Tag: 2020 Pro Bowl

Adam Gase offers Jamal Adams more praise after Pro Bowl nod

Adam Gase said Jamal Adams is always playing at an elite level.

After Jamal Adams was named to his second Pro Bowl, his head coach praised him for his consistency all season long.

Adams has had another fantastic season in which he leads the team in total tackles, tackles for loss, QB hits, pass defenses and forced fumbles. He’s also second on the team in sacks and solo tackles. For Adam Gase, he’s never coached a player that always finds a way to make his presence known in every single game.

“Week in, week out, you never see a dip,” Gase told reporters. “It’s just always an elite level.”

While Adams’ natural talent is a big factor in his success on the field, it’s his passion that fuels him. No matter what the team’s record is, Adams is always giving it his all on the field. No one can top his energy on the field at any given time.

However, this season has taken a toll on Adams emotionally. It started with his name being brought up in trade rumors around the trade deadline. Adams was not happy with general manager Joe Douglas but, after a couple weeks of refusing to talk to him, Adams cleared the air with the GM.

Then, Adams suffered the first injury of his career. He sprained his ankle against the Bengals but chose to play through it. An MRI revealed a sprain and Adams has missed the last two games. It’s been tough for Adams because he is not the type of player who likes to be off the field. The Jets hope he can return to action on Sunday against the Steelers.

Through it all, Adams has put together another spectacular season. He’ll try to finish it off strong before heading down to Orlando at the end of January for the Pro Bowl.

Steelers LB Devin Bush’s mom announces he’s Pro Bowl alternate

Devin Bush might be heading to the Pro Bowl.

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a bold move in the 2019 NFL draft to go up and get linebacker Devin Bush. It wasn’t a difficult choice considering how badly the Steelers needed to replace Ryan Shazier and how dynamic Bush was on film.

And despite a dip in snaps over several games this season, Bush is still second on the team in tackles with 92 and has flashed what is going to be a very long successful career. This is something the NFL recognized as well. According to Bush’s mom, he was selected as an alternate to the Pro Bowl.

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2 former Wisconsin Badgers selected for 2020 Pro Bowl

Former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson and center Travis Frederick were both named to the 2020 Pro Bowl rosters.

The 2020 Pro Bowl rosters were announced late Tuesday evening and two former Wisconsin Badgers, quarterback Russell Wilson and center Travis Frederick, were selected.

For Wilson, it is his seventh Pro Bowl appearance in the last eight years, and the nod may be coming in his strongest NFL season to date. The MVP candidate has completed 300 passes for 3,708 yards with an excellent 28-to-five touchdown-to-interception ratio.

The mega contract extension he signed with the Seahawks this offseason has more than paid off thus far, and he’ll look to get Seattle a first round bye in the team’s final two regular season games.

Frederick is making his fifth appearance in the Pro Bowl, an incredible accomplishment in his own right but even more impressive considering he’s coming off Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

He has picked up right where he left off in 2019 however, and will once again make the Pro Bowl roster alongside teammates Zack Martin and Tyron Smith.

The 2020 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 and televised live on ESPN at noon PT from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

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A-Robbed: Bears players, fans react to WR Allen Robinson’s 2020 Pro Bowl snub

Allen Robinson’s snub from the Pro Bowl was a hot topic on Twitter, where teammates and fans sounded off on how Robinson was A-Robbed.

The Chicago Bears had three players named to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl roster in kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson, outside linebacker Khalil Mack and safety Eddie Jackson. Nose tackle Eddie Goldman, cornerback Kyle Fuller and punt returner Tarik Cohen were all named alternates.

One name glaringly missing from that list is wide receiver Allen Robinson, who has been the lone bright spot on a dismal Bears offense this season. Robinson has 83 receptions for 1,023 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games this season. He became the first Bears receiver to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season since Alshon Jeffery in 2014.

But perhaps most impressive are the circumstances under which Robinson has achieved his impressive season. The Bears offense has been mediocre to say the least, and opposing teams knew that the ball was going Robinson’s way. And he still managed to post three 100-yard games this season.

If there was one Bears player that earned a Pro Bowl nod this season, it was Robinson, who wasn’t even named an alternate.

Robinson’s snub from the Pro Bowl was a hot topic on Twitter, where teammates, media and fans sounded off on how Allen Robinson was A-Robbed.

Even a Packers fan acknowledged the obvious:

The best photos from the Steelers 2020 Pro Bowl selections

Relive some of the best moments from the Steelers five Pro Bowlers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers got five guys named to the 2020 Pro Bowl roster, representing the AFC. We had predicted eight guys would make it but with alternates and players who back out we expect the number of names to grow as the game approaches.

Here’s a gallery of some of the best photos of our five Pro Bowl picks.

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The Minnesota Vikings have two of the most underrated stars in the NFL 

Both Danielle Hunter and Eric Kendricks have been absolute studs for the Vikings in 2019.

