NFL Schedule Buffered For a Late Start

Releasing the 2011 schedule was optimistic, but the NFL aren't dummies. It was scheduled with dates and team match ups that allow the league to push and rearrange some games allowing the season a later start if the lockout doesn't end in time.

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"While the uncertainty remains, it is impossible to plan for every eventuality in terms of the playing schedule," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "If and when it becomes clear that we cannot play the schedule as it was announced, we will make the appropriate adjustments with an eye toward minimizing changes."

McCarthy said the flexibility built into the schedule includes bye weeks, flexible scheduling for the Sunday night games late in the season, moving games from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and the two-week break between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. The NFL, he said, also asked clubs not to book their stadiums during their bye weeks.

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ESPN has more, but not much.

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