Tag: Pro Bowl

Shaquill Griffin fired up for his first Pro Bowl appearance

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson loves playing with the Griffin brothers, and is happy Shaquill joined him at the Pro Bowl.

The Seattle Seahawks have two representatives playing in the 2020 Pro Bowl this season, quarterback Russell Wilson and cornerback Shaquill Griffin.

While this is Wilson’s seventh appearance in the last eight years, it’s the first time for Griffin, who is returning to Orlando after spending his college days at the University of Central Florida.

Griffin is not alone, thanks to Wilson, but he has also been joined by his twin brother Shaquem who has spent time with Shaquill at the first few days of festivities.

Wilson spoke about the two brothers to gathered media on Wednesday, discussing what it is like having them as teammates and being joined by Shaquill in the Pro Bowl.

“Having the Griffin brothers on our team is pretty amazing,” Wilson said. “Those guys are so dedicated to the game, they work so hard. It’s cool having them here, too. Shaquill’s been special for us. To have him out here is great and I know he’s fired up about that. They’re both from Orlando—they played here.”

Griffin earned a spot on the Pro Bowl as an alternate for Marshon Lattimore, who is not participating due to injury. Griffin finished third in the league with 14 pass breakups in 2019, his third NFL season.

The Pro Bowl will kick off at 12:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, January 26.

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7 former Alabama football players will play in the NFL Pro Bowl

On Sunday, 7 former Alabama Crimson Tide football players will face off in the 2020 Pro Bowl at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando,Florida

On Sunday, 7 former Alabama Crimson Tide football players will face off in the 2020 Pro Bowl at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Oakland Raiders center Rodney Hudson, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, Ravens running back Mark Ingram, Chicago Bears free safety Eddie Jackson, and Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly will be playing in the Pro Bowl.

Atlanta Falcons Wide Receiver Julio Jones, and New England Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower were selected to play, but had to withdraw due to injuries.

The Pro Bowl will be on Sunday at 2PM on ESPN and ABC.

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WATCH: Texas ex Justin Tucker nails 70-yard field goal at Pro Bowl

Former Texas kicker Justin Tucker is casually enjoying his time at the NFL Pro Bowl by drilling 70-yard field goals.

To no surprise, former Texas kicker Justin Tucker was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl at the completion of the 2019 season. The all-star game will take place on Sunday, January 26, in Orlando, Florida.

What may come as a surprise, however, is Tucker casually nailing a 70-yard field goal during Pro Bowl practice this week as if it were a normal occurrence.

Tucker made 28 of 29 field goals and 57 of 59 extra points for the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. This marked his second-highest season percentage of ninety-six percent.

One of the most impressive accolades for the former Longhorn is being selected to five All Pro teams throughout his tenure in the NFL, four of those being First-Team selections.

Colts’ Quenton Nelson to partake in Pro Bowl Skills Competition

Quenton Nelson gets to show off his skills at the Pro Bowl.

The brass for the Indianapolis Colts may be in Mobile scouting the Senior Bowl but left guard Quenton Nelson will be in Florida partaking in the Pro Bowl and the week’s events leading up to it.

Before the All-Star game takes place on Sunday afternoon, several Pro Bowlers from each conference will be taking part in the Skills Competition on Thursday.

Nelson is among the competitors for the AFC as both sides have to have an offensive lineman take part in the competition.

It isn’t clear which games Nelson will be featured in. It’s likely he will be a part of the “Gridiron Gauntlet,” which is essentially a five-man relay race. He’s also going to be competing in the dodgeball game at the end of the event.

Nelson enjoyed another incredible season leading the Colts offensive line. This is the second season in a row that he’s earned a Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro nod.

The Pro Bowl Skills Competition will air at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and can be streamed on WatchESPN.

Von Miller talks Drew Lock, Pro Bowl and more on ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller spoke about playing in the Pro Bowl, quarterback Drew Lock and more in a recent interview.

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller recently went on the popular “Pardon My Take” podcast and talked about a variety of topics. Early in the interview, the hosts asked Miller if he plans to go hard in Sunday’s Pro Bowl.

“I always do,” Miller said. “Everybody else is just chilling and it’s an easy MVP if I go hard . . . . I got a car because I went hard.”