The Minnesota Vikings are sitting at 10-4 with two more divisional games left in the regular season. The defense has been a talking point with a struggling secondary, but that shouldn’t negate the fact that the Vikings have two of the league’s best front seven players. 

Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman and the rest of the Vikings’ scouting department has done a fantastic job at not only drafting great talent, but keeping that talent in Minnesota. The 2015 draft is one that comes to mind, with four of the Vikings starters coming out of the draft. 

The four players that were taken in the 2015 draft consists of Trae Waynes (1st), Eric Kendricks (2nd), Danielle Hunter (3rd) and Stefon Diggs (5th). These four have been a huge reason for the Vikings success in recent years, and the biggest play that comes to mind is Diggs’ Minneapolis Miracle play. 

As great as the miracle was, it has gotten a ton of attention by the national media. What two of these four players have done thus far in their careers tends to go unnoticed, but that shouldn’t stop them from getting the exposure they deserve. 

Both Kendricks and Hunter have been two bright spots for the Vikings defense, and for some reason it tends to stay under the radar. 

Hunter is coming off of the most dominant two-game stretch of his career, where he has 13 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He is also tied for third in the NFL with 13.5 total sacks on the season. Not only has he had a dominant 2019 season, but he also became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 sacks in his career, helping him reach his second Pro Bowl. 

Coming out of LSU in 2015, Hunter was looked at as a pass rusher with not many different tactics to get to the quarterback. Vikings defensive line coach Andre Patterson worked his magic with Hunter, and turned him into one of the league’s best pass rushers. If Hunter can keep up at his current pace, his jersey isn’t going to be the only thing on its way to Canton, Ohio. 

The NFL Defensive Player of the Year award should be wide open with some of the big names having down seasons, and another Vikings player should be on that list with Hunter. Kendricks, who should have his name in the running for DPOY,  got snubbed for yet another year not making it to the Pro Bowl. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Kendricks has been the highest rated linebacker throughout the 2019 season. 

 

This is proving the fact that Kendricks is so under the radar, that he doesn’t even make it to the Pro Bowl while having the best season of any linebacker in the NFL. He has two forced fumbles on the season, leads the Vikings in total tackles and broke the PFF record for the most ever passes defended by a linebacker. 

Not having Kendricks get to the Pro Bowl should be considered a crime, but for some reason his play goes unnoticed nationally. He has proven time and time again that he has one of the better noses for the football in both the run and pass game. 

Both Kendricks and Hunter deserve to get more credit than they do, and that should have started with Kendricks making the Pro Bowl. Both of these stars should not only have been shoe ins for the trip down to Orlando, but they should be towards the top of the list for All Pro honors at the end of the season and in the running for DPOY.

Ravens Pro Bowl nominations point to potential NFL dynasty forming

The Baltimore Ravens have 12 players on the Pro Bowl roster and with most of them still under contract, they could be building a dynasty

The Baltimore Ravens are having a storybook season. Though it hasn’t ended quite yet and the hope is it doesn’t until in February with players hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, there’s plenty of reason to be even more excited about the future.

The NFL released the 2020 Pro Bowl roster and the AFC might as well just be the Ravens. Baltimore had 12 players named to the Pro Bowl with two more as alternatives, tying the previous record for most players on an initial Pro Bowl roster. With a bright future thanks to the young and cheap Pro Bowl talent on the roster, I can’t help but think a dynasty is just being born in front of our eyes.

Of the 12 Ravens selected to the Pro Bowl, 10 are under contract through 2020, with 7 signed for longer and four still under their rookie contracts for at least next season. Only cornerback Marcus Peters and outside linebacker Matthew Judon are set to hit free agency this offseason. But with plenty of cap space expected, both players are going to be high priorities and likely to re-sign as long as another team doesn’t offer well above market value for them.

Having 12 players on a Pro Bowl roster is nothing shy of impressive and a testament to the work general manager Eric DeCosta and former general manager Ozzie Newsome have done. But to think all 12 could realistically return for next season and potentially beyond is even crazier. And with the aforementioned bevy of cap space expected for at least 2020, there’s no reason to think Baltimore can’t further patch up any remaining holes on their roster with more Pro Bowl talent, not to speak of young players who will step up as well.

Going into this season, the big takeaway was just how young the Ravens’ roster was. They had jettisoned older players in favor of their younger counterparts while investing heavily through the draft in order to build a sustainable and cheap roster for the next few years. They’ve doubled down on at least the 2020 NFL draft, letting key free agents leave in order to pick up early compensatory picks as well as a few trades of lackluster depth players. Baltimore could realistically have nine picks in the 2020 NFL draft to further stock their roster with young and cheap talent.

The hope was this season would be a stepping stone to a really great 2020 as young players ascended and the Ravens continued to plug holes in free agency. But with Baltimore currently at 12-2, holding the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the No. 1 scoring offense and the fourth fewest points allowed on defense, they’re the favorites to win Super Bowl LIV, far surpassing any reasonable expectations for the season.

