Weekend Primer: The Pro Bowl Is Better Than Nothing (Maybe)

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 27, 2011 9:52 AM EST in Analysis

There's no doubt that this weekend's Pro Bowl holds little interest with regular football folk. If they're not going to play hard and take it seriously, why should we? And aside from the occasional "idiot kicker" being called out by the team's quarterback, there's really nothing to keep us tuned in. Yet, it's football. What else are we going to do? Clean the bathroom? As if.

Now that the Pro Bowl has moved up to fill the void between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl, players that could have played the Pro Bowl after the Super Bowl, won't play due to risking an injury.

As is the case this year, ten players that earned a spot on the Pro Bowl won't be participating this year because of the Super Bowl.

Packers	Steelers
Nick Collins	James Harrison
Chad Clifton	Brett Keisel
Greg Jennings	Troy Polamalu
Clay Matthews	Maurkice Pouncey
Tramon Williams
Charles Woodson

Here are some notes heading into this weekend for the 2011 Pro Bowl.

The AFC Pro Bowl roster will feature two of the league's top passers with Phillip Rivers (4,710 yards passing) and Peyton Manning (4,700 yards passing).
Michael Vick, who is starting for the NFC, is the first quarterback in NFL history to record at least 600 yards rushing while posting a passer rating of 100.0 or better.
Tony Gonzalez's five touchdowns is tied for most all-time in the Pro Bowl. With a touchdown, Gonzalez would surpass Jimmy Smith and Marvin Harrison.
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has three rushing touchdowns. With one rushing touchdown this weekend, he would surpass Earl Campbell, Chuck Muncie and Mike Alstott for most rushing touchdowns in Pro Bowl history.

Seven of the highest combined scores in Pro Bowl history have all occurred since 2000.

YEAR	WINNER (PTS)	LOSER (PTS)	TOTAL POINTS
2004	NFC (55)	AFC (52)	107
2000	NFC (51)	AFC (31)	82
2010	AFC (41)	NFC (34)	75
2008	NFC (42)	AFC (30)	72
2002	AFC (38)	NFC (30)	68
2003	AFC (45)	NFC (20)	65
2005	AFC (38)	NFC (27)	65

Breakdown of schools with at least three players named to the 2011 Pro Bowl.

COLLEGE	2011 PRO BOWL PLAYERS	#
Miami	S Ed Reed, S Brandon Meriweather, LB Ray Lewis, DT Vince Wilfork, WR Andre Johnson, WR Reggie Wayne, KR Devin Hester, LB Jonathan Vilma, S Antrel Rolle, LB Jon Beason	10
Tennessee	QB Peyton Manning, RB Arian Foster, LB Jerod Mayo, TE Jason Witten, T Chad Clifton, S Eric Berry	6
USC	S Troy Polamalu, C Ryan Kalil, LB Clay Matthews, QB Matt Cassel	4
Michigan	QB Tom Brady, T Jake Long, CB Charles Woodson	3

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Head to Head competition's

I’d like to see head to head foot races to determine who “The Official Fastest Man In The NFL” is. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to do a competition for “The Official Strongest Man In The NFL” too. I know they used to have similiar competitions and did away with it however with today’s trash talk and the NFL’s ability to hype boring things (the draft/AP awards) I think it would have a higher success rate nowadays.

by JamesShively! on Jan 27, 2011 10:50 AM EST reply actions