Miller said he had to apologize to a few players for going “too hard” in previous all-star games. He took home MVP honors after his strip-sack sealed a win for the AFC in 2018.

Miller was also asked about quarterback Drew Lock and described his teammate as a “rock star.” Miller said he knew the QB was going to be successful based on his leadership and talent.

“[I knew] when he came and I saw him throw the ball [and] I saw his demeanor with the other rookies . . . . He was like the leader of the rookies off the top from Day 1,” Miller said. “Everybody kind of gravitated toward him . . . everybody liked him.”

Later in the podcast, the hosts mentioned to Miller that he is similar in size and posted similar NFL combine numbers to running back Derrick Henry. So does the outside linebacker think he could have been a good running back himself?

“I don’t want to take anything away from what Derrick Henry has done and make it seem like it’s easy to do because what he’s doing is really special,” Miller said. “I wouldn’t say ‘I can be Derrick Henry’ — that would be crazy — but I would be the Von Miller of running backs if I was a running back.”

To listen to the complete interview on PMT, click here (starts at 36:23).

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Eagles Lane Johnson speaks on trying to ‘validate right tackles’ in a left tackles game

Lane Johnson trying to ‘validate right tackles’ in a left tackles game

Lane Johnson is the highest-paid tackle in the NFL, and yet when it comes to accolades awards, the left tackle seems to take priority over the right tackle in the NFL.

The Eagles star right tackle is working hard to dispel that myth, and his play should show that the right tackles are just as valuable as the counterparts on the left side.

With the majority of NFL quarterbacks being right-handed, the left tackle took precedents in the value to NFL clubs because he’s was the guy responsible for guarding the signal-callers blindside.

With NFL pass rushers excelling from various schemes and formations on the field, the right tackle should be valued on the same scale as the left tackle.

While talking to Zach Berman of The Athletic at the 2020 Pro Bowl in Orlando, Johnson talked about bringing more respect to the right tackle.

“It’s hard getting here, I feel, as a right tackle,” Johnson said.

“I’m just trying to validate right tackles — that’s really it,” Johnson said. “It’s still seen as a left tackle’s game. I’m trying to change that.”

Johnson signed a four-year, $72-million contract extension in November that made him the league’s highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL, yet when voting for the Pro Bowl was revealed, five of the six offensive tackles were left tackles.

The All-Pro voters just started recognizing right and left tackles separately as well.

3 Bills in Pro Bowl will help test 2 potential rule changes

2020 Pro Bowl will see two rule changes tested.

It was announced this week that Buffalo Bills returner Andre Roberts would join teammates Tre’Davious White and Tremaine Edmunds at the 2020 Pro Bowl.

Also announced this week were two potentially interesting rule changes that the league is testing out during the game, per NFL Operations.

While the Pro Bowl is the outlier for the NFL in the sense that, we love every football game played on earth except this one, these rules changes could be interesting to keep an eye on.

The first involves two options after a successful field goal or try attempt in lieu of a kickoff. The second relates to negating false starts on a flinch by a flexed receiver.

On the kick option, a team may elect to give their opponent the ball right away at the opponent’s 25-year line. Or that team can take the ball for themselves at their own 25-year line. The catch? The opponent has it on first-and-10, a fresh set of downs, while the team opting to keep it will have it on fourth-and-15. If they miss, the opponent gets it at the dead ball spot. This is a potential type of rule to replace onside kicks.

The other rule change is pretty much loosening up on false starts called on a receiver who flinches at bit at the line. That could help receivers get a bit looser going into their routes.

Here’s how the NFL explained the rules in their own words:

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Von Miller, Courtland Sutton enjoy first day of Pro Bowl practice

Broncos linebacker Von Miller and receiver Courtland Sutton completed Day 1 of Pro Bowl practice Wednesday.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller and wide receiver Courtland Sutton checked in with fans through the team’s official Twitter page from Florida on Wednesday. Miller and Sutton are preparing to play in the 2020 Pro Bowl on Sunday.

Miller participated in the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown in 2018 and 2019 and he will do so again this year. The 2020 skills showdown will air on ESPN on Jan. 23. Two years ago, Miller took home co-MVP honors at the 2018 Pro Bowl after his strip-sack sealed a 24-23 win for the AFC.

