Congratulations to the Patriots and to Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, second-year defensive lineman Geno Atkins and tight end Jermaine Gresham on their upcoming trip to the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl. Both Dalton and Atkins were alternates for the Pro Bowl and since the Patriots beat the Ravens in the AFC Championship game, quarterback Tom Brady and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork will be too busy preparing to play in Super Bowl XLVI so Dalton and Atkins will take their spots. Tight end Jermaine Gresham is going to the Pro Bowl due to the fact that both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are playing in the Super Bowl and Owen Daniels is injured.

This is the first time that the Bengals will have at least three players (the other is rookie wide receiver A.J. Green) in the Pro Bowl since the 2006 season when Chad Johnson, Willie Anderson and Deltha O'Neal represented Cincinnati. Andy Dalton will play alongside Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, Geno Atkins will play with Haloti Ngata and Richard Seymour, Jermaine Gresham will be playing with Antonio Gates, and A.J. Green will be playing with Mike Wallace and Brandon Marshall.

Congratulations to Andy, Geno, Jermaine and A.J. and I hope you represent Cincinnati well.