With a slight breather as offered by a day full of NCAA Football Bowl Games, we can get back at pointing our accusatory fingers at fan and player voting and any obvious snubs in the NFL Pro Bowl rosters.
The game will be played Sunday, Jan. 28. You can read Part One of this article here.
Cornerback
A.J. Bouye (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jalen Ramsey (Jacksonville Jaguars), Aqib Talib (Denver Broncos), Casey Hayward (Los Angeles Chargers)
Snub: Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Now, of all the positions in the NFL, cornerback might be the toughest to judge purely on stats. I’d argue it’s a mistake to judge any of them on stats alone. In the case of the cornerback, a guy can be the best in the game and not record a single pass defense, pick or tackle in a game simply because the opposing team is afraid to throw at him. It’s why I don’t have a complaint here with Talib and Ramsey getting the nod over Peters, but I think he deserves to be there over Casey Hayward. Peters probably didn’t get picked because he’s an asshole and not in a fun way like Deion Sanders was in his day.
WATCH: @marcuspeters named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
READ: https://t.co/4Gi4Qqqvct #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/JlMIIORFnh
— Chiefs Wire (@TheChiefsWire) December 20, 2017
Safety
Eric Weddle (Baltimore Ravens), Reshad Jones (Miami Dolphins), Micah Hyde (Buffalo Bills)
Snub: None, but it’s close. Kevin Byard of the Titans had an incredible season as did Hyde’s teammate, Jordan Poyer of the Bills. It’s a shame only three guys could go.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
Brett Kern (Tennessee Titans)
Snub: None. Kern has the highest average in the league and, frankly, there’s no way you’re ever going to surpass the punter on a Mike Mularkey-coached team. He’ll just beat you with reps alone.
https://twitter.com/brettkern6/status/947093320731447296
Kicker
Chris Boswell (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Snub: I can’t really complain about this one because it’s all about when the votes were cast. Boswell and Stephen Gostkowski have the same percentage as of Saturday (95) and Gostkowski has hit just one more field goal total than Boswell (36-35). If Ben Roethlisberger had thrown that ball away at the end of the Pats vs Steelers game a couple of weeks ago, they’d probably be tied. If the Steelers do get their revenge in the AFC Championship, Gostkowski will likely get the Pro Bowl trip so it’s all going to work out.
Returner
Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs)
Snub: Please. His numbers don’t jump out at you, but like I said, it’s not always about stats. Hill is the scariest return man in the league. Travis Benjamin of the Chargers deserves an honorable mention here as does Danny Amendola, of all people, of the Patriots.
Tyreek Hill joins Tony Gonzalez, Derrick Alexander and Carlos Carson as the only Chiefs' receivers to tally 75+ catches, 1,100+ yards and 7+ touchdowns in a season, and he did it in 15 games.
— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) December 29, 2017
Special Teamer
Matthew Slater (New England Patriots)
Snub: I have no way to even verify this at all, either through watching games or looking at stats. I’ll have to take your word for it just like the fullback spot.
NFC
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Carson Wentz (Philadelphia Eagles), Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks), Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)
Snub: Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Goff is the No. 3 rated quarterback in the NFC (100.5), right behind Wentz and Brees and alsmost a full six points ahead of Wilson (94.7). Luckily for Goff (and unluckily for Wentz), this problem will take care of itself considering Goff’s draft-mate is out with a torn ACL. Goff will surely get the nod to replace Wentz if he doesn’t actually take his team to the Super Bowl. Considering Brees could end up in the big game himself, there could be two open spots come Jan. 28.
Drew Brees and Tom Brady are two of the NFL's all-time great pocket passers. Jared Goff has been slightly better than them in the pocket in 2017 👀 #LARams https://t.co/g894daAmZ8
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) December 29, 2017
Running Back
Todd Gurley (Los Angeles Rams), Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints), Mark Ingram (New Orleans Saints)
Snub: Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears
Kamara is a crazy exciting player and he does more than run the ball, but there are only three 1,000 yard rushers in the NFC this season and Howard (1,113), Gurley (1,305) and Ingram (1,089) are those guys. If the Bears had been good at all, Howard would be in the Pro Bowl. Again, like the QB situation, a Rams or Saints Super Bowl appearance fixes this one.
Wide Receiver
Julio Jones (Atlanta Falcons), Adam Thielen (Minnesota Vikings), Michael Thomas (New Orleans Saints), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals)
Snub: None here, but there are plenty of guys that deserve more recognition for outstanding seasons. Marvin Jones hit 1,020 yards for the Lions and caught eight touchdowns. Devante Adams caught 74 passes for 885 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s the only double-digit TD wide receiver in the NFC.
CB Darius Slay was the only Lions player picked for the Pro Bowl.
Alternates:
QB Matthew Stafford (2nd)
PR Jamal Agnew (1st)
OG TJ Lang (3rd)
WR Marvin Jones (4th)
FS Glover Quin (4th)— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) December 20, 2017
Tight End
Zach Ertz (Philadelphia Eagles), Jimmy Graham (Seattle Seahawks)
Snub: We’re good again. Graham has returned to the form that made him a Pro Bowler when he was with the Saints a few seasons ago. Ertz has been a major weapon in the Eagles’ offense, serving as their version of Travice Kelce.
Fullback
Kyle Juszczyk (San Francisco 49ers)
Snub: As I said in Part One, I don’t think fullback should be a designation for the Pro Bowl. If you must have one, Juszczyk is probably the best guy in the league.
Offensive Tackle
Tyron Smith (Dallas Cowboys), Trent Williams (Washington Redskins), Lane Johnson (Philadelphia Eagles)
Snubs: Too many to list and talk about individually. Of this group, only Johnson should be in the in the Pro Bowl based on PFF grades and actual health. Smith and Williams won’t play because of injuries, so two other guys will go in their place anyway, but neither guy should have been named to the Pro Bowl in the first place. Not over David Bakhtari (Green Bay Packers), Daryl Williams (Carolina Panthers) or Andrew Whitworth (Los Angeles Rams). All had higher grades than Smith and Williams and, with the exception of Bakhtari, were key members of playoff teams.
Rams' Jared Goff will be a first alternate, as will Andrew Whitworth. Trumaine Johnson is a second alternate.
— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) December 20, 2017
Offensive Guard
Zack Martin (Dallas Cowboys), Brandon Brooks (Philadelphia Eagles), Brandon Scherff (Washington Redskins)
Snub: Josh Sitton, OG, Chicago Bears
Sitton has a higher PFF grade than Scherf and allowed, as of Dec. 13, just 10 quarterback pressures in 335 snaps.
Center
Alex Mack (Atlanta Falcons), Travis Frederick (Dallas Cowboys)
Snub: Jason Kelce, Center, Philadelphia Eagles
This one is completely egregious. Kelce wasn’t only the top rated center this season, he was the top rated offensive lineman, period. PFF gave him a 92.4 as of Dec. 13, the highest grade in the league by 1.3 points (over Steelers guard David Decastro).
Did a big breakdown with @geoffschwartz on Jason Kelce last week. He was great again on that drive. Athleticism shows up most on pin/pulls and screens. https://t.co/OfkEnbRFM9 pic.twitter.com/hx93ia52u0
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) December 26, 2017
To be continued…
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