Monday, January 26, 2015

Several Packers Played In The Pro Bowl on Sunday

I'm still hurting from their playoff loss, so watching Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, John Kuhn, Josh Sitton, Clay Matthews, and Sam Shields playing in the Pro Bowl is like more salt on the wound. They should be getting ready for the Super Bowl! Not playing in the Pro Bowl! Anyway...

At least Kuhn was the leading rusher for Team Carter. Who knows how many Pro Bowl's he might make if the NFL leaves fullback in as a position separate from running back.
I'm really glad to see Nelson make his first Pro Bowl. It's been deserved for a while, and I'm really glad the Packers signed him to an extension before he made his first Pro Bowl. Unfortunately they didn't do the same for Cobb, but maybe there's nothing to worry about since "he's a Ted guy."

Obviously Kuhn's the biggest Pro Bowl surprise (not by too much when you consider how few teams use a fullback anymore) but the next biggest surprise was CB Sam Shields. His 2014 season was solid, but he didn't stand out under the conventional stats (2 INTs and 9 pass defenses). The recognition was more a sign of respect for him after his 2011-2013 seasons.

2014 was also a down year for Clay Matthews, but that's more a matter of perspective. Matthews was so good in 2009-2012 (too many injuries in 2013) but he was still 2nd team All-NFL according to the AP in 2014. That's certainly a season worth of a trip to the Pro Bowl.

So that's the last we'll see of any Packer in uniform until spring, and the last time they'll play in a game until early August. That's too long.

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