ESPN MacMahon: Prediction of Pro Bowl Cowboys

[WoodysGirl]

Dec 29
10:29
AM CT

By Tim MacMahon

A prediction of the Dallas Cowboys who will be announced as Pro Bowlers this evening:

WR Miles Austin: He leads the conference in receiving yards (1,230) and ranks second in touchdowns (11). A guy who didn’t start the first four games of the season should be a lock.

TE Jason Witten: He’s made five consecutive Pro Bowls and leads NFC tight ends with 88 catches and 954 yards, coming on strong with three 100-yard games in the last five weeks. Philadelphia’s Brent Celek and San Francisco’s Vernon Davis have strong cases, but one will be snubbed in favor of the incumbent Witten.

LT Flozell Adams: The five-time Pro Bowler has flaws -- starting with his penchant for penalties -- but try to find three healthy tackles in the NFC who are better. He’s been a key part of the league’s third-ranked offense. However, the perception of Adams as a dirty player might hurt him in the voting.

OLB DeMarcus Ware: The three-time Pro Bowler led fan voting at his position by a wide margin. His sack total dropped significantly from last season, but he still leads NFC linebackers with 11. And he ranks third in the NFL with five forced fumbles.

NT Jay Ratliff: How he wasn’t one of the top five fan vote-getters at defensive tackle in the NFC is a mystery. His six sacks rank second among NFC interior pass rushers. His three fumble recoveries are tied for second in the NFL. The relentless Ratliff makes an amazing amount of plays for a 3-4 nose tackle.

P Mat McBriar: He’s pinned opponents inside their 20 on 37 of his 69 punts, the only punter in the NFL to do so more than half the time. He only has two touchbacks. There are four NFC punters with better averages than McBriar, but none have impacted field position as well as him.

Other possibilities:
Special teamer Sam Hurd: He leads the Cowboys with 19 special teams tackles and is an excellent blocker on returns. He finished second in the fan voting among special teamers.

CB Mike Jenkins: His performance merits a Pro Bowl berth, but he’ll probably be snubbed in favor of Arizona’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who received significantly more fan votes.

QB Tony Romo: Due to his drastic reduction in turnovers, this might be the best season of his career. But was he better than New Orleans’ Drew Brees, Minnesota’s Brett Favre and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers?

C Andre Gurode: He’s gone to three straight Pro Bowls and could get voted in again on reputation.

RG Leonard Davis: He hasn’t played as well this season as he did in his previous two Pro Bowl campaigns.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Flo doesnt deserve it, however Jenkins does, as does Romo, but it's going to be near impossible to beat out Brees, Favre, and Rodgers.

 

[Shinywalrus]

Hate to say it, but I'm not so sure Jason Witten's play has been among the top two in the NFC this season. Love the guy to death, but he's been a downright liability in both pass and run blocking on a number of occasions, seems to have lost a good deal of the instinct for necessary first down yardage (something a tight end or possession receiver simply has to have), etc. Still a top tight end that I wouldn't trade for any other in the NFL, but the award should reflect this season's play and productivity.

No to Flozell. Too many superior candidates in the NFC, even ignoring penalties.

Romo HAS been better than Favre, but not Rodgers or Brees, who have been exceptional. He deserves at least the alternate slot.

 

[TheSport78]

Leonard Davis, Miles Austin, Mat McBriar, Jay Ratliff, Demarcus Ware, and Andre Gurode make it and are the only Pro Bowlers. Book it!

 

[pacy]

Romo will get in the Pro Bowl. Favre won´t show up in that game, he never does.

 

[Staggerlee]

Hate to say it, but I'm not so sure Jason Witten's play has been among the top two in the NFC this season. Love the guy to death, but he's been a downright liability in both pass and run blocking on a number of occasions, seems to have lost a good deal of the instinct for necessary first down yardage (something a tight end or possession receiver simply has to have), etc. Still a top tight end that I wouldn't trade for any other in the NFL, but the award should reflect this season's play and productivity.

No to Flozell. Too many superior candidates in the NFC, even ignoring penalties.

