Last night right after the NFL Pro Bowl rosters were announced, we looked at the offensive side of the ball, who got in and, more specifically, who got robbed of the opportunity for an all-expenses paid trip to craptacular Orlando, Fla.
Without further ado, and you know how I feel about ado, let’s go on to the Pro Bowl defense and special teams.
AFC Defense Ends: Khalil Mack (Oakland Raiders), Cameron Wake (Miami Dolphins), Jadeveon Clowney (Houston Texans)
Who got screwed? Clowney may seem like a reach if you just look at his sack stats (5), but his 49 tackles is a monster number for a defensive end and his tackles for a loss (14) are tied for third in the league. You could make an argument for Joey Bosa (31 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and Carlos Dunlap (47 tackles, seven sacks), but Clowney is a solid pick.
These 6 teams did not have a player voted to the Pro Bowl. pic.twitter.com/yWAtvchonI
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 21, 2016
NFC Defensive Ends: Everson Griffin (Minnesota Vikings), Cliff Avril (Seattle Seahawks), Michael Bennett (Seahawks)
Who got screwed? Where do I even start? I’ve said it over and over again and yet here we stand once more. Michael Bennett is the most overrated defensive player in the league. By a mile. His production does not even come close to matching his reputation and Seattle knows it. It’s why they’re not going to ever pay him what he wants. Michael Bennett has three sacks this season. Three. I never even suited up and he just beat me by three. How many tackles? 29. Tackles for a loss? Nine. Yep. Single digits and tied for No. 36 in the league with Ethan Westbrooks of the Los Angeles Rams who doesn’t even start. I could list names for a while, but the easiest argument could be made for Danielle Hunter (45 tackles, 10 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss) and Olivier Vernon (59 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a league-leading 16 tackles for a loss).
#ClowneyComin to the #ProBowl! 🌴
Congratulations 9️⃣0️⃣! 🏈#WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/O2MeoGOjaC— TORO 🐃 (@TexansTORO1) December 21, 2016
AFC Defensive Tackles: Geno Atkins (Cincinnati Bengals), Ndamukong Suh (Miami Dolphins), Jurrell Casey (Tennessee Titans)
Who got screwed? Jurrell Casey has had a fantastic season and a nice secret career for the Titans, but Kyle Williams has been a beast in Buffalo this season. He has 59 tackles, five sacks and 10 tackles for a loss. Timmy Jernigan has 30 tackles, five sacks and nine tackles for a loss. Casey, with five tackles for a loss and three sacks, just isn’t nearly as disruptive as those two men.
NFC Defensive Tackles: Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams), Gerald McCoy (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Fletcher Cox (Philadelphia Eagles)
Who got screwed? There’s no real argument here. These three guys are not only the best defensive tackles in the NFC, they’re probably the three best in the NFL. Donald might be the best defensive lineman, period.
That #AFC #ProBowl defense could be STACKED! pic.twitter.com/afaXMnOU9c
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 21, 2016
AFC Outside Linebackers: Von Miller (Denver Broncos), Lorenzo Alexander (Buffalo Bills), Brian Orakpo (Titans)
Who got screwed? You are golden here with these three. Miller is currently No. 2 in the league with 13.5 sacks, Alexander is tied at No. 3 with 11.5 and Orakpo is tied at No. 5 with 11. They’re all complete players, not just elite pass rushers. Alexander has 67 tackles, Miller 65 and Orakpo 41.
NFC Outside Linebackers: Vic Beasley (Atlanta Falcons), Ryan Kerrigan (Washington Redskins), Thomas Davis (Carolina Panthers)
Who got screwed? Davis has been an elite player this season so it’s hard to knock him off the list. The case can be made for the Rams’ Mark Barron who has more tackles (109) than Davis (92), but 1.5 fewer sacks. Beasley and Kerrigan are easy picks. Beasley leads the NFL with 14.5 sacks and Kerrigan is tied for fifth with 11.
Congrats to @cliffavril and @RyanKerrigan91! #DenOfDefensiveEnds #ProBowl https://t.co/uSoq9gdkPm pic.twitter.com/OIm92tsRWU
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) December 21, 2016
AFC Inside Linebackers: Dont’a Hightower (New England Patriots), C.J. Mosley (Baltimore Ravens)
Who got screwed? Pretty much every inside linebacker in the AFC got royally screwed. Hightower is tied for No. 97 in tackles in the NFL. Mosley is a little better, tied at No. 65. Zach Brown of the Bills (130 tackles, four sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles) was completely plowed here. Brown’s snub is the most egregious of this entire Pro Bowl season. But he’s not alone. Cleveland’s Christian Kirksey has 126 tackles. 1.5 sacks. Mosley’s teammate Zachary Orr has 124 tackles and two picks. Bernardrick McKinney, Paul Posluszny, Preston Brown… the list goes on.
NFC Inside Linebackers: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), Luke Kuechly (Panthers)
Who got screwed? Wagner and Kuechly are the two best inside linebackers in football, so there’s not a real argument to overturn this. Wagner leads the entire NFL with 145 tackles and has 2.5 sacks and one pick to add to it. Kuechly hasn’t played in three weeks and is still tied for No. 17 in the NFL in tackles with 102. There’s an argument for Dallas’ Sean Lee (140 tackles) and the Bucs’ Kwon Alexander (125 tackles, three sacks, one pick) and the Rams’ Alec Ogletree (124 tackles, two picks) and more than likely one of those guys will get Kuechly’s spot. He won’t play in the Pro Bowl. Not with his late season concussion still costing him games that count.
Just saw these pro bowl rosters… lol absolutely the stupidest list I've ever seen if it doesn't include Sean Lee. Pointless. #ProBowl
— Andrew Gachkar (@theGACH) December 21, 2016
Next: The defensive backs and special teams
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