The initial Pro Bowl voting came and went. The Buffalo Bills, at 10-4 overall with a playoff berth already in their pocket, saw one player named to the team.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White‘s was called and that’s it from the No. 3 overall defense in the NFL.
The Ravens are having a heck of year thanks to their juggernaut offense they sport. Still, Baltimore’s defense, ranked sixth currently, landed four players in the Pro Bowl (Matt Judon, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Earl Thomas).
Many in Western New York thought the Bills deserved more recognition, especially from their defense. Guys like Jordan Phillips, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde come to mind. Among those thinking the Bills might’ve gotten snubbed were Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott.
“I felt like we had a lot of other guys that deserved recognition that worked hard,” McDermott said on Wednesday. “It’s a team game and that’s what we subscribe to here. I can’t control guys that get recognized.”
The coach was also asked if he subscribes to the Bills and Buffalo being a small market that’s overlooked in such scenarios. You knew McDermott’s answer before he even spoke a word.
A small smirk came across the coach’s face while the coach listened to the question.
“I think our guys are aware of [being overlooked],” McDermott said.
He knows that’s a motivator for his team this week as the Bills visit the Patriots with a chance to take a step toward stealing the AFC East title from their rivals.
“But [being overlooked] is not part of whether we win or lose this week, honestly. It goes back to the team and that’s the most important thing here,” McDermott said.
Since the vote, one Bills player in Phillips took to social media and laughed about not being selected to the Pro Bowl. He leads the AFC in sacks among defensive tackles with 9.5 this season, after all. But Phillips has been a player in the Bills locker room that’s subscribed to and been motivated by playing for a team that’s overlooked for awhile now. He discussed that following his team’s recent win over the Steelers.
“All you hear about is always the other people, always the other people. That the Bills are the Bills, you know what I mean? But at the end of the day… five turnovers [vs. the Steelers]? Best defense in the league? Great offense? We’re happening,” Phillips said.
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