Wednesday the NFL announced its 2015 Pro Bowl roster and, just like every season, the list is populated with a lot of no-brainer choices and, thanks to fan voting, plenty of players who shouldn’t be there. The Pro Bowl will take place in Glendale, Ariz. the Sunday before Super Bowl XLIV, Jan. 25, at 8 P.M.
For the second consecutive season the Pro Bowl will be unconferenced, with team captains Michael Irvin and Cris Carter picking teams. So who got snubbed? Let’s take a look.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Who made it: Tom Brady, Patriots; Andrew Luck, Colts; Peyton Manning, Broncos; Aaron Rodgers, Packers; Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers; Tony Romo, Cowboys.
Got hosed: Nobody. This is a good list.
You could make a case for: Phillip Rivers, Chargers. Rivers has turned a great season into an outstanding season with his clutch play, especially in the fourth quarter of tight games. The only quarterback that’s outplayed him in December is Tony Romo who hasn’t thrown a pick since the leaves changed. Rivers is working with a 67.0 completion percentage, 3,995 yards, 31 TDs with 16 picks and a 95.8 QB rating.
Running back
Who made it: Le’Veon Bell, Steelers; Jamaal Charles, Chiefs; Arian Foster, Texans; Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks; LeSean McCoy, Eagles; DeMarco Murray, Cowboys.
Got hosed: Justin Forsett, Ravens. How is Jamaal Charles on this list? Charles hasn’t even cracked 1,000 yards yet and has only one more TD than Forsett, who wasn’t even supposed to the No. 2 running back on the Ravens’ roster when the season began. Forsett has 1,147 yards (Charles has 979), averages 76.5 yards per game (more than Charles’ 69.9), has 5.3 yards per carry (Charles – 5.1) and has eight touchdowns (Charles does have nine).
You could make a case for: Eddie Lacy, Packers. Lacy’s numbers are better than Charles’ too, 1.039 yards, 69.3 yards per game and nine TDs.
Wide Receiver
Who made it: Antonio Brown, Steelers; Dez Bryant, Cowboys; A.J. Green, Bengals; T.Y. Hilton, Colts; Calvin Johnson, Lions; Julio Jones, Falcons; Jordy Nelson, Packers; Demaryius Thomas, Broncos.
Got hosed: Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos. Sanders was good in Pittsburgh and he’s become great in Denver. To put his numbers this year (95 catches, 1,331 yards, nine TDs) in perspective, he’s playing alongside Demaryius Thomas, who absolutely deserves to be in the Pro Bowl. Calvin Johnson is great, but he missed four games this season and that should matter.
You could make a case for: Odell Beckham Jr., Giants. Our only rookie wideout that’s crossed 1,000 yards (Kelvin Benjamin and Mike Evans will join him this week and maybe Sammy Watkins, too) and the perpetrator of the “greatest catch in NFL history.” This will be the last Pro Bowl Beckham will miss in a while. OBJ’s rookie numbers: 79 catches, 1,120 yards, 11 TDs with a game left.
Tight End
Who made it: Jimmy Graham, Saints; Rob Gronkowski, Patriots; Greg Olsen, Panthers; Julius Thomas, Broncos.
Got hosed: Nobody, but just barely. A lot of guys outperformed Denver’s Julius Thomas in catches and yards, but those 12 TD catches loom pretty large.
You could make a case for: Martellus Bennett, Bears. Bennett is third among all tight ends in yardage (857). He has 82 catches, averages 10.5 yards per catch and scored six touchdowns.
Fullback
Who made it: John Kuhn, Packers; Marcel Reece, Raiders.
Got hosed: Nobody. These might be the only two fullbacks that consistently play in the league.
You could make a case for: Getting rid of this category completely. Or making it a combination of FB/Third-down back/H-back category.
Offensive Line
Who made it: Tackles -Ryan Clady, Broncos; Jason Peters, Eagles; Tyron Smith, Cowboys; Joe Staley, 49ers; Joe Thomas, Browns; Trent Williams, Redskins. Guards – Jahri Evans, Saints; Mike Iupati, 49ers; Kyle Long, Bears; Zack Martin, Cowboys; Josh Sitton, Packers; Marshal Yanda, Ravens. Centers – Travis Frederick, Cowboys; Jason Kelce, Eagles; Nick Mangold, Jets; Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers.
Got hosed: Nobody. We’re all good here.
You could make the case for: The entire Dallas Cowboys line. As a group they’ve outperformed everybody else this season. With three of the five (Frederick, Martin and Smith) making it, that should be obvious, but left guard Ronald Leary and right tackle Doug Free could have made the list too.
DEFENSE
Defensive End
Who made it: Calais Campbell, Cardinals; Robert Quinn, Rams; Cameron Wake, Dolphins; DeMarcus Ware, Broncos; J.J. Watt, Texans; Mario Williams, Bills.
Got hosed: Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants. Only J.J. Watt has as many tackles (72) and 10.5 sacks, the same number as the Rams’ Robert Quinn and half a sack more than DeMarcus Ware who made it. Ware and JPP’s tackle stats aren’t even comparable as Ware has registered just 37 (math assist- that’s 35 less than JPP).