With an eye towards the future, the Ravens seriously look like a dynasty just beginning to form. They have the MVP frontrunner at quarterback, a dynamic offensive scheme, young talent at wide receiver and tight end, enough top cornerbacks to shut down both passing attacks and young pass rushers just starting to hit their stride. Top it off with a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate in John Harbaugh and the league’s best front office and you have the recipe for continued success.

With a roster now stacked with legitimate Pro Bowl talent, on cheap deals for at least next season and the team holding enough cap space to still pick up top free agents, the Ravens should be favorites for Super Bowl LV next season. And as long as everyone plays up to how they’ve done this year, Baltimore could be at the very start of a dynasty.

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Broncos defenders Justin Simmons, Shelby Harris snubbed by Pro Bowl voters

Broncos safety Justin Simmons and nose tackle Shelby Harris should have received more votes for the 2020 Pro Bowl.

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller is the only Denver player that was voted to the 2020 Pro Bowl, the league announced Tuesday evening. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton, safety Kareem Jackson and returner Diontae Spencer are alternates for the AFC at their respective positions.

Miller has now been voted to eight Pro Bowls in his career. John Elway is the only player in franchise history that was voted to more (nine). While that’s great achievement for Miller, fans in Denver can’t help but feel upset about the team’s big snubs: safety Justin Simmons and nose tackle Shelby Harris.

Simmons ranks second among AFC strong safeties with four interceptions and his 84 tackles rank third. Simmons was diplomatic when talking about his Pro Bowl candidacy on Tuesday but the fact that the safety is not even an alternate is absurd.

“When it comes down to it, whether I make it or not, I’ve just got to keep fighting the good fight and keep stacking up good seasons,” Simmons said.

Harris should have made the AFC roster as well, or at the very least made the alternate list. Harris ranks first among all defensive linemen with seven pass breakups and second among interior AFC defensive linemen with six sacks this season. He is a nose tackle but Harris believes being viewed as a defensive end hurts his chances of reaching the All-Star game.

“You’ve got all those outside rushers out there — you’ve got Von, Joey Bosa,” Harris said Tuesday. “That’s what I feel like needs to change when it comes to Pro Bowl, but other than that you’ve got three, four ends who aren’t really ends, but we get considered like we’re Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram and those guys.

“If anything, I think three or four ends should be classified as tackles. That’s just the way it is. You have to think about it, [Derek] Wolfe’s never made it in, but look — J.J. Watt. J.J. Watt is specifically outside now. It sucks, but that’s not really what we play the game for anyway. It’s just an added bonus.”

That’s a valid point from Harris. Players like him and Wolfe who play in a 3-4 defense should not be viewed the same way traditional defensive ends are viewed. Harris was one of the AFC’s best interior defensive linemen this season and he should have been rewarded with a Pro Bowl nod.

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Steelers LB Bud Dupree snubbed from Pro Bowl

Which Steelers’ defender should have been named to the Pro Bowl?

The success of the Pittsburgh Steelers falls almost completely on the inspired play of the Steelers defense. A much maligned group in recent seasons, the defense has now put itself among the elite in the NFL. This unit got some recognition on Tuesday might when three members were named to the Pro Bowl.

But despite LB T.J. Watt, DT Cam Heyward and S Minkah Fitzpatrick making the cut, there were still others who got snubbed. I suppose if you really wanted to make a case, either Steelers cornerback could have been on the team. Joe Haden and Steven Nelson has both been great.

However, the real snub on this team is linebacker Bud Dupree. Partner in crime to Watt, they form the best tandem of pass rusher in the league. The NFL named Von Miller and Matt Judon to be teammates to Watt.

Judon has 47 tackles, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Dupree tops Judon in all three categories. I can see leaving Judon on the team but Miller made it largely on reputation rather than production. Miller only has 40 tackles and seven sacks on the season. I suppose having teammates that play the same position wasn’t what the league wanted but Dupree certainly deserved in over Miller.

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5 Steelers named to 2020 Pro Bowl roster

The NFL announced the rosters for the 2020 Pro Bowl on Tuesday night.

The NFL announced the rosters for the 2020 Pro Bowl on Tuesday night and the Pittsburgh Steelers were well represented. Five Steelers made the team in all including three from the defense and two along the offensive line.

The Steelers Pro Bowl representatives:

LB T.J. Watt

S Minkah Fitzpatrick

DT Cam Heyward

OG David DeCastro

C Maurkice Pouncey

The Steelers defense has been stellar this season and there are two or three more players definitely worth of being added to the group. But Watt, Fitzpatrick and Heyward represent this group perfectly. This Watt’s second Pro Bowl, Heyward’s third and for Fitzpatrick his first.

On offense, DeCastro has become a regular at this. This is his fifth time being selected. For Pouncey, it hasn’t been his best season but he still finds his way to his eighth.

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