Romo HAS been better than Favre, but not Rodgers or Brees, who have been exceptional. He deserves at least the alternate slot.

Maybe i just have missed the plays your talking about but i have seen witten do some amazing blocking this season both in pass protection an running and i certainly wouldnt call him a liability IMO

 

[Alexander]

Hate to say it, but I'm not so sure Jason Witten's play has been among the top two in the NFC this season. Love the guy to death, but he's been a downright liability in both pass and run blocking on a number of occasions, seems to have lost a good deal of the instinct for necessary first down yardage (something a tight end or possession receiver simply has to have), etc. Still a top tight end that I wouldn't trade for any other in the NFL, but the award should reflect this season's play and productivity.

Aside from Gonzalez, who else from the NFC is even close to Witten? The only one close would be Vernon Davis.

 

[Chuck 54]

I find it amusing that those who say Flo doesn't deserve it don't offer up a single LT candidate.

Flo has cut down on his false start penalties big time this year, and he's still a dominant force at LT who gives up very few sacks while seldom receiving any help against anyone rushing from his side.

Home town fans don't seem to appreciate Flo as much as I think they should. We're lucky to have him.

 

[Shinywalrus]

Maybe i just have missed the plays your talking about but i have seen witten do some amazing blocking this season both in pass protection an running and i certainly wouldnt call him a liability IMO

His chips have been less effective, he has been slow to seal the edge (see some of the conversion failures), he has shown less awareness of direction on blocking from an H- or fullback position, sometimes blocking rushers into the pocket.

He's been a step slower after receptions, has tended to do the "half-hearted stiff arm and fall forward a yard and a half short of the marker" maneuver on far too many receptions.

Nitpicky, but yes, I would take Gonzalez and Shiancoe this year. Vernon Davis has TDs but is a sometimes lazy blocker and drops too many important balls.

 

[percyhoward]

TE Jason Witten: He’s made five consecutive Pro Bowls and leads NFC tight ends with 88 catches and 954 yards, coming on strong with three 100-yard games in the last five weeks. Philadelphia’s Brent Celek and San Francisco’s Vernon Davis have strong cases, but one will be snubbed in favor of the incumbent Witten.

Don't know why he's counting Gonzalez out.

Maybe he thinks there will be 3 TE's?

 

[Shinywalrus]

I find it amusing that those who say Flo doesn't deserve it don't offer up a single LT candidate.

Flo has cut down on his false start penalties big time this year, and he's still a dominant force at LT who gives up very few sacks while seldom receiving any help against anyone rushing from his side.

Home town fans don't seem to appreciate Flo as much as I think they should. We're lucky to have him.

Why should you find it amusing. No one asked, so why is it necessary?

But since you asked, Sam Baker and Donald Penn would get my vote this year, even with some injury time out for Baker. There's a slurry of NFC right tackles that have performed better as well.

I'd call it a toss-up between Diehl and Adams, and from what I've seen of Bushrod, he's actually been a serviceable replacement for Jammal Brown, who when he isn't on IR is significantly more consistent than Adams.

Adams is an average-to-above average tackle at this point in his career, which is probably fine. He's no Pro-Bowler. Colombo would be more deserving, had he not been injured as early.

 

[theogt]

TE Jason Witten: He’s made five consecutive Pro Bowls and leads NFC tight ends with 88 catches and 954 yards, coming on strong with three 100-yard games in the last five weeks. Philadelphia’s Brent Celek and San Francisco’s Vernon Davis have strong cases, but one will be snubbed in favor of the incumbent Witten.

Hate to say it, but I'm not so sure Jason Witten's play has been among the top two in the NFC this season.

Yeah, okay.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Aside from Gonzalez, who else from the NFC is even close to Witten? The only one close would be Vernon Davis.

Davis, Winslow and Celek are all having nice years. I'd probably go with Celek over Winslow or Davis because I think he's a much better blocking TE but I could see any of those guys going in the NFC.

 

[TNCowboy]

IMO, Ware, Ratliff, Jenkins, Romo, Austin and maybe McBriar are pro bowlers. I'm guessing that McBriar, Jenkins and Romo will be left out.

