We wrap up our look at the upcoming NFL Pro Bowl with the defensive backs and special teams players making the team. To see who made it and got snubbed on offense, click here. On the front seven, click here.
AFC Cornerbacks: Marcus Peters (Kansas City Chiefs), Aqib Talib (Denver Broncos), Casey Hayward (San Diego Chargers), Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
Who got screwed? Of all the positions, maybe cornerbacks are the hardest to judge by stats alone. The best corner in the league could barely register anything simply because opposing quarterbacks are afraid to test him. So pass defenses, picks and tackles are only part of the equation when measuring a corner’s production. So how did the AFC do? Pretty good, frankly. Hayward is the kind of guy that sometimes gets ignored when the Pro Bowl comes around. He’s one of the five best corners in the league this season, but he’s playing on a losing team for a loser coach. Who could have made it that didn’t? Malcolm Butler from the New England Patriots has a case. David Amerson in Oakland does too.
Congrats to Marcus Peters, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Eric Berry on making the Pro-Bowl. Hopefully they won't be able to attend 😜
— Chiefs Kingdom (@KingdomChiefs) December 21, 2016
NFC Cornerbacks: Janoris Jenkins (New York Giants), Patrick Peterson (Arizona Cardinals), Richard Sherman (Seattle Seahawks), Xavier Rhodes (Minnesota Vikings)
Who got screwed? Brent Grimes at Tampa Bay got royally hosed. Sherman has been eaten up by plenty of receivers this season. If he was an NBA player, he would be the guy getting dunked on in the poster on your childhood bedroom wall. Hell, last Thursday Kenny Britt got open on him all night. Sherman is an elite corner, but he sure as hell wasn’t better than Grimes this year. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of the Giants has a case to be made over Sherman this year too.
AFC Safeties: Devin McCourty (Patriots), Reggie Nelson (Oakland Raiders), Eric Berry (Kansas City Chiefs)
Who got screwed? Stats tell a lot more of the story when it comes to safeties. Not only do they have to defend wideouts one-on-one, they have to do the same against tight ends and running backs. They must deliver run support and assist the corners in zone coverage. So who should be on that list? Eric Weddle of the Ravens over Nelson is an easy call. They both have four picks, but Weddle has 81 tackles. Nelson just has 60. Weddle also has one more pass defense, 11, than Nelson at 10. Johnathan Cyprien (115 tackles, two pass defenses) in Jacksonville can make an argument too.
Wait… how did Eric weddle not make the pro bowl 🤔🤔🤔🤔
— Michael Campanaro (@MikeCamp_12) December 21, 2016
NFC Safeties: Harrison Smith (Vikings), Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix (Green Bay Packers), Landon Collins (Giants)
Who got screwed? Rookie Keanu Neal probably deserves to be in the Pro Bowl over Smith. Smith is an elite player, but Neal has outperformed him this season on the stat sheet. He has 98 tackles and six passes defended. Smith has 84 tackles, two sacks and two passes defended.
Punters: Pat McAfee (Indianapolis Colts), Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams)
Who got screwed? Nobody. These are the two best punters in the league and probably the two funniest guys in the league. Hekker has been one of the few statistical bright spots for the Rams in the Jeff Fisher era.
Punters are weapons, too. #ProBowlVote
RT this to send Johnny Hekker to his third Pro Bowl @JHekker pic.twitter.com/zTaz5TuhkX
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 1, 2016
Kickers: Justin Tucker (Baltimore Ravens), Matt Bryant (Atlanta Falcons)
Who got screwed? Again, nobody. These guys are two of the best in the league this year and Tucker may be the best kicker in the NFL, period.
Returners: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings)
Who got screwed? The very idea that anyone other than these two men would be picked for this spot is ridiculous. These were as easy a Pro Bowl selection as you’ll get.
Special teams specialists: Matthew Slater (Patriots), Dwayne Harris (Giants)
Who got screwed? Who cares? This is the NFL’s version of a participation trophy.
The Pro Bowl will be held in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 29 at 8 pm.
The Thursday before the NFL will put on it’s skills competition show consisting of a relay challenge, a precision passing even and what should be the most epic dodgeball match in human history.
To make a wager on this week’s NFL games, go to the world famous Diamond Sportsbook by clicking here.
