Will an NFL lockout really cause a crime wave?

All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis tells ESPN that a work stoppage will devastate fans... and even encourage them to commit crimes

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis
(Image credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

As the NFL lockout drags into its third month — the longest in league history — and the threat of a missed season grows, Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis is worried about the lockout's ripple effects on society. Without the NFL to absorb their attention, says Lewis, more fans will engage in unlawful behavior. "Do this research if we don't have a season... watch how much crime picks up, if you take away our game," Lewis told ESPN in an interview Sunday. Just why does Lewis think a dearth of NFL showdowns will cause a spike in criminality? "There's nothing else to do," Lewis explained. Does he have a point?

Certain fans may share his view: If the nation's "favorite game" shuts down, some NFL devotees will be completely lost, says Shane Bacon at Yahoo! Sports. "Lewis is just pointing out facts." With all that extra time at their disposal, it's natural that at least some fans will turn to bad behavior. "Just add it to the growing list of reasons why the NFL lockout would be a bad thing."

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