When your team has 11 wins, going for 12, they're typically going to send a bunch of guys to Honolulu (or Miami this year... ew). That's exactly the case here, with a half dozen birds scheduled for the trip to the all star game, that is as long as there isn't another trip to Miami in store for this team one week later. We break down the selections and take a look at the guys who were maybe overlooked in the process.
In
Leonard Weaver - There isn't another team in the league that is getting this type of dynamic production from their fullback. He blocks. He catches the ball out of the backfield. He can run from the tailback position. He even plays special teams. Not sure if there was even another viable candidate when you measure everything Weaver has done for the Birds.
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DeSean Jackson - Total no-brainer. How 'bout this: give me a reason why Jackson doesn't belong in the Pro Bowl. Oh, and for the first time in NFL history, a starting wide receiver was also named the team's kick returner. What a season!
Jason Peters - This might be considered a reach, but Peters has quietly put together an excellent season protecting McNabb's blind side after a slow start. He's not been perfect mind you, though you probably only notice when these guys screw up. The truth is he's become exactly what the Eagles hoped when they traded a first rounder to Buffalo in the off-season: a dominant run blocker with athleticism to get the second level, who can go toe-to-toe with the best pass rushers in the NFC.
Trent Cole - Peter King said earlier this season in his Monday Morning
Quarterback Column called Cole one of the ten most underappreciated
players in the NFL, adding he wouldn't even get a sniff of the Pro
Bowl. Well, that turned out to be completely incorrect, as 58 will
indeed make the trip to Miami. Not sure how he couldn't, with 12.5 sacks, and probably a dozen more if you count all the holding penalties he's drawn.
Asante Samuel - It's hard to argue with nine interceptions. Watching Samuel is so frustrating sometimes. He'll occasionally get burned on his gambles, and the poor tackling has been well documented. Ultimately, he's the kind of player who can change the outlook of an entire game, and he's done exactly that on a number of instances this season.
News
David Akers - It turns out reports of the kicker's demise were a tad
premature. They were always strange anyway considering he only had one
poor season. Nevertheless, he's been nearly flawless, and is the second leading scorer in the NFL. Easily the best kicker this year.
Snubs
Brent Celek - Celek, not Jason Witten, has been the second
most productive tight end in the NFC this year. Witten has the edge in receptions and a slight lead in yards, but only one TD. Celek leads the Eagles
with 65 catches, has eight touchdowns, and with 875 yards, Celek is
actually within reach of a 1,000 yard receiving season. Seems like Witten was the "name" choice here.
Winston Justice - If Peters is in, you can at least make the case that Justice was overlooked. Most observers consider Justice as the most consistent of Eagles linemen this season. I'm honestly not sure how he would stack up across the league, but he might be more deserving than his own teammate.
Sheldon Brown - Every once in awhile, you don't realize what you have. When Brown demanded a new contract this offseason, it seemed strange because he wasn't really considered an elite player. It might be time to re-evaluate that thinking. This has been one of, if not the best season his Sheldon's career. He has five interceptions, one for touchdown, and he's defended 17 passes. Oh, and he's been hurt for a good portion of the year. In the end, it's a numbers game with a bunch of very worthy corners, but Sheldon Brown is probably having the best season nobody outside of Philly is talking about.