Wallace, Farrior and Timmons Were Not Pro Bowl Snubs

[mesaSteeler]

Wallace, Farrior and Timmons Were Not Pro Bowl Snubs
Posted on December 30, 2010 by ted
http://www.steelerslounge.com/2010/1...ro-bowl-snubs/

It was surprising to see only three Steelers players selected to the Pro Bowl. After all, this is a veteran, star-laden Pittsburgh team that sports an 11-4 record and one of the top five run defenses in NFL history.

The problem was not that the Steelers did not have more worthy candidates. OLB James Harrison, SS Troy Polamalu and C Maurkice Pouncey all were worthy of their invites. ILB James Farrior, NT Casey Hampton, CB Ike Taylor, ILB Lawrence Timmons and WR Mike Wallace also had Pro-Bowl caliber seasons. But Taylor was the only one who was actually worthy of a spot over a selected player on this year’s AFC Pro Bowl roster.

The primary problem with the Pro Bowl is that only 42 players are selected from each conference, leaving off many deserving candidates. Why not have a 53-man roster for the Pro Bowl? Moreover, some positions are under-represented.

Exactly half the teams in the NFL now employ a base 3-4 defense, but yet only two inside linebackers are selected for each conference, compared to three quarterbacks. Thus, 32 quarterbacks and 48 inside linebackers start each week in the NFL; but yet there are six spots for quarterbacks in the Pro Bowl, compared to just four for inside linebackers.

This discrepancy is why Farrior has only been to two Pro Bowls during his superb Steelers career, and neither Farrior or Timmons were deserving of such a bid this year over Ray Lewis, who is still the best Mike backer in the game, or athletic Patriots stalwart Jerod Mayo.

Nor was Wallace more worthy than any of the four receivers selected to represent the AFC. Wallace enjoyed a splendid second season, tallying 57 catches for 1,152 yards, 9 TDs and a league-leading 20.2 yards per reception average. But here are the stats for the four WRs selected from the AFC for this year’s Pro Bowl:

Andre Johnson, 86 receptions for 1,217 yards and 8 TDs.

Reggie Wayne, 102 receptions for 1,287 yards and 5 TDs.

Brandon Lloyd, 72 receptions for 1,375 yards and 10 TDs.

Dwyane Bowe, 67 receptions for 1,094 yards and 15 TDs.

Wallace simply did not make enough receptions to warrant a Pro-Bowl bid this year in a loaded AFC for his position. He did emerge as the team’s No. 1 WR, but was double-teamed too often and always faced opponents’ best corners, primarily because Pittsburgh had no solid No. 2 receiver this year after moronically giving away Santonio Holmes to the Jets over the offseason as a PR move.

Incidentally, Holmes’ 79 receptions for 1,248 yards in 2009 was just as Pro-Bowl worthy as Wallace’s excellent 2010 campaign. Could you imagine if opposing teams had to cover both studs instead of being able to cover Hines Ward with a linebacker or safety, and watching promising rookie Emmanuel Sanders continuously fall down after making his cuts? Sanders will be very good down the road, but needs new cleats and is a work in progress.

The only Steeler deserving of a Pro-Bowl bid this year who did not receive one was Taylor, as Adam already noted.

Taylor easily had a better year than Darelle Revis, who was hindered by a hamstring pull all year, seemingly beaten more often than in all his other years combined, and often did not even cover the opposing team’s best receiver, with those responsibilities going to former Pro Bowler Antonio Cromartie.

In contrast, Taylor had Bryant McFadden on the other side and thus was given Deion Sanders-type respect by opposing QBs. Nevertheless, Taylor had a superb season and should have been tabbed over Revis, who made this game on past accomplishments and reputation.

Pouncey, though, is probably not yet one of the top two centers in the AFC, so the Steelers numbers were just. It is just irritating that Taylor has now had four Pro-Bowl caliber seasons in his NFL career, but has never once been selected for the game or even played in it as an alternate.

[kirklandrules]

Not sure I agree with this blog. Here are a few of my counterpoints:

• Ray Lewis had an outstanding year ... opening his mouth. His play is not close to that of Timmons, but his mouth is obviously bigger. How the league continues to hype this murderer is beyond me. Obviously, the author of this blog buys into his ridiculous dancing, moronic interviews and non-stop blabbing. For a defense that is #1 in rushing and closing down the run in a manner unseen in recent years, how the hell are the main run-stoppers from this team snubbed?
• Wallace might have had less yards than Johnson and Wayne, but he was within 75 yards of each and had more TDs. If I were worried about stats, I guess TDs would be more important than yards (at least to fans, owners and teammates). In fact, having 4 more TDs than Wayne should have put him in. Also, the author makes the case for Wallace when he says "... but was double-teamed too often and always faced opponents’ best corners, primarily because Pittsburgh had no solid No. 2 receiver this year ...".
• Pouncey might not be the second best center in the AFC, but how the hell do you judge this position. If it's on his ability and motor, I'd say he's first. I don't see other centers constantly at the second and third levels as Pouncey seems to be.

[thumper]

As long as the Pro Bowl methodology remains the same, it will always have
former PB players make it on reputation over their entire careers feed into
the process - leaving some players who's play not deserving to be selected
(Lewis) while leaving other player who haven't established a reputation - even
though playing at a higher level (Timmons) off the PB roster.

