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By Pete Prisco
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Let's quit calling them the Pro Bowl teams, and instead call them what they are: The Popularity Teams.
Should John Lynch go the Hawaii ahead of Kerry Rhodes? Ah, no. (AP)
After scanning the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters, it's quite evident, once again, that something has to be done to fix the way these teams are selected. Too many deserving players are being left off.
If a player has been selected to the game in the past, there will be a lot of sentiment for him to go back. Reputation means more than production.
The tale of two Johns best exemplifies what I mean. The first John is Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle John Henderson, the second is Denver Broncos safety John Lynch.
Henderson is the best defensive tackle in the league, period. He is a force against the run and improved as a pass rusher. Yet he isn't on the AFC team, despite being second in the fan voting. That means the players and the coaches flat out blew it.
Anybody who watches tape should know what Henderson means to the second-ranked run defense in the NFL.
Then there's Lynch. He has no business being on the AFC team, especially ahead of Kerry Rhodes of the New York Jets. Ask scouts or personnel directors who they would take and most would take Rhodes.
Rhodes has 71 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions; Lynch has 48 tackles, no sacks and no interceptions. Yet Rhodes isn't even on the team. Why? Lynch is popular -- this will be his eighth Pro Bowl -- and Rhodes isn't as he waits for his first.
So once again we've been reminded that the Pro Bowl teams are a big, giant joke. The Pro Bowl rosters really aren't the best players in the NFL, and that's a shame.
Here are 10 more Pro Bowl caliber players who instead got stiffed by the Popularity Teams:
Tom Brady, QB, Patriots: This one makes no sense, especially since he's one of the popular guys. Philip Rivers has had a nice season, but Brady should go ahead of him. He has more yards and more touchdown passes. His passer rating is lower, but Brady doesn't have L.T. behind him or Antonio Gates in front of him.
Al Harris, CB, Packers: He has played a lot of man coverage, matched against the other team's best receivers. He and Charles Woodson form a heck of a corner duo. He should be going ahead of Ronde Barber and DeAngelo Hall.
Sean Taylor, FS, Redskins: Cowboys safety Roy Williams has no business on this team, even though he's a strong safety and Taylor a free safety. Williams can't cover at all. Taylor is not only a big hitter, but he has range. There should be one strong safety (Adrian Wilson) and two free safeties (Taylor and Brian Dawkins).
Terence Newman, CB, Cowboys: This is the one Cowboys secondary player who should be in the game. I told Newman last Saturday after the Cowboys-Falcons game that he was on my Pro Bowl team. "You got it right then," Newman said. Too bad the fans, the coaches and the players didn't.
Fred Robbins, DT, Giants: He has been a force in the middle of the Giants line. There's no way Carolina's Kris Jenkins should be in before Robbins. Even Pat Williams of the Vikings should be in before Jenkins.
Chris Snee, G, Giants: This guy is a mauler who should be in Hawaii. His spot is taken by San Francisco's Larry Allen. Wonder if reputation had anything to do with that one?
Marcus McNeil, T, Chargers: He has been as good as any left tackle in the league. Just because he's a rookie doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the Pro Bowl.
Keith Bulluck, LB, Titans: He's fourth in the league in tackles, has seven passes defensed and two sacks. His spot went to Terrell Suggs of the Ravens. Bulluck is having the better season.
Ray Lewis, LB, Ravens: Yes, he got robbed. Lewis is still one of the best linebackers and the Ravens have the best defense in the league. There's no way Zach Thomas should be in ahead of Lewis.
Chris Naeole, G, Jaguars: Brian Waters of the Chiefs deserves to be in the game, but Will Shields and Alan Faneca are going on reputation. Naeole had a better year than both of them and the Jaguars are the top rushing team in the AFC. That has to mean something.
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Let's quit calling them the Pro Bowl teams, and instead call them what they are: The Popularity Teams.
Should John Lynch go the Hawaii ahead of Kerry Rhodes? Ah, no. (AP)
After scanning the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters, it's quite evident, once again, that something has to be done to fix the way these teams are selected. Too many deserving players are being left off.
If a player has been selected to the game in the past, there will be a lot of sentiment for him to go back. Reputation means more than production.
The tale of two Johns best exemplifies what I mean. The first John is Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle John Henderson, the second is Denver Broncos safety John Lynch.
Henderson is the best defensive tackle in the league, period. He is a force against the run and improved as a pass rusher. Yet he isn't on the AFC team, despite being second in the fan voting. That means the players and the coaches flat out blew it.
Anybody who watches tape should know what Henderson means to the second-ranked run defense in the NFL.
Then there's Lynch. He has no business being on the AFC team, especially ahead of Kerry Rhodes of the New York Jets. Ask scouts or personnel directors who they would take and most would take Rhodes.
Rhodes has 71 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions; Lynch has 48 tackles, no sacks and no interceptions. Yet Rhodes isn't even on the team. Why? Lynch is popular -- this will be his eighth Pro Bowl -- and Rhodes isn't as he waits for his first.
So once again we've been reminded that the Pro Bowl teams are a big, giant joke. The Pro Bowl rosters really aren't the best players in the NFL, and that's a shame.
Here are 10 more Pro Bowl caliber players who instead got stiffed by the Popularity Teams:
Tom Brady, QB, Patriots: This one makes no sense, especially since he's one of the popular guys. Philip Rivers has had a nice season, but Brady should go ahead of him. He has more yards and more touchdown passes. His passer rating is lower, but Brady doesn't have L.T. behind him or Antonio Gates in front of him.
Al Harris, CB, Packers: He has played a lot of man coverage, matched against the other team's best receivers. He and Charles Woodson form a heck of a corner duo. He should be going ahead of Ronde Barber and DeAngelo Hall.
Sean Taylor, FS, Redskins: Cowboys safety Roy Williams has no business on this team, even though he's a strong safety and Taylor a free safety. Williams can't cover at all. Taylor is not only a big hitter, but he has range. There should be one strong safety (Adrian Wilson) and two free safeties (Taylor and Brian Dawkins).
Terence Newman, CB, Cowboys: This is the one Cowboys secondary player who should be in the game. I told Newman last Saturday after the Cowboys-Falcons game that he was on my Pro Bowl team. "You got it right then," Newman said. Too bad the fans, the coaches and the players didn't.
Fred Robbins, DT, Giants: He has been a force in the middle of the Giants line. There's no way Carolina's Kris Jenkins should be in before Robbins. Even Pat Williams of the Vikings should be in before Jenkins.
Chris Snee, G, Giants: This guy is a mauler who should be in Hawaii. His spot is taken by San Francisco's Larry Allen. Wonder if reputation had anything to do with that one?
Marcus McNeil, T, Chargers: He has been as good as any left tackle in the league. Just because he's a rookie doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the Pro Bowl.
Keith Bulluck, LB, Titans: He's fourth in the league in tackles, has seven passes defensed and two sacks. His spot went to Terrell Suggs of the Ravens. Bulluck is having the better season.
Ray Lewis, LB, Ravens: Yes, he got robbed. Lewis is still one of the best linebackers and the Ravens have the best defense in the league. There's no way Zach Thomas should be in ahead of Lewis.
Chris Naeole, G, Jaguars: Brian Waters of the Chiefs deserves to be in the game, but Will Shields and Alan Faneca are going on reputation. Naeole had a better year than both of them and the Jaguars are the top rushing team in the AFC. That has to mean something.
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