This year marks Sutton’s first appearance in the All-Star Game. The second-year receiver is clearly having a good time.

Sutton showed off his impressive hands with a one-handed catch during Wednesday’s practice.

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis will serve as one of the AFC’s team captains at the All-Star Game this year.

The 2020 Pro Bowl will be played in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 1:00 p.m. MT. The game will be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD. Tickets to the game start at $45 on Ticketmaster.

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2020 Pro Bowl: AFC vs. NFC odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s 2020 Pro Bowl between the best of the AFC and NFC, with NFL betting odds, picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 Pro Bowl is set for Sunday afternoon at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Kickoff will be at 3 p.m. ET as the best of the AFC and NFC do battle in the annual exhibition of the NFL’s top talents. We analyze the AFC-NFC odds and sports betting lines, while providing NFL betting tips and advice on the Pro Bowl matchup.

AFC vs. NFC: 2020 Pro Bowl preview, betting trends and notes

  • Six members of the Super Bowl-bound Kanas City Chiefs had been named to the Pro Bowl and were replaced this week. The San Francisco 49ers had four players who needed to be replaced.
  • The Baltimore Ravens, who earned the top playoff seed in the AFC, lead the way with 13 Pro Bowl representatives. Among them is MVP front-runner QB Lamar Jackson.
  • The NFC will be coached by Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and his staff. The AFC will be led by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.

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  • In addition to the absent Chiefs players, the AFC team needed to make six additional replacements due to injury or the withdrawal of selected players. The NFC needed five extra replacements.
  • Jackson led all players in fan voting. He passed for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns against just six interceptions this season, while adding 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
  • The AFC has won three straight Pro Bowls after the league reverted back to the conference vs. conference format following a three-year experiment with captains.

AFC vs. NFC: 2020 Pro Bowl odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

Prediction

AFC 28, NFC 20

Moneyline (?)

I’m taking the value with the AFC (-106) as a slight underdog. Despite having to make more roster alterations than the NFC (-115), it will still be led by Jackson, who’ll be keen to put on a show for the fans who made him the top-voted player. He and the rest of the Ravens’ selections will also be trying to put behind them the sour taste of their early playoff exit.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the AFC to win outright would return a profit of $9.43.

Against the Spread (?)

Stick with the moneyline and PASS on the spread with the AFC spotted just 1 point at lower and less-appealing odds (+1, -110). Since 2000, only one Pro Bowl played under the AFC vs. NFC format was decided by a single point. As of publishing, there were no alternate lines available. I’d be willing to back the AFC at a number up to -3.5.

Over/Under (?)

Go with the UNDER 50.5 (-106). Each of the last three all-star exhibitions fell short of this projection, yet it’s the more profitable play with the Over set at a less-rewarding -115. Defense has shone in recent Pro Bowls and we may as well chase value.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s 2019 NFL betting record: 58-51

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Pro Bowl to demo more potential rule changes

The Pro Bowl will try out two new rule changes this year.

As has become customary with the Pro Bowl, the NFL is going to demo some potential rule changes this year. They’ve tinkered in the past with the width of the goalposts and even a two-minute warning at the end of each quarter.

But this time around it seems the focus is on looking at a world without kickoffs. Here’s how the rule would break down for teams after a score.

1. Team A may elect to give Team B the ball at Team B’s 25-yard line, beginning a new series of downs with a first-and-10.

2. Team A may elect to take the ball at its own 25-yard line for a fourth-and-15 play. If Team A is successful in making a first down, Team A will maintain possession and a new series of downs will continue as normal. If Team A is unsuccessful in making a first down, the result will be a turnover on downs and Team B will take possession at the dead-ball spot.

If the league wants to eliminate kickoffs this would certainly do it. I’m largely indifferent to the notion of kickoffs or not but if dumping it reduces injuries, so be it.

The second rule change the NFL is going to try is essentially allowing wide receivers to take a step at the snap without being called for a false start penalty. It’s a very CFL thing to do and just leans the rules even more to favor the passing offense. Not a fan.

What do you all think of these proposed rule changes the NFL wants to try out?

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