It's just the way it is. Some older players who have the rep will make it, even
when their play/production doesn't seem to call for inclusion. It is rare for a
rookie to crack the roster - so Pouncy must really be outstanding to be
selected this season. There may come a day when Timmons makes the PB
while not deserving of it, if he establishes a rep over the years, as Lewis has.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by kirklandrules

[*]Pouncey might not be the second best center in the AFC, but how the hell do you judge this position. If it's on his ability and motor, I'd say he's first. I don't see other centers constantly at the second and third levels as Pouncey seems to be.[/LIST]

not sure if he is a voter (he is for pro bowl and hof) but adam schein and rich gannon both agreed that pouncey has simply had a better year than nick mangold and should be first on the all-pro team.

as for this article, i think it sucks.

timmons had better number and a bigger impact than all those selected ahead of him and he wasnt even named as an alternate or reserve.

thats bullshit. i get wallace or farrior not making it. ike's stigma of having stone hands will always keep him out regardless of how great his coverage is.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Wallace simply did not make enough receptions to warrant a Pro-Bowl bid this year in a loaded AFC for his position.

i might have excepted this logic had it not been for deshaun jackson and his 47 receptions being selected over guys that had 25 or 30 more receptions than he had.
jackson ....47...1,056....6 tds

nicks .........79...1,052....11 tds
moss.........84....1,041....6 tds
colston.......84....1,023....7 tds

i'm gonna have to call BULLSHIT on that one.

i do believe probowl selections should be purely based on stats. you earn your way in , not this popularity BS contest.
if they can come up with a qb rating system. then they can come up with something for every position.

[jizzballz]

Originally Posted by kirklandrules

Not sure I agree with this blog. Here are a few of my counterpoints:

• Ray Lewis had an outstanding year ... opening his mouth. His play is not close to that of Timmons, but his mouth is obviously bigger. How the league continues to hype this murderer is beyond me. Obviously, the author of this blog buys into his ridiculous dancing, moronic interviews and non-stop blabbing. For a defense that is #1 in rushing and closing down the run in a manner unseen in recent years, how the hell are the main run-stoppers from this team snubbed?
• Wallace might have had less yards than Johnson and Wayne, but he was within 75 yards of each and had more TDs. If I were worried about stats, I guess TDs would be more important than yards (at least to fans, owners and teammates). In fact, having 4 more TDs than Wayne should have put him in. Also, the author makes the case for Wallace when he says "... but was double-teamed too often and always faced opponents’ best corners, primarily because Pittsburgh had no solid No. 2 receiver this year ...".
• Pouncey might not be the second best center in the AFC, but how the hell do you judge this position. If it's on his ability and motor, I'd say he's first. I don't see other centers constantly at the second and third levels as Pouncey seems to be.

unseen in recent years, sorry but are you stupid the 2006 vikings run defense was a little bit better, so therefore, stop being bias and simply say, the vikings 06 defense was better at stopping the run, they held the #1 stop from 06,07 and 08. and i give a span of recent years by a measure of 5.

[DanRooney]

YPA is the single most important category for a QB other than TD-INT ratio. YPC should be the same way for a receiver. Big play ability is a big criteria for not only things like passer rating and all-pro teams, but the HOF as well.

[TRH]

Originally Posted by kirklandrules

Not sure I agree with this blog. Here are a few of my counterpoints:

• Ray Lewis had an outstanding year ... opening his mouth. His play is not close to that of Timmons, but his mouth is obviously bigger. How the league continues to hype this murderer is beyond me. Obviously, the author of this blog buys into his ridiculous dancing, moronic interviews and non-stop blabbing. For a defense that is #1 in rushing and closing down the run in a manner unseen in recent years, how the hell are the main run-stoppers from this team snubbed?
• Wallace might have had less yards than Johnson and Wayne, but he was within 75 yards of each and had more TDs. If I were worried about stats, I guess TDs would be more important than yards (at least to fans, owners and teammates). In fact, having 4 more TDs than Wayne should have put him in. Also, the author makes the case for Wallace when he says "... but was double-teamed too often and always faced opponents’ best corners, primarily because Pittsburgh had no solid No. 2 receiver this year ...".
  
  
  
• Pouncey might not be the second best center in the AFC, but how the hell do you judge this position. If it's on his ability and motor, I'd say he's first. I don't see other centers constantly at the second and third levels as Pouncey seems to be.

agree w/you but Ray Lewis is a MUCH more popular and well-known player than Timmons. This game is a popularity contest for the most part.
There also has to be representatives from many different teams. Its pretty easy to see why they were left off. The only head-scratcher to me is Wallace.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by jizzballz

unseen in recent years, sorry but are you stupid the 2006 vikings run defense was a little bit better, so therefore, stop being bias and simply say, the vikings 06 defense was better at stopping the run, they held the #1 stop from 06,07 and 08. and i give a span of recent years by a measure of 5.

you can refrain from calling him stupid and saying threads are retarded. if you dont like it just STFU or counter it with some facts or analysis of you own withouth the 5th grade commentary, please.

you ever stop to think that nobody measures "span" by your standards? thinking so is what is stupid.



yes the 2006 vikings had a kick ass run defense.

they also finished 6-10.

[LVSteelersfan]

There will be no Steelers playing in the Pro Bowl. They will be resting up to play in the Super Bowl. And when Brady gets embarassed yet again for the umpteenth time in the playoffs by the Ravens or Steelers, he will once again snub the Pro Bowl and pretend he is hurt letting some stiff like Anderson play as an alternate. I hope Belicheat keeps Brady in for most of the game tomorrow and somebody plows him into the dirt making him gimp around come playoff time. It would serve them right.