The Pro Bowl rosters were announced today, and after all the votes were tallied, six Eagles ended up being named to the team. The six players is tied with Indianapolis and Dallas for the second most representatives in the league and trailed only the Minnesota Vikings, who are sending eight players to Miami. There were a few slam dunks and more head scratching omissions than there normally are, but the Eagles will be well represented at the Pro Bowl.
Leonard Weaver was named the starting fullback for the NFC, and honestly, who else could have gotten this spot? Weaver has done everything he's been asked to do as a member of the Eagles this year, and has shown exactly a fullback can do in this offense. His selection was easy, and I'm glad to see that the voters got this one right.
At wide receiver, DeSean Jackson was named as a starter. He'll playing playing opposite Larry Fitzgerald. Again, this was another easy choice in my mind, and the minds of the voters. In just his second year, Jackson has become one of the biggest playmakers in the NFL, and the Eagles have used him to perfection this year. Also, Jackson was named the starting kick returner for the NFC as well, making him the first wide reciever to be named a starter at two different positions. I'd say he's had a good season.
Then comes Jason Peters, who was named a starter on the offensive line. While Peters has had some frustrating moments this year, he's settled down into a very nice protector for Donovan McNabb, and his play has gotten better and better as the year has gone on. Yes, he still gets called for penalties now and then, and he will miss a block or two, but for the most part, he's solid now. He's held his own against some of the best pass rushers in the NFC this year, and now he's going to be rewarded for it. Honestly, this selection was the biggest question that I had out of the six Eagles, but Peters has earned the nod.
On the defensive side of the ball, Asante Samuel was named a starting cornerback as well. His nine interceptions clearly stand out, and while his route jumping leaves him open to double moves, and his lack of tackling skill is evident, you can't argue with how well he's played this year. Samuel and Sheldon Brown have held the secondary together in the wake of Brian Dawkins heading to Denver, and without both of them, it could have been a much different season than the one that's taken place.
Trent Cole is also headed to Miami as a backup on the defensive line. He's one of the most under the radar players in the NFL, but his 12.5 sacks leads the Eagles, and he has become a defensive force in a division full of great pass rushers. As the anchor on the defensive line, he clearly earned a spot on the Pro Bowl team, and I'm glad to see him make it. You can't really argue that either Jared Allen or Julius Peppers shouldn't start, but it's still good to see Cole on the roster.
Last but not least is David Akers. Even at age 35, Akers is still one of the best kickers in the NFL, as he leads the league in made field goals this year. His 88.9% accuracy is one of the best in the NFC, and in a year when several teams have made kicking changes throughout the year, Akers has been solid. He's missed just four kicks all season, and three of them have been from 40 yards or longer. After a couple of seasons where it looked like he may have lost his edge a little bit, it's good to see him bounce back and make his first Pro Bowl since the 2004 season.
As for the snubs, there's really two that should stand out to everyone. First, Brent Celek is having a breakout season at tight end, and with a good game against the Cowboys on Sunday, could get to 1,000 yards on the season. Instead, the votes came in for Jason Witten and Vernon Davis. You can't argue with Davis' selection, as he too has a chance at 1,000 yards and has already brought in 12 touchdowns this season. As for Witten, the yards are there, but he has just one touchdown this year as Tony Romo has spread the ball out more to other receiving options in the red zone. It's a tough choice to make, but I think Witten ended up taking the spot because of name value more than anything else. If there was a third tight end spot, I would put money on Celek being named, but only two get to go, so he's out. It's a shame, too. He's had one hell of a year.
The other snub is Sheldon Brown. Basically, take what I said about Asante Samuel helping hold the secondary together, and apply it to Brown as well. Plus, Brown is not afraid to tackle and has five interceptions and 17 passes defended. If you add in the fact that he's been playing hurt for much of the year and came into the season demanding a new contract, you have a Pro Bowl player. Once again, it comes down to how many corners can be named to the team. With there only being three spots, Brown was squeezed out, but if you left it to the Eagles fans, he would have been named in a heartbeat. He might be having the best season of his career, but the only people that seem to notice are those wearing Eagles green.
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