|
Thanks to the combination of 51 million fan votes counting along with those of NFL coaches and players, the Pro Bowl selections keep improving each season.
Because of the balancing act of the three factions, the NFL gets some of its better up-and-coming players into the postseason showcase sooner than in the past. Fewer players make it on reputation these days. The selections of Ravens second-year tight end Todd Heap, Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter and 49ers linebacker Julian Peterson are examples of great, worthy first-time selections.
But no selection process is perfect. Heading the list of grievances this year are the Tennessee Titans. Sure, they got off to a 1-4 start, but they are a former Super Bowl team making another run. Not one Titan made it. Imagine the anger if they end up with the top seed in the AFC playoffs without a single Pro Bowler. Steve McNair's gutsy run of eight wins in the past nine games netted him only an alternate slot at quarterback. And although defensive end Kevin Carter fought through double-team blocking to quietly have the season the Titans expected when they traded for him two years ago, he also isn't headed to Honolulu the week after the Super Bowl.
Here are some of the top players who have a right of feeling slighted about being left off the this year's two 43-man squads.
AFC:
| |  | |
| Brady |
QB Tom Brady, New England: Brady proved he was no one-year wonder by improving upon his Pro Bowl season from a year ago. His quarterback rating increased from 86.1 to 89.2. He has thrown the most touchdowns in the AFC with 26. He is the offense for the Patriots, who ignore the running game because they have him. How does he get left off?
DE Kevin Carter, Tennessee: It has been a tough year for defensive ends because of the increased popularity of the three-step drop and shorter passing game. Carter might have had a double-digit sack season had Jevon Kearse been healthy on the other side. Teams loaded up their blocking schemes to neutralize him, but he still ended up with 7½ sacks and a quality season.
MLB Donnie Edwards, San Diego: Let's see ... he tied for the league lead with six interceptions. He stays on the field for every defensive play. After being used a man-to-man coverage guy against tight ends in Kansas City a year ago, Edwards returned to his favorite "Cover 2" scheme and had his best season as a pro. A Pro Bowl should have been attached to the ending of the season.
QB Steve McNair, Tennessee: McNair is paying the price for the 1-4 start, but it's clear he has been the offensive leader during the team's run of eight wins in nine weeks. Shouldn't he have received the same applause as Tom Brady did a year ago? Don't discount the Titans' chances of going to the Super Bowl. They've been there with McNair, and they have a chance to go with him this year, too.
KR Chad Morton, New York Jets: Talk about a last-minute loss. Morton, the AFC's best kick-returner, lost out to Dante Hall because Hall got hot at the end. Still, Morton's numbers can't be discounted. He has averaged 26.1 yards on kickoffs and has scored two touchdowns. Every time he touches the ball, defenses coaches on the other side of the field cringe.
DT John Parrella, Oakland: Something must have been going right on the Raiders' defensive line or they wouldn't be in position for the AFC West title. Parrella worked well with Sam Adams in stopping the run, and Rod Coleman came off the bench to lead all defensive tackles with 10 sacks. Something's missing if the Raiders go 0-for-3 at defensive tackle.
P Chad Stanley, Houston: It was remarkable and deserving that the Texans got two defensive Pro Bowlers on the team. But Stanley contributed to the defense's effectiveness. He has been a kicking machine this season with 103 punts, 28 more than anyone in the conference. He has the second-best net in the AFC at 36.7 yards per punt. He has placed 33 inside the 20-yard line and had only four punts go for touchbacks. He has given his defense the field position needed to keep the Texans in games.
NFC:
SS Adam Archuleta, St. Louis: Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith moved him closer to the line of scrimmage in a 4-1-6 defense and the team started a five-game winning streak. Archuleta is to the Rams what John Lynch is to the Bucs.
FB Fred Beasley, San Francisco: Beasley is the best short-yardage back in the conference. He's a factor in the short-passing game, too. Clearly, he's one of the best blocking fullbacks -- if not the best -- in the league. He lost out because Mike Alstott gets the benefit of being voted in at the fullback position instead of halfback.
| |  | |
| Brooks |
QB Aaron Brooks, New Orleans: Brooks leads the highest-scoring offense in the NFC at 29.5 points a game. He has thrown 26 touchdown passes, which ties him at No. 1 in the league. Sure, Jeff Garcia has established himself as one of the NFC's best quarterbacks, but he has six less touchdown passes and his offense is averaging a touchdown less a game. The likelihood is that Brooks and Garcia will meet in the first week of the playoffs.
OLT Derrick Deese, San Francisco: Dating back to last season, Deese hasn't allowed a sack in 19 games. He worked with a sprinting coach during the offseason to improve his footwork. That allowed him to attack defensive ends by moving toward them instead of waiting for the ends to make their moves.
QB Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia: Should a six-game injury cost a leading candidate for Most Valuable Player a chance at the Pro Bowl? It shouldn't. The problem for McNabb is that there were more good NFC quarterbacks than open slots. In 10 game, McNabb threw 17 touchdown passes and had only six interceptions. He was the Eagles' offense.
DE Julius Peppers, Carolina: His four-game suspension for ephedrine cost him a deserving chance at the Pro Bowl. He had 12 sacks in 12 games and immediately established himself as one of the best young defensive linemen in football. He was also a force against the run.
OLT Kyle Turley, New Orleans: Turley is one of the league's best young blockers, and he didn't hurt the offense by moving from right to left tackle. Turley establishes a presence, a nastiness along the line. It's rare to see a team not get an offensive lineman in the Pro Bowl when blocking helped produce the conference's top rusher, Deuce McAllister.
DT Darwin Walker, Philadelphia: Corey Simon has the name recognition because he was a former first-round draft choice, but Walker may have been the most valuable defensive lineman on a potential Super Bowl team. He has played end and tackle, and he has produced sacks from the defensive tackle position. The Eagles gave him a new contract and a $4 million signing bonus because they thought he was among the best tackles in the conference. Why didn't anyone else notice?
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
| |
|
