worth it for fans.

This year's Pro Bowl had 96 points, but only two touchdowns were longer than 40 yards.

I want to see more.

6.) Get Those Linemen Moving

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Bill Belichick Head Coach of the American Football Conference team on the sidelines during the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl against the National Football Conference (NFC) at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Ke

This may be a shot of the sideline, but this is about how active the lineman are during the course of the game.

Because the quarterback is virtually untouchable, the linemen don't move much and don't really make an impact.

I understand the risk of injury, so here's an idea: Allow for two-hand touch sacks while the QB is in the pocket.

This brings the line back into the game without the risk of seeing the quarterback look like Brett Favre this season.

5.) Fan Voting For Location

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Fans in the bleachers during the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl between the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Imag

The Pro Bowl is clearly an attempt to display the league's finest to the fans. Knowing this, why not allow the fans to vote where the game is played.

The NFL could give three choices of warm-weather stadiums and post them on the website for the general public to vote.

Hawaii is a nice place to play, but very few will travel there to watch unless they win a trip.

If the Pro Bowl wants more fans in the stands, they need to bring the Pro Bowl to a place that has its own team.

Sorry Hawaii.

4.) Bring Back The Celebrations

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Santonio Holmes #10, Braylon Edwards #17 and Nick Mangold #74 of the New York Jets celebrate after Holmes scored a third quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field o

Who doesn't miss the theatrics of a well-rehearsed touchdown dance? I know I do.

With the NFL rule that doles out penalties to celebrating players, fans are deprived of the art form that is a touchdown celebration.

Where can they get their fill?

Why not use the Pro Bowl? Encourage players to pack one crowd-friendly piece that they can display when they score.

And you know they'll score. It is the Pro Bowl.

3.) More Talk

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CINCINNATI - NOVEMBER 21: Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals watches the final minute of the Bengals 49-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Paul Brown Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Players like Chad Ochocinco love to talk and be heard.

Why not get all players on the field set up with microphones and see what funny comments or trash talk you end up with.

Yes, you'd have to hire a team of people to sift through the boring stuff to find gold, but it would be well worth it.

Who doesn't want to hear a punter talk some trash after crushing a ball 60-plus yards?

2.) Player-Coaches

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Devin Hester #23 of the Chicago Bears carries the ball against the American Football Conference (AFC) during the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

I know that coaches don't want to have any responsibility on their shoulders once the season is over.

Why not relieve some of that stress by allowing each team to vote for a player-coach.

The catch is that it can't be a quarterback. I want to see the plays that are rummaging around in Devin Hester's mind.

The play-calling would be more risque and each team invest more effort into each play.

I'd be willing to bet there would be some "Not Top 10" plays that result from this, but the more the merrier.

1.) In-Game Tweeting

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Drew Brees, #9 of the New Orleans Saints, shares a laugh with Devin McCourty, #32 of the New England Patriots, after the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. NFC won 55-41 over the AFC. (Photo

No, I don't mean pulling out phones on the field.

I mean players on the sidelines blowing up their Twitter accounts about anything relating to the game.

With all of the buzz surrounding Jay Cutler on Twitter and the response it generated, why not put Twitter to use in a more positive format. This could lead to even more trash talk and fans live for the little scuffs.

On your mark, get set, tweet.