Pro Bowl selections announced

[Scott M]

Congrats to Vikings Jared Allen, Jerome Felton, Adrian Peterson, and Blair Walsh. Sullivan got snubbed, Greenway and Winfield had great years but not sure how they could get spots ahead of some of the other NFC LBs and DBs so they are probably rightfully out.

Other NFC North players:

Chicago Bears

CB Tim Jennings

WR Brandon Marshall

ILB Henry Melton

DE Julius Peppers

CB Charles Tillman

Detroit Lions

WR Calvin Johnson

Green Bay Packers

OLB Clay Matthews

QB Aaron Rodgers

C Jeff Saturday

[CJH]

I'm a Packer fan, and Saturday didn't deserve it at center. He's been benched for a reason. Not sure he could push my grandma out of the way right now.

[Scott K]

I think the one who got snubbed was Harrison Smith, he actually deserves to get in.

[nofishfisherman]

The Saturday selection for GB was a joke, he's not even the best center on his team. The guy gets benched and then gets sent to the probowl? That kind of shows what a sham the entire thing is.

Allen didn't deserve his selection either. He's had a pretty average year at best and made it on name recognition alone.

Harrison Smith really had no chance to make it since fan voting plays a part. He just doesn't have enough exposure as a rookie on a middle of the road team thats not in one of the major markets.

I thought Sullivan and Kalil both had a shot at making it. Its strange that you likely have a 2000 yard rusher and none of the oline that help make it happen were selected.

[Jarrid Houston]

Greenway has more tackles than any other Dfense player in the league... He defin got snubbed. Congrats though to the purple squad for exceeding all expectations this year. SKOL

[Big Dave2]

Congrats though to the purple squad for exceeding all expectations this year. SKOL

As long as you keep your expectations low enough, that will happen every year!

[mrklean]

Is this the last year they actually play a pro bowl or do they have a couple more?

[Bryce]

Greenway has more tackles than any other Dfense player in the league..

Because he jumps on every pile in site. Not because he is a good tackler. Goat roper should fit right in at the Pro Bowl where it is expected not to put out much effort.

[PierBridge]

You don't get credit for a tackle by jumping on the pile.... yours truly..Captain Obvious~

Gophers 2 - Sioux 0 'inside joke'

[snoozebutton]

The Saturday selection for GB was a joke, he's not even the best center on his team. The guy gets benched and then gets sent to the probowl? That kind of shows what a sham the entire thing is.

That and the fact that the Chiefs have 5 players going. But on a good note, those 5 Bears players that are going are going to demand bigger contracts since they made the Pro Bowl. Let them over pay and send them into cap heII.

[hugonian1]

The Viking have more pro bowlers than the packers?

Who woulda thunk?

[Bryce]

You don't get credit for a tackle by jumping on the pile.... yours truly..Captain Obvious~

Gophers 2 - Sioux 0 'inside joke'

I obviously need guidance in reading the assist stat. Pierre as my mentor?

[nofishfisherman]

Greenway is also 7th in the NFL in solo tackles. Meaning in 95 out of his 145 tackles there is no pile to jump on.

[countyline]

The Viking have more pro bowlers than the packers?

Who woulda thunk?

That's why they need to remove the fan vote or weight it some how!!! Jeff Saturday is a prime example.

[MUSKY18]

I wish that Kalil would have gotten the nod. Pretty hard for a rookie LT to make it, but you can't deny that he has been pretty darn good a tthe position this year. Think he only has 1 holding call against him this year and I don't believe he has given up more than a handful of sacks? Probably one of the best draft picks the Vikings have made in a good many years.

[SkunkedAgain]

The Viking have more pro bowlers than the packers?

Who woulda thunk?

Megatron and Brandon Marshall are obviously great players, but they also get a big boost from being the only legitimate WR threats on their teams. GB has four legitmate WR threats of Pro Bowl caliber, 5 if you count Finley. Those guys don't get the Pro Bowl stats because of it. A lot of Green Bay's typical Pro Bowl talents were also injured this season, so that lowers the number of PBers. Woodson, Jennings, and Nelson are usually in consideration.