Romo probably won't make it, but he's been the best QB in the NFC the last 12 games or so. Rogers will probably get the nod over Romo, but Rogers has taken many more sacks, many of them his own fault, while Romo has probably made more plays under duress than any QB in the league.

Romo doesn't get the credit he deserves. He's played like a champ while the OL has been a sieve. No way I'd vote for a single Dallas OLineman. Were it not for Romo's escapability, they might have given up 50 sacks thusfar.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

IMO, Ware, Ratliff, Jenkins, Romo, Austin and maybe McBriar are pro bowlers. I'm guessing that McBriar, Jenkins and Romo will be left out.

Romo probably won't make it, but he's been the best QB in the NFC the last 12 games or so. Rogers will probably get the nod over Romo, but Rogers has taken many more sacks, many of them his own fault, while Romo has probably made more plays under duress than any QB in the league.

Romo doesn't get the credit he deserves. He's played like a champ while the OL has been a sieve. No way I'd vote for a single Dallas OLineman. Were it not for Romo's escapability, they might have given up 50 sacks thusfar.

Green Bay's OL, IMO, has been much worse then ours. To me, the numbers Rogers has posted are astounding, given the OL he's working with. JMO

 

[Alexander]

Green Bay's OL, IMO, has been much worse then ours. To me, the numbers Rogers has posted are astounding, given the OL he's working with. JMO

Green Bay's line has improved quite a bit as the season has progressed. They are nothing like the trainwreck they were about the time we played them.

 

[theogt]

Green Bay's line has improved quite a bit as the season has progressed. They are nothing like the trainwreck they were about the time we played them.

They went from 16 sacks in 8 games (2.0 SPG) to 9 sacks in 6 games (1.5 SPG). Its a slight improvement, but still I do think its amazing that he's able to put up those numbers with that offensive line.

 

[Shinywalrus]

Yeah, okay.

The argument being, I suppose, that catches and yards are all that matters?

One could just as easily look at the fact that Witten is tied for what, 20th? 21st in touchdowns in the NFC? There are only 16 teams in the conference.

There are a lot of stats. Some prefer Jason, some don't.

If a tight end isn't a red zone weapon, which Witten has not been, he hasn't produced like he should, at least as far as I'm concerned. Considering that the Cowboys are one of the least efficient teams in the NFL converting yards into points and red zone drives into points, doesn't the tight end take some of the responsibility? Just a little? If not Witten, then who?

Who's going to take responsibility for the Cowboys being the 8th WORST in the NFL at converting offensive yards into points? Who's going to take responsibility for awful short conversions? Aren't those places where a strong tight end is supposed to put you over the top? Sure, a lot of people are to blame, but a tight end with one TD who hasn't stood out in blocking, on a team that is inefficient in short yardage situations and red zone situations is a tough sell for me.

Again, love the guy to death, have the jersey (yada yada), but I am really impressed by what I've seen of Gonzalez and have been really impressed by everything in Shiancoe's game when I see him. Davis has a beef, but I've not seen him as successful in the blocking game when I did see him (I have to admit that I have only watched 4 or 5 Niners games, much less than Vikings and, obviously, Cowboys).

Witten's just not a Pro Bowler in my book this year. Agree to disagree, I guess. Or just quote things, don't put forth a counter-argument and put in the "eye roll" emoticon. Whatever works for you.

 

[Shinywalrus]

Green Bay's OL, IMO, has been much worse then ours. To me, the numbers Rogers has posted are astounding, given the OL he's working with. JMO

I mostly agree, but at some point you have to consider how much of that is the O-Line and how much of it is Rodgers delivery, which is pretty slow. Guy just doesn't get rid of the ball soon enough.

Still, Romo has a slightly better line and a better running game to fall back on, so I agree that Rodgers body of work this year is more impressive.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Green Bay's line has improved quite a bit as the season has progressed. They are nothing like the trainwreck they were about the time we played them.

I agree that they have gotten better but I would not call them good still. Rogers evades a lot of pressure. I don't know. I look at Rogers numbers and they are just a little bit better in every catagory. That plus he beat us head to head makes me think that he deserves the nod.