5 Feuds That Will Blow Up in 2011: Predictions for the 2011 NFL Season

Tempers flare in the NFL all season long and at times it can be a very tough, no-love environment.

While the leaders of the NFL may not like drama surrounding their league, drama sells tickets and feuds that have raged in the NFL have helped given more attention to the league and helped turn it into what it is today.

Football is America's favorite sport and the NFL is the highest form of football. American also loves drama and the NFL carries a lot of that too.

Here is a list of 5 feuds that will blow up in the 2011 season and make the NFL even more liked across the country and a more interesting league.

Steve Smith vs. the Carolina Panthers

This feud has been kept relatively under the radar thus far, in part because of the lockout, but there is definitely feuding going on between Steve Smith and his team, the Carolina Panthers.

Smith has a passion for winning and a passion for the game that is unmatched by any player in the league. While that passion is a good thing to have, it has gotten Smith into trouble.

The recent struggles of the Panthers have bothered Smith and he has been openly critical to the organization and young quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

The Panthers can avoid this feud by moving Smith once the lockout ends which is a real possibility and is what they should do.

If the Panthers keep Smith and the struggles of rebuilding continue, they could have problems.

Smith could become detrimental to the team if he is forced to stay on for another year of losing and could hurt the growth of the team if he is.

The Panthers should show Smith some respect and trade him to a contending team.

They could get something decent in return for the veteran wide-out and move them closer to becoming a playoff contender again, all while avoiding conflict.

Donovan McNabb vs. the Washington Redskins

This feud blew up at the end of last season but if the Washington Redskins don't make the right move, it will follow them into 2011.

As everyone knows, the Redskins traded for McNabb last Offseason and things didn't exactly go the way Washington had hoped.

McNabb had a poor season and so did the team.

McNabb was also benched by Mike Shanahan near the end of the season for Rex Grossman.

The Redskins signed McNabb to a long contract extension last year but with a very low amount of guaranteed money involved the Redskins can cut him with almost no consequence.

That is what Washington should do but the way they have been run makes everyone question their logic.

If Washington doesn't end up cutting McNabb, or even trading him, they could be in for another season of controversy and another season of poor quarterback play.

McNabb just didn't fit in with the Redskins and it is time for both parties to move on in new directions.  

Rashard Mendenhall vs. America

Rashard Mendenhall made some very controversial "tweets" about America's reaction to the death of Osama Bin Laden and left everyone questioning the Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

Mendenhall seemed unpatriotic and even if he did have the right to say what he said, he may regret it in the future.

There are quite a few patriotic NFL fans and even players and it is possible that they will turn against Mendenhall.

The Steelers are also known to do anything they can to stop drama from surrounding their organization and have even been known to trade players for almost nothing in return if it means getting their team out of the papers.

While a lot of the Mendenhall tweet drama has passed it will still come up throughout the season and is something to look out for.

Osi Umenyiora vs. LeSean McCoy

The second feud to have been started on twitter is the Osi Umenyiora vs LeSean McCoy battle.

McCoy started the fight after he called Osi soft and overrated, and the third best defensive linemen on his team.

Osi shot back comparing McCoy to a Chihuahua and to Lady Gaga.

Anytime Lady Gaga gets involved, things get interesting.

This feud excites me as a football fan because these guys play each other twice a year and go against each other in games.

There is no doubt in my mind Osi is going to be going after McCoy and it will make the two Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants games way more fun to watch.

The NFL may take a stance against twitter in the public, but they have to love it when things like this happen. This argument makes the games even more interesting and adds to their product. Fans love fighting and winning over fans means more money in the leagues pockets.

Rex Ryan vs. Someone

Rex Ryan runs his mouth more than anyone in the history of the NFL.

He guarantees wins and Super Bowls and has more confidence than maybe anyone on earth.

The problem is that that confidence can look like arrogance in the eyes of opposing teams and players and someday Ryan is going to make someone snap.

I personally guarantee that Rex Ryan will have a feud with another player or coach from an opposing team over something said in the weeks leading up to the game.

If Ryan says the wrong thing to the wrong guy a feud could ensue and we will see more and more controversies like that in the upcoming year.

We have been without football long enough and when this lockout ends prepare for the most drama the league has seen in a long time.