I won't downplay the Pro Bowl, because it is important recognition but the selection process is certainly imperfect.

I also agree that less Pro Bowlers on your team means lower salary costs in the future - and less PB bonuses paid

[PurpleFloyd]

GB has some really talented WR's but they are not the kind that can be the number 1 guy and dominate like Johnson or Marshall can. Put Marshall or Johnson on the Packers roster and their offense gets even better. Take and Packer WR and put them on a roster in place of Johnson or Marshall and that team gets weaker.

[SkunkedAgain]

Agreed. That was my thinking even if it didn't come out in the post. Often times you have great WRs that never have good receivers around them - Marshall, Megatron, Steve Smith, Andre Johnson, etc. Perennial playoff teams tend to have more balance because they lack the great WR but have good ones. Green Bay, New England, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, etc

[Antero]

I wish that Kalil would have gotten the nod. Pretty hard for a rookie LT to make it, but you can't deny that he has been pretty darn good a tthe position this year. Think he only has 1 holding call against him this year and I don't believe he has given up more than a handful of sacks? Probably one of the best draft picks the Vikings have made in a good many years.

You must be forgetting T Jack and Eramus James and who could forget Troy Williamson. Those were the draft choices I'll remember.

[TR21HP]

The Vikings are no different than any other team when it comes to draft busts.The draft is not an exact science and I think the Vikes had one of their best drafts in years last year. Why put a negative spin Antero or is it Limitout? No one was forgetting anybody and I believe Musky18 has a good point in that Kalil had an excellent season especially for a rookie. Troll somewhere else.

[PurpleFloyd]

I wish that Kalil would have gotten the nod. Pretty hard for a rookie LT to make it, but you can't deny that he has been pretty darn good a the position this year. Think he only has 1 holding call against him this year and I don't believe he has given up more than a handful of sacks? Probably one of the best draft picks the Vikings have made in a good many years.

The problem with that is no matter how good he is, he is still only a LT. He doesn't score points and he doesn't move chains. At best he can neutralize one defender on a play and even if he does it with bells on it is never the impact a skill player has.

[TR21HP]

PurpleFloyd, I don't quite get your comment. Musky18 is saying he wished that Kalil would have gotten All Pro. The Left tackle is probably one of the most important players on offense and yes he does move the chains. The entire offensive line has had a great year so far as evidenced by Peterson's stats. The left tackle has a huge impact on offense.

[zepman]

PurpleFloyd, I don't quite get your comment. Musky18 is saying he wished that Kalil would have gotten All Pro. The Left tackle is probably one of the most important players on offense and yes he does move the chains. The entire offensive line has had a great year so far as evidenced by Peterson's stats. The left tackle has a huge impact on offense.

+1

[LMITOUT]

Because he jumps on every pile in site.

He learned from the best...Jarhead Allen.

[PurpleFloyd]

PurpleFloyd, I don't quite get your comment. Musky18 is saying he wished that Kalil would have gotten All Pro. The Left tackle is probably one of the most important players on offense and yes he does move the chains. The entire offensive line has had a great year so far as evidenced by Peterson's stats. The left tackle has a huge impact on offense.

I disagree. The LT is not close to the most important position on offense. Kalil is a great talent and will serve us well but two counterpoints for you.

1) Adrian had more big runs off the right side by a good margin than he did off the left. The whole line is blocking better and if you want to tal production on the line, watch his big runs and you will see the RG has been absolutely crucial in his biggest runs to the right and the interior line has been absolutely stellar in making holes for him to run through. Loadholt has been every bit as responsible for the run game as kalil.

Second- looking at the best offensive teams, you don't see them revolving around a LT. You see a QB, you see WR's and RB;s. You don't see the most explosive teams having LT's that were drafted at the top. Those guys get drafted by teams like Cleveland, miami etc and they don't produce great offenses on their own.The OL is all about teamwork and chemistry and not individual play. Not knocking him at all,he is a fine young player. just don't see him as having an all pro type impact yet at this point.