PRO bowl

It's probably a good thing that the NFL came up with the name Pro Bowl for their end of the year exhibition game, because to call this year's version an All-Star game would be darn near fraudulent. Here are a list of players who could consider themselves Pro Bowlers this season:

Phillip Rivers, Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Jake Long, Brian Cushing, Jairus Bird, Nate Kaeding, Brett Favre, Steven Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Sidney Rice, Andre Gurode, Kevin Williams, Lance Briggs, Charles Woodson, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Ben Roethlisberger**, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Jeff Saturday, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Antoine Bethea, Drew Brees, Jonathan Stinchcomb, Jahri Evans, Jonathan Goodwin, Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Matt Schaub, Vince Young, David Garrard, Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Le’Ron McClain, Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Chad Ochocinco, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, Heath Miller, Ryan Clady, Joe Thomas, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Logan Mankins, Alan Faneca, Chris Dielman, Nick Mangold, Kevin Mawae, Aaron Rodgers, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, Adrian Peterson, Deangelo Williams, Frank Gore, Leonard Weaver, DeSean Jackson, Miles Austin, Steve Smith, Roddy White, Vernon Davis, Jason Witten, Jason Peters, Bryant McKinnie, David Diehl, Steve Hutchinson, Leonard Davis, Chris Snee, Shaun O’Hara, Ryan Kalil, Mario Williams, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Sean Ellis*, Haloti Ngata, Vince Wilfork, Casey Hampton, Elvis Dumervil, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Ray Lewis, DeMeco Ryans, Darelle Revis, Champ Bailey, Nnamdi Asomugha, Ed Reed, Brandon Meriweather, Brian Dawkins, Yeremiah Bell, Shane Lechler, Dan Carpenter, Kassim Osgood, John Condo, Jared Allen, Julius Peppers, Trent Cole, Darnell Dockett, Justin Smith, Jay Ratliff, DeMarcus Ware, Brian Orakpo, Clay Matthews, Patrick Willis, London Fletcher, Asante Samuel, Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins, Nick Collins, Antrel Rolle*, Adrian Wilson, Quintin Mikell, Andy Lee, David Akers, Johnny Knox, Heath Farwell, John Dorenbos

*-Sean Ellis and Antrel Rolle both sustained injuries in the playoffs, so I'm interested to see their names still on the rosters. I believe it is the first appearance for both, so perhaps it still means something to them. But I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised to see LaRon Landry or Richard Seymour at the game on Sunday in one of their places.

**- I know that Ben Roethlisberger was asked to be a replacement as a quarterback and declined due to injury. Technically I don't believe he can call himself a Pro-Bowler but they wanted him. I note this more, because I don't know how many other players might have been asked and declined, making this even more outrageous. (Kurt Warner is one possibility)

Thoughts:

1. There are 118 people that I listed that are considered Pro Bowlers (119 with Ben). Only 88 of these are playing in the game.

2. David Garrard is a Pro Bowler. He threw 15 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

3. Garrard is among three AFC qbs that were not on the original roster. Matt Schaub, Vince Young and Garrard are the 5th, 6th and 7th best QBs in the AFC according to Pro Bowl voters. There are only 16 teams in the AFC, 3 of which are the Raiders, Bills and Browns.

4. Imagine what AFC practice was like in 7 on 7 drills with that array of QBs trying to beat Darelle Revis, Nnamdi Asomugah and Champ Bailey.

5. The Pro Bowl goes back to Hawaii next season. I expect it to stay there.


APT