Pro Bowl 2019 substitutions
Every year the Pro Bowl rosters are revealed at this time and every year I have a problem with the voting process.
While NFL defenses get more hybrid players every year that don’t have a clearly defined position, the league hasn’t adopted the categories people can vote for.
That leads to stand-up 4-3 linebackers like Anthony Barr being compared to 3-4 outside linebackers, who primarily get upfield, like Jadeveon Clowney, five-technique defensive ends in a 3-4 being compared to true edge rushers in fronts with four down-linemen and other stuff. My solution would be differentiating between interior D-linemen, edge rushers, stand-up linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.
This would make things easier in terms of comparing job descriptions and not tag players for one specific alignment and responsibility.
Offensively I don’t understand why there are only three running back and four wide receiver slots and we also need more depth on the D-line, but let’s work on one issue at a time.
Since these are the parameters to work within, I tried to make appropriate exchanges of one player at that position with another and then I listed a few other players I think who deserve a trip to Orlando.
So instead of just listing snubs, I actually tried to provide a solution. I don’t blame the fans too much for some of these mistakes because they are obviously biased for their team, but players and coaches contribute to this with a third of the votes each as well. So I would expect a more objective outcome.
QB Russell Wilson instead of Jared Goff (NFC)
I understand that a lot of people simply look at the touchdowns compared to interceptions, the team’s record or the names that they see at the Pro Bowl every year, but I don’t see how you can not have Russell Wilson take one of the three spots in the NFC.
Wilson started the year a little slow, turning the ball over four times over first two weeks, behind a really poor offensive line, but since then the Seahawks have started gashing people in the running game and now have the league’s top rushing attack.
That opens up play-action opportunities for Wilson and he has delivered on plenty of them. Since week three the seventh-year man has completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 25 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions.
I understand that Seattle is the only team that runs the ball more than they throw it, but Wilson has come through for them in the clutch so many times.
I remember him outplaying Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton in consecutive weeks in games that felt like they would go the opposite way and I remember how he went blow for blow with the Rams twice as underdogs of a touchdown or more, but what I remember most are huge winning plays late in tight games on a team that wasn’t expected to be the in the playoff conversation at all.
If you want to put Drew Brees ahead of him in the total votes – okay. But after that you have to look at the Hawks’ signal-caller.
I’m guessing the explanation is that the voting process ended about a week ago and Jared Goff’s numbers had looked very good through the first 12 weeks, but when you watch him these last three games there is no way he should make it ahead of Wilson and even if he had stayed on pace, I would have given the nod to Russ.