You could make a case for: Everson Griffin, Vikings. 51 tackles. 12 sacks. One forced fumble. No Pro Bowl.
Defensive Tackle
Who made it: Marcell Dareus, Bills; Aaron Donald, Rams; Gerald McCoy, Buccaneers; Dontari Poe, Chiefs; Ndamukong Suh, Lions; Kyle Williams, Bills.
Got hosed: Sen’Derrick Marks, Jaguars. Marks has better numbers that Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh (who both made it and should have). Marks has 42 tackles and 8.5 sacks as a defensive tackle, only Marcell Dareus has more sacks and only Suh has more tackles.
You could make the case for: Jonathan Hankins, Giants. Hankins (49 tackles, 7 sacks) has better numbers than Dontari Poe and Kyle Williams both who made it.
Outside Linebacker
Who made it: Connor Barwin, Eagles; Elvis Dumervil, Ravens; Tamba Hali, Chiefs; Justin Houston, Chiefs; Clay Matthews, Packers; Von Miller, Broncos.
Got hosed: Ryan Kerrigan, Redskins. Kerrigan’s 13.5 sacks and 62 tackles are better than Von Miller (55 tackles, 13 sacks) and Clay Matthews (58 tackles, 10 sacks).
You could make a case for: Lavonte Davis, Buccaneers. Davis’ 141 tackles are second best in the league, only four behind Luke Kuechly. Davis has one sack and three forced fumbles. DeAndre Levy from the Lions has 140 tackles and 2.5 sacks, with a safety and a pick.
Middle/Inside Linebacker
Who made it: Luke Kuechly, Panthers; C.J. Mosley, Ravens; Lawrence Timmons, Steelers; Bobby Wagner, Seahawks.
Got hosed: Brandon Marshall, Broncos. Marshall has 113 tackles and two sacks, 10 passes defended, a pick and a forced fumble. Only Mosely and Keuckly have had better seasons.
You could make a case for: Paul Worrilow, Falcons. If you’re putting Timmons in for run support, Worrilow has been better this season with more tackles (136) and the same number of sacks (2).
Cornerback
Who made it: Vontae Davis, Colts; Brent Grimes, Dolphins; Joe Haden, Browns; Chris Harris, Broncos; Patrick Peterson, Cardinals; Darrelle Revis, Patriots; Richard Sherman, Seahawks; Aqib Talib, Broncos.
Got hosed: Perrish Cox, 49ers. Cox co-leads all cornerbacks with five interceptions this season and nobody has more passes defended (23) than Cox. He also recovered two fumbles.
You could make a case for: Johnathan Banks, Buccaneers. Banks’ 14 passes defended is better than Richard Sherman’s (12) and he has four picks. Banks also scored on a pick
Free Safety
Who made it: Tashaun Gipson, Browns; Glover Quin, Lions; Earl Thomas, Seahawks; Eric Weddle, Chargers.
Got hosed: Harrison Smith, Vikings. Smith has 89 tackles to go with his 14 passes defended, five picks, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown.
You could make a case for: Quinton Demps, Giants. Demps has 11 passes defended, four picks and 54 tackles. Earl Thomas has only six pass defenses and one pick and made it.
Strong Safety
Who made it: Kam Chancellor, Seahawks; T.J. Ward, Broncos.
Got hosed: Mike Adams, Colts. Five picks, 16 passes defended and 83 tackles. More than both T.J. Ward and Kam Chancellor.
You could make a case for: Morgan Burnett, Packers. Burnett’s 122 tackles are best among all defensive backs by 14. He has 1.5 sacks, four passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
Who made it: Kevin Huber, Bengals; Pat McAfee, Colts.
Got hosed: Jon Ryan, Seahawks. Ryan has a 44.3 yards per punt average, which is good, but what is outstanding is that he’s only had 17 punt returns this season. That’s barely over one punt return per game and he’s only had six touchbacks all season.
You could make a case for: Sam Koch, Ravens. Koch’s 47.4 yard per punt average came with just 21 returns and 21 shots inside the 20.
Kicker
Who made it: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots; Adam Vinatieri, Colts.
Got hosed: Nobody. There’s are your best kickers.
You could make a case for: Dan Carpenter, Bills. Unlike Vinatieri and Gostkowski, Carpenter is probably the Bills primary scoring threat on any given Sunday. His 89 FG percentage is only five percentage points below Gostkowski’s and his 33 field goals are best in the league.
Return Specialist
Who made it: Devin Hester, Falcons; Darren Sproles, Eagles.
Got hosed: Nobody. Hester should go to the Hall of Fame for this and Sproles may end up returning one in the Pro Bowl.
You could make a case for: Jacoby Jones, Ravens. Jones has a 108-yard return for a TD this season, nearly 1,000 yards and 32 kick and punt returns of more than 20 yards.
Special Teamer
Who made it: Justin Bethel, Cardinals; Matthew Slater, Patriots.
Got hosed: Nobody. This is another worthless category and should go the way of the fullback.
You could make a case for: Adding another wide receiver or running back to the roster.
